Citation
CONFIDENTIAL
UNCLASSIFIED
UU5
RELEASED IN FULL
PAGE 01
ACTION 10-16
USUN N 01543 132320Z
AID-01 ARA-01 CCO-00 CIAE-00 C-01
INFO LOG-00 AF-01
H-01
EUR-01 HA-09
OASY-00 DOEE-00 EAP-01 EB-01
ADS-00 NEA-01 NSAE-00 01C-02
TEDE-00 INR-00 L-01
SNP-00
PRS-01 P-01
PM-00
01G-04 OMB-01 PA-01
USIE-00
STR-01 TRSE-00 T-00
SS-00
SR-00
SP-00
/050W
RPE-01 SNIS-00 NISC-02 PMB-00
SA-01
3B9A07 132321Z /38
0 132315Z APR 94 ZFF4
FM USMISSION USUN NEW YORK
TO SECSTATE WASHDC NIACT IMMEDIATE 5663
WHITEHOUSE WASHDC PRIORITY
AMEMBASSY BRUSSELS PRIORITY
AMEMBASSY KAMPALA PRIORITY
AMEMBASSY BRUSSELS
AMEMBASSY DAR ES SALAAM
JOINT STAFF WASHDC
SECDEF WASHDC
AMEMBASSY ADDIS ABABA
USCINCEUR VAIHINGEN GE
UN SECURITY COUNCIL COLLECTIVE
AMEMBASSY OTTAWA
AMEMBASSY NAIROBI
AMEMBASSY BUJUMBURA
CONFIDENTIALUSUN NEW YORK 001543
DEPT FOR IO/UNP, IO/PHO, Ar/c AND L/AF;
WHITEHOUSE PASS TO NSC FOR SRICE, DMOZENA
CONFIDENTIAL
CONFIDENTIAL
USUN N 01543 132320Z
PAGE 02
JOINT STAFF FOR CHAIRMAN, DIR JS, J3;
SECDEF FOR OSD/ISA
E.0.12356: DECL:OADR
TAGS: MOPS, PREL, MARR, PGOV, KDEM, RW, UNSC, CG
SUBJECT: TFRWOL: TROOP CONTRIBUTERS DISCUSS UNAMIR'S
FUTURE
1. CONFIDENTIAL - ENTIRE TEXT.
UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF STATE
REVIEW AUTHORITY: JOHN L MILLS
DATE/CASE ID: 05 NOV 2008 200103014
UNCLASSIFIED
UNCLASSIFIED
2. SUMMARY: UNAMIR TROOP CONTRIBUTERS MET ON APRIL 13
TO DISCUSS UNAMIR'S FUTURE. THERE WAS CONSIDERABLE
OPINION THAT: AN OVERRIDING CONCERN IS THE SECURITY OF
UNAMIR TROOPS; UNAMIR SHOULD BE SUBSTANTIALLY REDUCED IN
SIZE; AND THE UN SHOULD RETAIN A PRESENCE AS A WAY OF
SIGNALLING ITS CONTINUED INVOLVEMENT AND INTEREST.
BELGIUM ANNOUNCED ITS INTENTION TO WITHDRAW ITS
CONTINGENT. END SUMMARY.
3. AT THE INVITATION OF THE SECURITY COUNCIL PRESIDENT,
AMBASSADOR KEATING OF NEW ZEALAND, ON APRIL 13 THERE WAS
A UNAMIR TROOP CONTRIBUTERS MEETING TO DISCUSS UNAMIR'S
FUTURE. AMONG THOSE REPRESENTED WERE THE US, FRANCE,
BELGIUM, NIGERIA, RUSSIA, ZIMBABWE, URUGUAY, BANGLADESH,
AND GHANA.
4. THERE WAS CONSIDERABLE CONSENSUS THAT UNAMIR SHOULD
BE SUBSTANTIALLY REDUCED BECAUSE THE SECURITY OF UNAMIR
TROOPS ARE AT RISK, AND UNAMIR CAN NO LONGER FULFILL ITS
MANDATE GIVEN THE PRESENT CIRCUMSTANCES. EVEN NIGERIAN
CONFIDENTIAL
CONFIDENTIAL
USUN N 01543 132320Z
PAGE 03
PERMREP GAMBARI, WHO IN YESTERDAY'S SECURITY COUNCIL
INFORMALS HINTED AT THE POSSIBILITY OF EXPANDING
UNAMIR'S PRESENCE, CONCEDED THAT UNAMIR SHOULD BE
SUBSTANTIALLY REDUCED IN SIZE AND SCOPE FOR THE TIME
BEING. URUGUAY OFFERED THE USE OF A PLANE TO ASSIST ANY
FUTURE EVACUATION OF UNAMIR TROOPS.
5. BELGIUM, SPEAKING LAST, ANNOUNCED ITS INTENTION TO
WITHDRAW ITS CONTIGENT FROM UNAMIR. CLAIMING THAT HIS
TROOPS ARE MORE A NUISANCE THAN AN ASSISTANCE, THE
BELGIUM PERMREP SAID THAT IT WOULD BE BETTER FOR THE
SAFETY OF ITS FORCES AND THE FUTURE OF UNAMIR IF THE
BELGIUM CONTINGENT WERE WITHDRAWN. THAT SAID, HE ALSO
SUPPORTED A CONTINUED UN PRESENCE, AND INDICATED THAT
BELGIUM WOULD CONTINUE TO ASSIST THE RECONSTRUCTION
PROCESS IN RWANDA ONCE CONDITIONS PERMITTED.
6. THERE WAS ALSO CONSIDERABLE UNINFORMITY OF OPINION
THAT THE UN AND UNAMIR SHOULD MAINTAIN SOME ROLE IN
RWANDA; THE UN CAN STILL HELP FACILITATE A CEASE-FIRE
AND THE PROCESS OF POLITICAL RECONCILIATION. OTHERS
ALSO NOTED THAT A TOTAL UN DEPARTURE WOULD HURT THE UN'S
CREDIBILITY.
UNCLASSIFIED
UNCLASSIFIED
7. THE RUSSIAN DEPPERMREP ADDED THAT RUSSIA ANTICIPATES
THE SYG'S DECISION CONCERNING UNAMIR'S FUTURE, BUT THAT
ANY DECISION CONCERNING THE SIZE OF A REDUCED UNAMIR
FORCE WOULD BE DEPENDENT ON WHETHER THERE IS A WORKABLE
CEASE-FIRE, WHETHER THE ARUSHA ACCORDS ARE STILL
OPERATIVE, AND WHETHER IT IS POSSIBLE TO EVACUATE
QUICKLY WHATEVER TROOPS REMAIN.
CONFIDENTIAL
CONFIDENTIAL
PAGE 04
USUN N 01543 132320Z
8. GHANA SAID THAT THE UN "DOES NOT SEEM TO BE ON TOP
OF THE SITUATION" WITH RESPECT TO KEEPING THE TROOP
CONTRIBUTERS INFORMED OF THE SAFETY AND LOCATION OF
THEIR TROOPS AND THE DEVELOPMENTS ON THE GROUND; THE UN
IS NOT EVIDENCING REAL CONCERN OVER THE SAFETY AND
SECURITY OF OUR TROOPS, HE ADDED. MOREOVER, THE TROOP
CONTRIBUTERS HAVE LITTLE ACCESS TO INFORMATION, AND MUST
RELY ON THE NEW YORK TIMES AND RUMORS TO APPRAISE
DEVELOPMENTS ON THE GROUND. TROOP CONTRIBUTERS, HE
CONTINUED, NEED CONTINUAL ACCESS TO: THE SAFETY OF THEIR
TROOPS; POLITICAL AND MILITARY DEVELOPMENTS; AND, WHAT
CONTACT THE UN MAINTAINS WITH THE VARIOUS FACTIONS ON
THE GROUND.
9. AMBASSADOR KEATING SUMMARIZED BY SAYING THAT THERE
WAS CONSIDERABLE CONSENSUS TO THE VIEW THAT THE UN MUST
REMAIN ENGAGED IN SOME CAPACITY, BUT THAT THE MODALITIES
FOR DOING SO WERE UNCLEAR. IN THIS RESPECT, HE LOOKED
FORWARD TO THE SYG'S RECOMMENDATIONS.
ALBRIGHT
CONFIDENTIAL
NNNN
UNCLASSIFIED
