GENEVA GROUP DISCUSSES TERM LIMITS

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 ROME 005134 SIPDIS UNCLASSIFIED PAGE 03 ROME 05134 01 OF 03 220746Z FROM U.S. MISSION TO UN AGENCIES IN ROME STATE FOR IO/EDA AND IO/S USDA FOR FAS/HUGHES AND REICH USDA FOR APHIS/GREIFER PARIS FOR UNESCO, VIENNA FOR UNVIE E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: AORC KUNR FAO KUNRAORC FAO KUNRAORC FAO SUBJECT: GENEVA GROUP DISCUSSES TERM LIMITS REF: STATE 201776 ¶1. SUMMARY: THE GENEVA GROUP DISCUSSED TERM LIMITS ON OCTOBER 16. GERMANY HAS REQUESTED THAT THE ISSUE BE INCLUDED IN THE AGENDA OF THE FAO COUNCIL WHICH MEETS OCTOBER 28 TO NOVEMBER 2. ACCORDING TO THE GROUNDWORK DONE BY DENMARK AS PRESIDENT OF THE EU, THERE IS CONSIDERABLE OPPOSITION TO THIS INITIATIVE, ESPECIALLY FROM AFRICANS WHO SEE IT AS AN EFFORT TO UNSEAT THE CURRENT AFRICAN DG. MEMBERS APPLAUDED THE US DEMARCHE AIMED AT SOFTENING RESISTANCE TO INCLUDING TERM LIMITS ON THE AGENDA AND SOME OFFERED TO MAKE SIMILAR DEMARCHES TO CAPITALS OF COUNCIL MEMBER COUNTRIES. THE MOST DESIRABLE OUTCOME OF DISCUSSION IN THE FAO COUNCIL WOULD BE FORMATION OF AN OPEN ENDED WORKING GROUP TO DISCUSS ISSUES RELATED TO TERM LIMITS: HOW MANY TERMS, WHEN LIMITS WOULD TAKE EFFECT, AND SHORTENING THE LENGTH OF TERMS. END SUMMARY. UNCLASSIFIED PAGE 04 ROME 05134 01 OF 03 220746Z ¶2. THE GENEVA GROUP MET OCTOBER 16 TO DISCUSS TERM LIMITS AS WELL AS ADMINISTRATIVE ISSUES THAT WILL COME UP AT THE FAO COUNCIL MEETING OCTOBER 28 TO NOVEMBER 2. THE EU REPRESENTATIVE (DENMARK'S PERM REP) REPORTED ON MEETINGS WITH ALL REGIONAL GROUPS IN FAO CONCERNING THE PROPOSAL TO PLACE TERM LIMITS FOR THE DIRECTOR GENERAL ON THE COUNCIL AGENDA. THIS IS NECESSARY TO LAUNCH DISCUSSION IN TIME FOR A DECISION BY THE FAO CONFERENCE IN 2003. THE OECD GROUP, INCLUDING EUROPE, NORTH AMERICA (US AND CANADA) THE SOUTHWEST PACIFIC (MAINLY AUSTRALIA AND NEW ZEALAND) AND FROM ASIA, KOREA AND JAPAN, WERE IN FAVOR. THE LATIN AMERICA GROUP IS "OPEN TO DISCUSSION" OF THE MATTER. (COMMENT: WE HAVE POINTED OUT TO THEM THAT IF THE PRINCIPLE OF GEOGRAPHIC ROTATION IS MAINTAINED, LATIN AMERICA WOULD BE IN LINE TO SELECT THE NEXT DIRECTOR GENERAL. END COMMENT.) MOST OF THE ASIAN UNCLASSIFIED UNCLASSIFIED PTQ1108 PAGE 01 ROME 05134 02 OF 03 220746Z ACTION IO-00 INFO LOG-00 NP-00 AF-00 AGRE-00 AID-00 AMAD-00 CIAE-00 INL-00 WHA-00 EAP-00 EB-00 EUR-00 UTED-00 TEDE-00 INR-00 NEA-00 NSAE-00 OES-01 OIC-02 SS-00 TEST-00 SA-00 SAS-00 /003W -------------- FC0CCD 220747Z /38 R 220700Z OCT 02 FM AMEMBASSY ROME TO SECSTATE WASHDC 6461 INFO AMEMBASSY BUENOS AIRES AMEMBASSY CANBERRA AMEMBASSY BRIDGETOWN AMEMBASSY LA PAZ AMEMBASSY BRASILIA AMEMBASSY SOFIA AMEMBASSY OUAGADOUGOU AMEMBASSY YAOUNDE AMEMBASSY SANTIAGO AMEMBASSY NICOSIA AMEMBASSY CAIRO AMEMBASSY PRAGUE AMEMBASSY ADDIS ABABA AMEMBASSY LIBREVILLE AMEMBASSY ACCRA AMEMBASSY GUATEMALA AMEMBASSY NEW DELHI AMEMBASSY NAIROBI AMEMBASSY MASERU UNCLASSIFIED PAGE 02 ROME 05134 02 OF 03 220746Z AMEMBASSY KUALA LUMPUR AMEMBASSY NOUAKCHOTT AMEMBASSY MEXICO AMEMBASSY ISLAMABAD AMEMBASSY LIMA AMEMBASSY MANILA AMEMBASSY DOHA AMEMBASSY RIYADH AMEMBASSY DAKAR AMEMBASSY COLOMBO AMEMBASSY DAMASCUS AMEMBASSY DAR ES SALAAM AMEMBASSY BANGKOK AMEMBASSY TUNIS AMEMBASSY HARARE USEU BRUSSELS 2865 AMEMBASSY COPENHAGEN AMEMBASSY LISBON AMEMBASSY BERLIN AMEMBASSY PARIS AMEMBASSY REYKJAVIK AMEMBASSY OTTAWA USMISSION UNVIE VIENNA USMISSION USUN NEW YORK USMISSION GENEVA AMEMBASSY TOKYO AMEMBASSY SEOUL USINT HAVANA UNCLAS SECTION 02 OF 03 ROME 005134 SIPDIS UNCLASSIFIED PAGE 03 ROME 05134 02 OF 03 220746Z FROM U.S. MISSION TO UN AGENCIES IN ROME STATE FOR IO/EDA AND IO/S USDA FOR FAS/HUGHES AND REICH USDA FOR APHIS/GREIFER PARIS FOR UNESCO, VIENNA FOR UNVIE E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: AORC KUNR FAO KUNRAORC FAO KUNRAORC FAO SUBJECT: GENEVA GROUP DISCUSSES TERM LIMITS REGIONAL GROUP (80 PERCENT),AND THE MIDDLE EASTERN GROUP FAVOR DISCUSSION OF TERM LIMITS. HOWEVER THE AFRICA GROUP IS DIVIDED. ¶3. THE AFRICANS ARE CONCERNED THAT THIS REFORM INITIATIVE IS AIMED AT UNSEATING THE CURRENT DG, JACQUES DIOUF OF SENEGAL. THEY MAY ALSO FEAR THAT A NEW DIRECTOR GENERAL WOULD NOT CONTINUE TO SKEW THE PROGRAM EMPHASIS OF FAO IN FAVOR OF AFRICA. (THIS BIAS IS NOT WITHOUT MERIT SINCE AFRICA NEEDS THE MOST HELP, BUT THERE ARE MANY POOR FARMERS IN RURAL AREAS ESPECIALLY OF OTHER REGIONS WHO RECEIVE VERY LITTLE ASSISTANCE.) UGANDA, SUPPORTED BY MAURITANIA, NIGERIA AND ERITREA THOUGHT THAT TERM LIMITS WOULD BE POSITIVE FOR INSTITUTIONAL DEVELOPMENT. MALI WAS THE MOST VOCAL OPPONENT. HE SAID THE ISSUE WOULD TAKE THE COUNCIL'S TIME AND ATTENTION AWAY FROM MORE IMPORTANT ISSUES LIKE FOLLOW-UP TO THE WORLD FOOD SUMMIT: FIVE YEARS LATER AND THE MEDIUM TERM PLAN. ZIMBABWE SAID THE AFRICAN GROUP DID NOT WANT TO UNCLASSIFIED PAGE 04 ROME 05134 02 OF 03 220746Z "ABANDON" THE DG. SHE ASKED FOR A WRITTEN EXPLANATION OF THE REASONS FOR ABOLISHING TERM LIMITS IN 1977 (WE UNDERSTAND THAT THEN DG SAOURMA WANTED TO SERVE NOT TWO, BUT THREE TERMS FOR A TOTAL OF 18 YEARS SO HE ENGINEERED A CHANGE IN THE BASIC TEXTS OF THE FAO) AS WELL AS A REPLY TO THE QUESTION, "WHY NOW?" MANY IN THE AFRICA GROUP THOUGHT IT PREMATURE TO DISCUSS THE MATTER SINCE IT WOULD NOT COME UP UNTIL 2011 WHEN THE DG'S THIRD TERM, IF HE CHOOSES TO SERVE AND IS ELECTED, WOULD EXPIRE. THE EU IS PREPARING A REPLY. ¶4. MEMBERS OF THE GENEVA GROUP WERE INDIGNANT THAT THE FAO MEMBERSHIP MIGHT NOT EVEN PERMIT DISCUSSION OF TERM LIMITS, WHICH IS ALL THAT IS AT STAKE AT PRESENT, AND MIGHT VOTE AGAINST INCLUSION IN THE COUNCIL'S AGENDA. THE US DEMARCHE TO CAPITALS OF COUNTRIES WHICH ARE UNCLASSIFIED UNCLASSIFIED PTQ1109 PAGE 01 ROME 05134 03 OF 03 220747Z ACTION IO-00 INFO LOG-00 NP-00 AF-00 AGRE-00 AID-00 AMAD-00 CIAE-00 INL-00 WHA-00 EAP-00 EB-00 EUR-00 UTED-00 TEDE-00 INR-00 NEA-00 NSAE-00 OES-01 OIC-02 SS-00 TEST-00 SA-00 SAS-00 /003W -------------- FC0CD6 220747Z /38 R 220700Z OCT 02 FM AMEMBASSY ROME TO SECSTATE WASHDC 6462 INFO AMEMBASSY BUENOS AIRES AMEMBASSY CANBERRA AMEMBASSY BRIDGETOWN AMEMBASSY LA PAZ AMEMBASSY BRASILIA AMEMBASSY SOFIA AMEMBASSY OUAGADOUGOU AMEMBASSY YAOUNDE AMEMBASSY SANTIAGO AMEMBASSY NICOSIA AMEMBASSY CAIRO AMEMBASSY PRAGUE AMEMBASSY ADDIS ABABA AMEMBASSY LIBREVILLE AMEMBASSY ACCRA AMEMBASSY GUATEMALA AMEMBASSY NEW DELHI AMEMBASSY NAIROBI AMEMBASSY MASERU UNCLASSIFIED PAGE 02 ROME 05134 03 OF 03 220747Z AMEMBASSY KUALA LUMPUR AMEMBASSY NOUAKCHOTT AMEMBASSY MEXICO AMEMBASSY ISLAMABAD AMEMBASSY LIMA AMEMBASSY MANILA AMEMBASSY DOHA AMEMBASSY RIYADH AMEMBASSY DAKAR AMEMBASSY COLOMBO AMEMBASSY DAMASCUS AMEMBASSY DAR ES SALAAM AMEMBASSY BANGKOK AMEMBASSY TUNIS AMEMBASSY HARARE USEU BRUSSELS 2866 AMEMBASSY COPENHAGEN AMEMBASSY LISBON AMEMBASSY BERLIN AMEMBASSY PARIS AMEMBASSY REYKJAVIK AMEMBASSY OTTAWA USMISSION UNVIE VIENNA USMISSION USUN NEW YORK USMISSION GENEVA AMEMBASSY TOKYO AMEMBASSY SEOUL USINT HAVANA UNCLAS SECTION 03 OF 03 ROME 005134 SIPDIS UNCLASSIFIED PAGE 03 ROME 05134 03 OF 03 220747Z FROM U.S. MISSION TO UN AGENCIES IN ROME STATE FOR IO/EDA AND IO/S USDA FOR FAS/HUGHES AND REICH USDA FOR APHIS/GREIFER PARIS FOR UNESCO, VIENNA FOR UNVIE E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: AORC KUNR FAO KUNRAORC FAO KUNRAORC FAO SUBJECT: GENEVA GROUP DISCUSSES TERM LIMITS MEMBERS OF THE FAO COUNCIL, WAS RECEIVED FAVORABLY. CANADA AND AUSTRALIA ANNOUNCED THEY WOULD REQUEST THEIR OWN CAPITALS TO MAKE SIMILAR DEMARCHES. THE EU HAS ALREADY PROVIDED BACKGROUND MATERIAL TO RELEVANT CAPITALS BUT PROMISED TO CONSIDER A MORE ACTIVE STANCE. FRANCE, WHICH WAS LESS THAN ENTHUSIASTIC ABOUT THE INITIATIVE IN LIGHT OF FRANCE'S SPECIAL RELATIONSHIP WITH WEST AFRICA AND ESPECIALLY SENEGAL, GRUMBLED THAT THE ISSUE WAS TOO COMPLEX TO DECIDE QUICKLY. HE POINTED OUT THAT BEYOND ISSUES OF WHEN TERM LIMITS WOULD TAKE EFFECT (AND WHETHER THE CURRENT DG WOULD BE GRANDFATHERED) THERE WERE ISSUES OF THE NUMBER OF TERMS (WE PROPOSED TWO) AND THE LENGTH OF TERMS (NOW SIX INSTEAD OF THE RECOMMENDED FOUR YEARS). THERE WAS SOME DISCUSSION OF WHAT TO DO IF A VOTE WERE CALLED? CAUCUS? OR WALK OUT IN PROTEST IF WE LOSE AS WE DID IN 1999? THE GROUP DECIDED TO RECOMMEND FORMATION OF AN OPEN ENDED WORKING GROUP TO LOOK AT THE VARIOUS ISSUES RAISED BY FRANCE. THAT WOULD BE THE BEST OUTCOME TO AVOID CONFRONTATION WITH THE G-77 AND KEEP THE ISSUE UNCLASSIFIED PAGE 04 ROME 05134 03 OF 03 220747Z OF TERM LIMITS ALIVE. HALL UNCLASSIFIED > 2002ROME05134 - Classification: UNCLASSIFIED