UNifeed: UN / RICE

UN / RICE

United States Ambassador Susan Rice says that the UN must continue to play a vital role in Afghanistan and that the personnel of the UN mission (UNAMA) there, "need and deserve" additional resources to ensure their security and to enable them to ramp up their presence and expand into new provinces within Afghanistan. UNTV

Duration:02:01Date:02 December 2009

Categories:

United Nations Television, POLITICAL AND LEGAL QUESTIONS, MAINTENANCE OF PEACE AND SECURITY, UNITED STATES, AFGHANISTAN

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Full Script

STORY: UN / RICE
TRT: 2.01
SOURCE: UNTV
RESTRICTIONS: NONE
LANGUAGE: ENGLISH / NATS

DATELINE: 2 DECEMBER 2009, NEW YORK CITY

SHOTLIST:

RECENT 2009, NEW YORK CITY

1. Wide shot, exterior United Nations headquarters

2 DECEMBER 2009, NEW YORK CITY

2. Wide shot, US Ambassador Susan Rice approaches microphone
3. Cutaway, cameraman
4. SOUNDBITE (English) Ambassador Susan Rice, Permanent Representative of the United States to the United Nations:
“We think that the personnel of UNAMA need and deserve the additional resources to ensure their security and to enable them to continue to ramp up their presence and expand it into new provinces within Afghanistan. The civilian component of this mission is crucial and that is why the United States will increase its investment, that’s why the countries of NATO and ISAF will do the same.” 
5. Close up, hands taking notes
6. SOUNDBITE (English) Ambassador Susan Rice, Permanent Representative of the United States to the United Nations:
“Well let me be clear it is not the expectation that all of the Afghan security forces that are required will be trained within 18 months. The President has said that he will send an additional 30 thousand US forces augmented by additional NATO and ISAF forces, those forces will arrive on the first half of 2010, faster than had been in fact proposed or anticipated originally by General McChrystal. They will create space and time for the Afghan authorities to enhance their governance and very importantly accelerate the training of Afghan national security forces.”
7. Cutaway, cameramen
8. SOUNDBITE (English) Ambassador Susan Rice, Permanent Representative of the United States to the United Nations:
“This is most vitally important because it is intended to convey to the Afghan government and the Afghan people that this is their country, this is their responsibility, and that we will work with them to assume that responsibility, build their ability to do it, we do not intend to be there indefinitely, this is not an open ended commitment, we are not trying to build a perfect nation, we are trying to enhance the capacity of the Afghan people, and their government to take ownership for their security and wellbeing.”
9. Wide shot, Susan Rice leaving the stakeout area

STORYLINE:

US Ambassador Susan Rice told reporters at the United Nations today (2 December) that the personnel of UNAMA “need and deserve the additional resources to ensure their security and to enable them to continue to ramp up their presence and expand it into new provinces within Afghanistan”.

Speaking after the United States (US) Administration yesterday presented its plan for Afghanistan, Rice said that the civilian component of the UN mission in that country was crucial.

Responding to a question on whether 18 months was realistic to train Afghan police, Rice said that it was not the expectation that all of the Afghan security forces that were required would be trained within 18 months. She added that the additional thirty thousand US forces announced by US President Barack Obama would “create the space and time for the Afghan authorities to enhance their governance and very importantly accelerate the training of Afghan national security forces.”

Rice also said that that was “most vitally important because it is intended to convey to the Afghan government and the Afghan people that this is their country, this is their responsibility, and that we will work with them to assume that responsibility.”

Earlier today UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon welcomed the new United States plan for Afghanistan, and said the United Nations remained committed to supporting a transition to increased Afghan ownership, responsibility and leadership for peace and development in the country.

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