58TH UNGA: CANADA ON U.S. APPROACH IN FIRST

UNCLAS OTTAWA 002331 SIPDIS SENSITIVE STATE FOR AC/ISN AND WHA/CAN, GENEVA FOR CD E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PARM PREL MNUC CA UNGA SUBJECT: 58TH UNGA: CANADA ON U.S. APPROACH IN FIRST COMMITTEE REF: STATE 217408 (SBU) Canada shares our view that repetitive resolutions are not making a positive contribution to the work of the UNGA First Committee (reftel),and will be working with us and the rest of the Western Group to develop concrete ideas on "rationalization." That said, the GoC believes that reform will be limited by the G77/NAM and by the need to accommodate our allies. Marina Laker, Foreign Affairs Deputy Director for Nonproliferation, said that the G77/NAM have linked UNGA reform to Security Council reform, and that allies having only a single contribution (e.g., Poland on CWC) will still want to introduce a resolution. She added that on some long-standing issues there is new information/movement that should be brought up in the First Committee. CELLUCCI