INDEPENDENT NEWS

Cablegate: Security Council Lunch with Syg Ban: Minurcat,

Published: Wed 17 Feb 2010 11:34 PM
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P 172334Z FEB 10
FM USMISSION USUN NEW YORK
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 8191
INFO RUEHGG/UN SECURITY COUNCIL COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
RUEHAB/AMEMBASSY ABIDJAN PRIORITY 0061
RUEHGI/AMEMBASSY BANGUI PRIORITY 0016
RUEHNJ/AMEMBASSY NDJAMENA PRIORITY 0410
RUEHUL/AMEMBASSY SEOUL PRIORITY 1258
UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 USUN NEW YORK 000089
SENSITIVE
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E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV PHUM PREF PREL KPKO CD LY SU CT KN IV
SUBJECT: SECURITY COUNCIL LUNCH WITH SYG BAN: MINURCAT,
COTE D'IVOIRE AND DPRK DISCUSSED
1. (SBU) Summary: In a lunch hosted by the French Mission
for Security Council members on February 12, Secretary
General Ban discussed the future status of the UN Mission in
Chad and the Central African Republic (MINURCAT), Cote
D'Ivoire and Under-Secretary-General Lynn Pascoe's recent
trip to the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK). On
MINURCAT, Ban stated that the GoC could not take over
responsibility for security provided by MINURCAT and that the
UN would not de-link the military and civilian presence in
Chad. Members agreed that Ban should make strong efforts to
persuade Deby to continue the MINURCAT mandate. On Cote
d'Ivoire, Ban agreed that the Secretariat needed better
information and he promised to speak with mediator President
Compaore. On DPRK, Ban indicated that Pascoe's trip was
successful in reestablishing UN-DPRK contacts; the United
Kingdom said that Pascoe should report to the Council on his
return, with China indicating that issues other than the UN's
relationship to the DPRK should not be discussed. End
Summary.
MINURCAT
--------
2. (SBU) On February 12, the French Mission in its capacity
as President of the Security Council hosted a lunch for
Secretary General Ban with Security Council members. SYG Ban
stated that MINURCAT was succeeding and noted that the GoC
was not equipped to take over responsibility for the security
the mission provided. He also stated that, although the GoC
had indicated it would be content for civilian MINURCAT staff
to remain and for military troops to withdraw, the UN cannot
de-link the civilian and military components of the mission.
Ban also said that if MINURCAT withdrew, troops based in
Central African Republic would withdraw as well, and
humanitarians would suffer.
3. (SBU) France indicated that Chadian President Deby
believes he has been slighted by the UN and that further
dialogue, avoiding extremes, was necessary. Ambassador Wolff
strongly advocated that the Security Council should make
every effort to reverse Deby's decision. Wolff noted that
the Security Council had stated it would not allow what
happened to the United Nations Mission in Ethiopia and
Eritrea (UNMEE) to become a precedent, and precipitous
withdrawal of MINURCAT could be just that. Wolff stated that
if Deby feels slighted, the Council needs to know why. Wolff
also noted the regional implications of withdrawal, including
potential spill-over from possible violence resulting from
elections in Sudan and CAR in April, along with the January
referendum in Sudan.
4. (SBU) Russia agreed that the Council should persuade Deby
to be reasonable but stressed that only the Secretariat
should negotiate the terms for extension of MINURCAT's
mandate. Russia noted that often there is an inverse
relationship between public statements and what, in reality,
governments are prepared to do. Russia also mentioned the
infrastructure that the UN had promised to build would
ultimately be left to the GoC, and this could be a factor in
negotiations. China noted that Deby had never been
enthusiastic about MINURCAT and that the Secretariat needs to
find him a face-saving way out.
5. (SBU) Turkey encouraged the Secretariat to persuade the
GoC that it is not in its interest to withdraw MINURCAT.
Nigeria suggested that the Council of African Elders be asked
to intervene with Deby, and that if the Elders agreed to do
so, Deby likely would change his position. Brazil also
agreed that Deby's decision to eject MINURCAT was unwise. Ban
concluded that there was general agreement on a way forward
and noted that he would personally engage Deby, and that the
example of UNMEE should not be repeated -- host governments
should not have veto powers over Security Council missions.
Cote D'Ivoire
-------------
6. (SBU) On Cote d'Ivoire, Ban summarized recent events,
including President Gbagbo's suspension of the electoral
process; disbanding the government; and dissolving the
electoral commission, all under the emergency powers
allegedly provided by the constitution. The French said that
Gbagbo had agreed to the electoral process at a time when he
calculated he could win elections, and that now he is looking
for a pre-text to avoid them. The United Kingdom said the
Council should react quickly. Ambassador Wolff stressed that
we need to examine the facts, particularly with regard to the
USUN NEW Y 00000089 002 OF 002
constitutionality of Gbagbo's actions. Nonetheless, Wolff
said that the U.S. strongly regretted these actions, noting
that elections were the only way to safeguard the Ouagadougou
Peace Agreement. China stressed there was no need to rush
into a Council response. SYG Ban agreed that the Secretariat
needed better information and he promised to speak with
mediator President Compaore.
Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK)
--------------------------------------------
7. (SBU) SYG Ban said that U/SYG Lynn Pascoe's trip to the
DPRK had been successful and that Pascoe was currently in
Beijing talking to the Chinese. Ban noted that Pascoe did
not meet with Kim Jong-il, but he did meet with Kim Jong-il's
deputy, the President, and others. Ban said that Pascoe
discussed a number of issues, including the nuclear issue.
Ban also noted that Pascoe visited several UN program sites,
and there were funding shortfalls for these sites. The
United Kingdom expressed hope that Pascoe would report to the
Council on his return. China stated that the purpose of
Pascoe's visit was only to clarify the UN's relationship to
DPRK, and that China hoped that Pascoe would not embarrass
the SYG by raising other issues in the briefing.
RICE
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