EU ON U.S. PRIORITIES FOR UN REFORM

C O N F I D E N T I A L BRUSSELS 002470 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/27/2015 TAGS: PREL KUNR PGOV AORC UNSC EUN USEU BRUSSELS SUBJECT: EU ON U.S. PRIORITIES FOR UN REFORM REF: STATE 111637 Classified By: USEU POLOFF TODD HUIZINGA, FOR REASONS 1.4 (B) AND (D) ¶1. (C) SUMMARY: On June 24, we delivered ref (A) demarche to Paulo Oliveira, Principal UN Desk Officer at the EU Council Secretariat. Oliveira's preliminary impression was that the SIPDIS U.S. points illustrated continued broad U.S.-EU agreement on the importance and main priorities of UN reform. Oliveira highlighted differences and unresolved questions on development, the Human Rights Council, the Peacebuilding Commission and the International Criminal Court. END SUMMARY. -------------- DEVELOPMENT: EU STICKS TO ODA TARGET -------------- ¶2. (C) On development, Oliveira agreed that the key was good governance and economic reform in aid-recipient countries. He stressed, however, that the EU remained committed to achieving an Official Development Assistance (ODA) level of 0.7 percent of GDP. -------------- HRC: HOW TO GET THE RIGHT MEMBERS? -------------- ¶3. (C) Oliveira asked whether the U.S. had begun to formulate more specific criteria for membership on the proposed Human Rights Council. He said the EU had discussed this internally, and was stumped on how to come up with criteria that would both reliably exclude the worst human rights violators and allow for balanced regional representation. -------------- ECOSOC ROLE IN PEACEBUILDING COMMISSION -------------- ¶4. (C) On the creation of a Peacebuilding Commission (PBC), Oliveira said that, in order to get G-77 buy-in, ECOSOC would have to have a stronger role than that desired by the U.S. He added that the EU believed ECOSOC had an important role to play in dealing with the economic and social aspects of crises. Oliveira suggested something close to a 50-50 split between UNSC and ECOSOC membership (5 members each) on the PBC might end up being a workable compromise. -------------- U.S. ICC POINT RAISES HACKLES -------------- ¶5. (C) Oliveira characterized the U.S. point on the International Criminal Court (ICC) as too stark and hard-line, and urged the U.S. to further discuss with the EU its position on the ICC. ¶6. (C) On streamlining the UNGA agenda and on budget, management and administrative reform, Oliveira did not offer specifics but said U.S. and EU thinking largely overlapped. Oliveira took points on U.S. priorities for development, support for democracy initiatives, and adoption of a Comprehensive Convention on Terrorism on board without comment. MCKINLEY .