INSTRUCTIONS AND GUIDANCE FOR THE APRIL 10 MEETING OF THE OEWG/DISCUSSIONS WITH PGA KERIM

Reference ID 08STATE36722
Created 2008-04-09 02:02
Released 2011-02-13
Classification CONFIDENTIAL
Origin Secretary of State


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C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 STATE 036722

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SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/06/2018
TAGS: UNSC UNGA PREL GM JA IT BR IN PK
SUBJECT: INSTRUCTIONS AND GUIDANCE FOR THE APRIL 10 MEETING OF THE OEWG/DISCUSSIONS WITH PGA KERIM

REF: USUN 310 Classified By: IO PDAS James Warlick for reasons 1.4(b) and (d).

1.(U) This message contains guidance requested by USUN in reftel for responding to General Assembly President (PGA) Kerim regarding the April 10 meeting of the Open-Ended Working Group on the Question of Equitable Representation and the Increase in Membership of the Security Council and Other Matters related to the Security Council (OEWG). Paragraph 3 contains points from which USUN may draw in making our statement during the April 10 OEWG session. USUN should underline existing U.S. policy in both the OEWG and in private conversation with Kerim: the U.S. supports modest Council expansion that enhances its effectiveness, and that is part of a package of overall UN reform.

RESPONSE TO PGA KERIM ---------------------

¶2. (C) USUN should communicate to PGA Kerim that in light of the wide-ranging and often conflicting views reflected in the draft proposal put forward by Cyprus on behalf of the "Over-Arching Group," by United For Consensus (UFC) and by the African Union (AU), it would not be appropriate to take a position on any specific proposal, and that explicit U.S. endorsement of one or another approach at this juncture would likely lead to recriminations and inhibit a full discussion. USUN should also reaffirm points already made by Ambassador Khalilzad to Kerim as reported in reftel: -- The U.S. supports modest UNSC expansion if the new members would add to the effectiveness of the Council. However, seven new members, the smallest expansion proposed in the Cyprus draft, is a 50% increase in the size of the Council. We sincerely doubt that anyone could argue seriously that such an increase is in the interest of enhancing the effectiveness of the Council. Rather, it seems to be a case of sacrificing the efficiency of the Council to gain wide support for a reform framework. -- We remain frustrated with the slow progress of UN reform in other areas, particularly regarding the budget, personnel, and administrative matters. Without progress in these areas, it is doubtful that any U.S. administration would be able to support UNSC reform. -- While we will consider all possibilities including an intermediate or interim solution to UNSC reform, we are concerned that all of the so-called interim solutions we have seen thus far would fuel regional constituency dynamics whereby a UNSC renewable member is beholden to its regional partners for re-election. This would skew the global responsibilities that a state should assume when becoming a member of the Council. --An intermediate solution cannot lead to automatic permanent membership for new members.

OEWG STATEMENT --------------

¶3. (U) Begin Points for Statement during OEWG Discussion: Mr. President: Thank you for convening this meeting and for your commitment to ensuring that the OEWG approaches UNSC reform in a serious, transparent, and constructive manner. I would like to underscore U.S. support for your and the Task Force's leadership on UNSC reform and welcome the addition of the Permanent Representative of Djibouti to the Task Force. We also commend your approach in encouraging the OEWG members to generate ideas and proposals for the Task Force to consider. As a result of your guidance, a number of countries have

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worked to further identify and refine elements of UNSC reform and expansion for the OEWG to consider. We appreciate the leadership Germany has shown in convening the "Over-Arching Group" and the efforts of Cyprus and other countries in working within this framework. As a result of these efforts, the OEWG has a range of options to consider in moving this discussion forward. Bearing in mind these broad options that the Task Force and the members now have before them, I would like to reiterate the principles that my government has consistently advocated with regard to UNSC reform, most recently at this group's last session in December. Mr. President, as reflected in your own "seven pillars," regarding UNSC reform, we continue to believe that the OEWG remains the appropriate forum to address the issue of UNSC expansion, and that the Task Force will be effective body in assisting the members to move toward a proposal that can gain consensus support. We remain convinced that any proposal must have consensus support from all of the members to avoid alienating any portion of the membership and undermining the effectiveness of the proposed reform. The United States wishes to reaffirm its support for UN reform that includes Security Council reform, we underscore our belief that the aim of this Group should be to implement reform that allows the UN Security Council to better address new threats to global security resulting from changing circumstances around the world. We are convinced that for the Council to maintain its effectiveness any expansion of new seats must be modest in size, and the new members must be supremely qualified to carry out global responsibilities. As President Bush stated to the General Assembly in September, we believe Japan is qualified to become a permanent member of the Council, and we are willing to consider other new permanent members. Mr. President, as also reflected in the first of your seven pillars, we firmly believe that the members must implement Security Council reform within a broader reform that increases the effectiveness and efficiency of the entire UN system. There are bodies in more dire need of reform than the UNSC, and we urge concentrated progress on those priorities. We again thank you, Mr. President, for your leadership and dedication to this issue, and we look forward to continuing the discussion with the OEWG members in the hope that we can arrive at a reform proposal that enables the Security Council to meet most effectively its obligations to promote and preserve peace and stability. End points.

RICE


Source: Wikileaks