US embassy cable - 05AMMAN471

UNCLAS AMMAN 000471 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
 
DEPT FOR PRM, IO, NEA AND L 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREF, PREL, PGOV, KPAL, IS, JO 
SUBJECT: GUIDANCE REQUEST FOR UNRWA ADVISORY COMMISSION 
EXTRAORDINARY MEETING 
 
REF: 04 AMMAN 8809 
 
1. (U) This message has been cleared by Consulate General 
Jerusalem, and contains a request for Department guidance in 
advance of a January 24 extraordinary meeting of UNRWA's 
Advisory Commission. 
 
2. (SBU)  UNRWA has requested an extraordinary meeting of its 
Advisory Commission (AdCom) in Amman on Monday, January 24. 
It is asking the 10-member UNGA-mandated body to decide 
whether UNRWA should break with its internal staff 
regulations, and past UN practice, in order to permit its 
local staff to stand in municipal elections in Gaza and the 
West Bank without resigning their UNRWA appointments. 
 
BACKGROUND 
---------- 
 
3. (SBU) In accordance with its area staff regulations and 
personnel directives, UNRWA distributed a memorandum to all 
Gaza and the West Bank Field employees on January 6 informing 
any UNRWA staff members who intended to stand as candidates 
in municipal council elections that they would need to submit 
their resignation no later than the day they presented their 
nomination papers.  The memorandum continued to note "If 
those who resign in order to run for office are not elected, 
promptly submitted applications for reinstatement will be 
regarded sympathetically, but there can be no guarantee of 
reinstatement."  While 13 local staff intending to run in the 
first round of municipal elections in Gaza on January 27 have 
complied with these regulations, 21 others are protesting. 
According to UNRWA, several "prominent Palestinian public 
figures and officials" have taken up their cause, asserting 
that UNRWA's requirement is "contrary to PA law," that the 
municipal council positions are "non-political in nature," 
and that UNRWA is effectively removing a talented pool of 
candidates from public service, as the municipal councilor 
positions are unpaid. (NOTE: Refcoord has faxed PRM/ANE a 
full background note prepared by UNRWA's External Relations 
and Legal Affairs Departments, which contains a copy of Law 
no. (22) of 1997 concerning local elected bodies.  END NOTE.) 
 
 
 
4. (SBU) UNRWA's Legal Affairs Department notes that the UN 
has required its locally-recruited staff to resign their 
posts in similar situations (e.g., Afghanistan, East Timor, 
Kosovo).  However, senior UNRWA officials argue privately 
that the unions who represent UNRWA's 12,500 
locally-recruited staff in Gaza and the West Bank will not be 
persuaded by that argument, as the UN has authorized UNRWA to 
follow a unique approach to other issues -- or example, the 
UN's decision to employ UNRWA staff at a lower pay scale than 
other locally-recruited staff working in the region for other 
UN agencies.  These UNRWA officials believe that these staff 
unions, which are highly politicized, will call for a strike 
similar to the one that paralyzed the Agency's West Bank 
operations this fall (reftel).  UNRWA Deputy ComGen Karen Abu 
Zayd told Refcoord January 19 that PLO Refugee Affairs 
Department Head Dr. Zakaria al Agha is advocating strongly in 
favor of allowing UNRWA staff to retain their positions while 
holding elected office, and will likely press UNRWA to 
reverse its position at Monday's meeting. 
 
 
5. (SBU) COMMENT AND ACTION REQUEST: UNRWA has indicated that 
it will not/not advocate for a particular position at the 
extraordinary meeting, fearing that openly opposing the PLO 
will induce its unions to strike.  We have been unable to 
reach Jordan's new Department of Palestinian (DPA) DG (who 
will chair Monday's meeting) due to the Eid holidays and are 
uncertain what tact he intends to take.  Given his 
inexperience, we suspect he will be inclined to leave any 
decision to the remaining AdCom members.  Posts seek 
Department guidance.  END COMMENT AND ACTION REQUEST. 
 
6. (U)  UNRWA Advisory Commission: Jordan (current Chair), 
Belgium, Egypt, France, Japan, Lebanon, Syria, Turkey, UK and 
U.S. The PLO also attends Commission meetings as an observer. 
 
 
HALE