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Viewing cable 08STATE109268, GUIDANCE FOR UNSC DEBATE ON AFGHANISTAN, OCTOBER

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Reference ID Created Released Classification Origin
08STATE109268 2008-10-10 23:29 2011-08-24 01:00 UNCLASSIFIED Secretary of State
VZCZCXRO3973
OO RUEHTRO
DE RUEHC #9268/01 2842334
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 102329Z OCT 08
FM SECSTATE WASHDC
TO RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK IMMEDIATE 3467
INFO UN SECURITY COUNCIL COLLECTIVE IMMEDIATE
ALL NATO POST COLLECTIVE IMMEDIATE
RUEHBUL/AMEMBASSY KABUL IMMEDIATE 7157
RUEHIL/AMEMBASSY ISLAMABAD IMMEDIATE 6826
RUEHNO/USMISSION USNATO IMMEDIATE 9937
RUEHVEN/USMISSION USOSCE IMMEDIATE 4470
RUEHBS/USEU BRUSSELS IMMEDIATE
UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 STATE 109268 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: UNSC PREL PGOV UNAMA MARR MOPS EAID KDEM AF
SUBJECT: GUIDANCE FOR UNSC DEBATE ON AFGHANISTAN, OCTOBER 
14, 2008 
 
1.  The Department instructs USUN to draw on the points below 
for its participation in the UN Security Council debate on 
the Secretary General's September 23 report on the situation 
in Afghanistan, scheduled to take place on October 14. 
 
2. Begin points: 
 
Mr. President 
 
I would like to thank the (Secretary General) and (Special 
Representative Eide) for their report(s) to the Council 
today. 
 
The SRSG has built a strong and promising relationship with 
the government of Afghanistan and with the 
international community.  Concurrent with his appointment, 
the Security Council took the crucial decision to expand the 
mandate of the UN Assistance Mission to Afghanistan.  It is 
imperative for that decision to be implemented through 
increased staff and resources for UNAMA.  We fully agree with 
the Secretary General,s call for "political surge" in the 
mission, given the huge challenges that UNAMA faces regarding 
civil-military coordination, effectiveness of humanitarian 
relief, and elections preparation.  We fully support SRSG 
Eide,s effort to recruit more staff and to expand UNAMA,s 
presence throughout the provinces.  We urge the Secretariat 
to do everything in its power to facilitate Ambassador 
Eide,s efforts. 
 
Today I would like to make five points on the issues covered 
by the Secretary General,s report. 
 
First, we share the Secretary General,s assessment that the 
humanitarian situation in Afghanistan is worsening and puts 
many Afghan lives in jeopardy.  We are gravely concerned 
about food insecurity, drought, and malnutrition.  The United 
States is the largest donor in food assistance to 
Afghanistan, both financially and in kind.  The Food for 
Peace program provided over $170 million in food aid to 
Afghanistan and 100,000 metric tons of wheat.  On the 
humanitarian front, the President has authorized $8.3 million 
in aid, part of which is earmarked for Afghan refugees and 
internally displaced persons.  We urge UN member states to 
respond to Afghan government as well as UN appeals. 
 
Second, I would like to underscore the importance of the role 
of Afghanistan's neighbors in continuing to integrate 
Afghanistan into regional mechanisms and the regional 
economy, which is crucial to Afghanistan's long-term economic 
development and stability.  We welcome Afghanistan's 
increased contacts with regional actors cited in the 
Secretary General's report, in particular the deepening ties 
between Afghanistan and Pakistan, and Afghanistan's 
participation in the SAARC summit. 
 
Third, we commend President Karzai,s commitment to hold 
elections in 2009 despite threats and intimidation from the 
Taliban and others.  Voter registration started on October 6, 
and effective 
cooperation between Afghan security forces and ISAF has led 
to elections preparations starting on a positive note.  We 
welcome UNAMA,s efforts to support the Afghan government in 
preparing for these elections and welcome the SRSG,s 
leadership in this regard.  It is imperative that the 
international community redouble efforts to ensure credible 
elections that will be recognized by all 
ethnic groups as legitimately demonstrating the will of the 
Afghan people.  We call on the Afghan government to maintain 
its firm commitment to carry out these elections as scheduled 
and to demonstrate leadership in creating the conditions for 
free and fair elections throughout the the country. 
 
Fourth, we concur with the report,s conclusion that the 
security situation has become more challenging as the number 
of anti-government incidents have increased and the Taliban 
have continued to wage deadly attacks on Afghan security 
forces, ISAF, and on the civilian population.  We are 
nonetheless more determined to continue our mission to help 
Afghanistan become a stable, democratic and 
prosperous country. 
 
 
STATE 00109268  002 OF 002 
 
 
The United States deeply regrets the loss of civilian lives 
and we share the Secretary General,s grave concern over the 
issue of civilian casualties.  U.S. Secretary of Defense 
Robert Gates, speaking in Afghanistan a few weeks ago said 
"While no military has ever done more to prevent civilian 
casualties, it is clear that we have to work even harder." 
 
I want to assure Council members that we will do everything 
in our power to ensure that ISAF and Operation Enduring 
Freedom take every precaution to prevent civilian casualties. 
 Secretary Gates has talked directly with pilots.  We have 
intensified our efforts with the Government of Afghanistan to 
improve coordination and communication in operations to 
prevent future incidents of civilian casualties.  And our 
military's Central Command has issued guidance to U.S. forces 
to continue to take steps to prevent Afghan civilian 
casualties and acknowledge such casualties when they occur. 
 
At the same time, we should not lose sight of the fundamental 
cause of this increase in casualties, clearly spelled out in 
the Secretary General,s report: the Taliban and other 
anti-government elements are waging a systematic campaign of 
violence and intimidation against civilians.  They are 
increasingly and deliberately targeting civilians and using 
them as shields.   And, as the report points out, the Taliban 
are increasingly resorting to asymmetric attacks on 
population centers, aid-related targets, and NGOs.  In light 
of the increasingly inhumane tactics employed by the Taliban 
against their own people, it is crucial that Afghan security 
forces, the army and the police, continue to take increasing 
responsiblity for protecting the Afghan people.  We welcome 
the improvement of the performance of the Afghan army, noted 
in the Secretary General's report, and also share the 
concerns expressed regarding the slower progress in improving 
the police. 
 
Fifth, the challenging security situation highlights the need 
for both more and better civil-military coordination.  On the 
military side, the United States, in consultation with our 
ISAF partners, has streamlined its chain of command to make 
our forces better able to carry out their mission.  General 
McKiernan, is now the Commander of both the International 
Security Assistance Force and U.S. Forces-Afghanistan and is 
working very closely with the Afghan security forces. 
 
On the civilian side, UNAMA needs to be a strong and 
forthcoming leader.  Civil-military coordination is a crucial 
part of UNAMA,s mandate and we expect SRSG Eide to take the 
lead in that regard in partnership with General McKiernan. 
Furthermore, we have a strategy that puts UNAMA at the center 
of 
coordinating international relief efforts.  The endorsement 
of the Afghan National Development Strategy in June, as well 
as the unprecedented level of pledges by the international 
community, are clear signs of the determination to succeed. 
We must now implement this strategy at all levels:  donors 
must follow through on their commitments, and the Afghan 
government must not only create new structures, but make 
tough decisions, and implement agreed policies as outlined in 
the Afghan National Development Strategy, specifically: in 
the areas of local governance, economic development, 
counternarcotics, and security. 
 
In closing, Mr. President, the Secretary General,s report 
accurately highlights the increasing difficulties and 
challenges that the Government of Afghanistan and its 
international partners are facing.  These challenges should 
serve to reaffirm the Security Council,s commitment to the 
establishment of peace and security for the Afghan people. 
RICE