GOI VIEWS ON HLE DEVELOPMENT ISSUES

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 DUBLIN 001097 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/31/2015 TAGS: PREL PGOV EAID ECIN UNGA SUBJECT: GOI VIEWS ON HLE DEVELOPMENT ISSUES REF: A. STATE 160880 ¶B. STATE 162146 ¶C. STATE 162169 Classified By: Deputy Chief of Mission Jonathan S. Benton; Reasons 1.4 (B) and (D). ¶1. (C) Summary: Ireland shares a number of USG concerns about the development chapter of the UN High-Level Event (HLE) outcome document, but advocates flexibility to reach agreement on the document's interlocking elements, GOI officials told DCM on September 2. The Office of the Taoiseach (Prime Minister) said that the GOI would prefer a shorter development chapter with stronger references to the Monterrey Consensus and without commitments on global development taxes and an International Financing Facility. Ireland, however, was prepared to announce targets/timetables for official development assistance (ODA) that were scaled to national GDP. Foreign Affairs officials highlighted the outcome document's cross-cutting links on development, security, and human rights, and they cautioned that "line-by-line" negotiations would play into the hands of those who opposed strengthening the UN through reform. Foreign Affairs officials also sought USG support for UNSYG Annan's proposal to have the Peacebuilding Commission report principally to the UN Security Council, with ECOSOC's follow-up involvement in the development issues underpinning conflict situations. End summary. The Taoiseach's Office: Mostly Sympathetic to U.S. Views -------------- -------------- ¶2. (C) Ireland is largely sympathetic to U.S. positions regarding development issues at the UN High-Level Event (HLE),Michael Collins, Secretary General in the Office of the Taoiseach (Prime Minister),and Tom Haney, Principal Officer for Europe and Development in the same office, told DCM during a September 2 discussion on reftels' demarche points. Haney said that the GOI, like the USG, would prefer a shorter, more politically focused chapter on development in the HLE outcome document, as compared to the longer, jargon-filled current version. He observed that Ireland also favored the U.S. preference for clearer references in the draft to the Monterrey Consensus, the role of the private sector, and the responsibilities of aid recipients. Similarly, the GOI shared USG concerns about proposals for an International Financing Facility (IFF) and for global development taxes. Haney said that, unlike the United States, however, Ireland was comfortable with specific targets/timetables for official development assistance (ODA), with front-loading ODA, and with references to the Millennium Development Goals in the HLE outcome document. He added that the GOI regretted increased wrangling over the document, particularly at a moment that UNSYG Annan had described as a crossroads for the UN. ¶3. (C) For the Irish public, HLE development issues boiled down to tangible commitments on the amount of, and timetable for, GOI contributions to ODA, commented Collins. He noted that the GOI would announce these commitments most likely the week of September 5, but certainly before Taoiseach Bertie Ahern's HLE speech on September 14. He added that Ahern would focus his speech on the centrality of HIV funding to Ireland's ODA commitments. Collins commented that Ireland's aim to fund ODA at a percentage target level of GDP was increasingly a challenge, given continued robust economic growth. (In 2000, Prime Minister Ahern committed Ireland to reach 0.7 percent of GDP for ODA by 2007; Irish ODA is currently 0.4 percent of GDP.) Collins pointed out that Ireland "was in good shape" to reach 0.5 percent of GDP for ODA by 2007, which, with current prices, would require a total allocation of euro 700 million. To reach the 0.7 percent level would currently entail an ODA allocation topping euro 1 billion. Foreign Affairs Officials: The Need for a Political Deal -------------- -------------- ¶4. (C) The GOI shares several USG concerns about the development chapter of the HLE outcome document, but advocates flexibility by all sides to reach agreement on the document's interlocking elements, said Rory Montgomery, Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) Political Director, and John Deady, DFA Counsellor for UN Affairs, in September 2 follow-up discussions with the DCM on reftels' points. According to Montgomery, Ireland agrees with U.S. views that the development chapter is too long and should highlight the role of the private sector and good governance. Deady, however, noted cross-cutting ties among the development, security, and human rights sections of the outcome document and cited the need to strike a political deal that would "include all elements important to everyone." He observed that a "close, line-by-line negotiation" would yield a document with "a low level of ambition" -- an approach that would comfort parties that did not want to make the UN a more effective body. Deady added that Ireland had a special interest in a successful HLE, having drafted the EU's input to the UN High Level Panel Report during its EU presidency in ¶2004. In response, DCM made clear that an outcome document worded imprecisely to maximize the number of signatories would not help to strengthen the UN. ¶5. (C) Deady explained that the GOI attached special interest to the Peacebuilding Commission, since Ireland was one of the first countries to propose such a body in a February 2004 report preceding its input to the High Level Panel Report. He noted that Ireland originally envisioned the Commission as a subcommittee of the UN Security Council, similar to the current U.S. view. Other EU Member States, however, had advocated a significant role for ECOSOC in the Commission, a position that Ireland initially resisted. Deady said that the GOI now favored UNSYG's Annan recommendation that, in the initial phase of conflict situations, the Commission report first to the UNSC, which would over time refer the matter to ECOSOC. This approach reflected the "natural continuum" between the urgency of a conflict and the developmental issues underpinning a conflict. Deady requested that the USG add its support to Annan's proposal, which involved ECOSOC to the degree necessary to win widespread support for the Commission. KENNY