Cablegate: Talking Points for Undof Consultations with The

VZCZCXYZ0000
PP RUEHWEB

DE RUEHC #6217 3432340
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P R 092340Z DEC 09
FM SECSTATE WASHDC
TO RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK PRIORITY 9022
INFO RUEHDM/AMEMBASSY DAMASCUS 8341
RUEHTV/AMEMBASSY TEL AVIV 0111
RUEHJM/AMCONSUL JERUSALEM 6288

UNCLAS STATE 126217

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREL UNSC KPKO SY IS
SUBJECT: TALKING POINTS FOR UNDOF CONSULTATIONS WITH THE
UN SECURITY COUNCIL

1. USUN may draw on the talking points in paragraph 2
during December 14 Security Council consultations on the
United Nations Disengagement Observer Force (UNDOF).

2. Begin talking points

-- Mr. President, we are pleased the UNDOF area of operation
has remained generally quiet during this period and that
UNDOF has continued to perform its function effectively, with
the cooperation of the parties.

-- We commend the six troop contributing countries and their
personnel, now at a combined strength of over 1,000, for
their superb professionalism and dedication, and welcome the
Philippine contingent to the mission.

-- Mr. President, in June we strongly advocated in extending
UNDOF's mandate to 12 months, vice the traditional six
months, in order to achieve greater Council efficiency, given
the non-controversial nature of UNDOF's mandate renewal.
This would also make it consistent other peacekeeping
missions in the region which have a one-year mandate.

-- At the time, one of the parties, Syria voiced a strong
preference that the six-month mandate be
retained, viewing an extension to a 12-month mandate as a
negative political signal on the peace process. We
understand that Syria continues to hold that same position.

-- We continue to respectfully disagree. The United States
has made it very clear that we are firmly committed to
achieving comprehensive peace in the Middle East and we are
pursuing it vigorously. We are doing everything we can to be
constructive, effective partners in this process.

-- Making UNDOF into a 12-month mandate is a matter of
promoting UN efficiency and best practices, not a statement
about the peace process, to which the U.S. is very clearly
committed, as is this Council.

-- As the largest financial contributor to UNDOF and to the
UN itself, we would like to see greater efficiencies wherever
possible. We also ask DPKO to consider whether it should
recommend a 12-month mandate for the next renewal period
rather than the traditional six-month renewal.

-- We also ask DPKO to provide more detailed analysis in its
report to the Council. In particular, we would like to hear
about UNDOF,s efforts to maintain the ceasefire and whether
the Force,s assets and resources are configured most
appropriately to fulfill its mandated task.

-- In too many of these semi-annual consultations, the
Secretary-General,s written report to the Council contains
far less information than DPKO,s oral briefings. It is
unclear to us why some or all of that information is not
contained in the written report. We understand if there is
additional information to share after the publication of the
report. The report, however, should not be virtually
identical from period to period. It should be more
reflective of the actual on-the-ground situation during the
reporting period and not use recycled text.

-- Thank you, Mr. President.

End talking points
CLINTON

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