CANADA INTERESTED IN U.S. INITIATIVES FOR UNGA 58

C O N F I D E N T I A L OTTAWA 001801 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/24/2013 TAGS: AORC PHUM PREL CA UNGA SUBJECT: CANADA INTERESTED IN U.S. INITIATIVES FOR UNGA 58 REF: STATE 175664 Classified By: Political MC Brian Flora for reasons 1.5 (b) and (d) 1.(C) Post delivered points contained reftel to Peter Taylor, Deputy Director of DFAIT's UN and Commonwealth Affairs Division and Claude Bibeau, Coordinator for UNGA in that division, on June 24, 2003. Taylor indicated an initial interest in each of the five areas enumerated in reftel, particularly the women and political participation issue. He stated, however, that Canada's interest in women's issues extended beyond political participation into other arenas as well. Taylor also said that he wanted to run the initiatives past DFAIT's relevant functional bureaus before commenting too extensively. He promised to get back shortly with more comments after conferring with his colleagues. 2.(C) Taylor indicated that Canada had not yet identified its top priorities for UNGA 58. In addition, Taylor admitted that Canada is unlikely to compile a cohesive list of objectives having never done so previously. He agreed, however, to pass on pertinent information when it becomes available. CELLUCCI