GHANA ON THE G-4 RESOLUTION: AN ADVOCATE OF THE

C O N F I D E N T I A L ACCRA 001448

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/22/2015
TAGS: AORC GH PREL UNGA
SUBJECT: GHANA ON THE G-4 RESOLUTION: AN ADVOCATE OF THE
AU POSITION

REF: A. STATE 134316


B. STATE 132429

Classified By: PolChief Scott Ticknor for Reasons 1.4 b/d


1. (C) On July 22, the Ambassador delivered ref A points on
the USG position on the G-4 resolution to Ghanainan Foreign
Minister Nana Akufo-Addo. She urged Ghana to oppose the G-4
resolution or abstain, stressing the need to avoid a divisive
debate on UN Security Council membership. He responded "I
hear you -- I hear you loud and clear" but had no further
comment.


2. (C) On July 21, PolOff had delivered the same points to
MFA Supervising Director/Legal, Multilateral and Passports
Dept. Nana Bema Kumi. The GOG introduced the original AU
resolution in Libya, and Kumi says the GOG is actively
lobbying on behalf of the AU resolution to all other groups
in New York. (Note: post understanding is that the AU
resolution envisions expanding the UNSC to include two
African permanent members, with veto power, and five African
non-permanent members. End note.)


3. (C) Kumi told Poloff she had met with at least seven
missions in Accra who have lobbied the GOG to support either
the G-4 resolution or the Coffee Club proposal (which
supports expansion limited to ten nonpermanent seats without
veto power). Although the GOG has made no commitment to the
G-4, she views the G-4 and AU proposals as variations of the
same model for UNSC expansion, as proposed in the UN's
December 2004 report "Toward A More Secure World." In this
way, she made it clear the GOG will not support the Coffee
Club proposal and is working hard to secure an immediate vote
on expansion. She emphasized that the GOG wants African
countries to receive not just permanent seats but also the
veto.


4. (C) Kumi was mildly disappointed that the USG does not
favor an immediate vote. She said several countries have
argued that UNSC reform issue may jeopardize other UN
reforms, but she believes expansion would make more countries
feel a significant part of the UN. She took note of the USG's
support for a UNSC seat for Japan and said it would be highly
unlikely that Japan could receive a seat without other
regions and countries receiving seats. She did not challenge
the USG's criteria for a permanent seat head on, but thought
Africa deserved two seats because of its population size.


5. (C) Kumi made clear the GOG's preference for the AU
resolution, but said the GOG's final position would be a
product of negotiations. She did not expect the GOG to commit
to any other proposal than the AU resolution within the next
week, but she added that only "a merger of ideas" would pass
the UNGA.


YATES