ARGENTINA ON UN REFORM

C O N F I D E N T I A L BUENOS AIRES 000423 SIPDIS SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/22/2016 TAGS: PREL KUNR PHUM UN ADCO AR SUBJECT: ARGENTINA ON UN REFORM REF: A. BUENOS AIRES 83 ¶B. STATE 4745 ¶C. STATE 4746 Classified By: Ambassador Lino Gutierrez for Reasons 1.4 (b) and (d). ¶1. (C) As a follow-up to the Ambassador's demarche to Foreign Minister Jorge Taiana (reftel a),PolCouns met on February 13 with MFA deputy director for International Organizations Jorge Gomez to obtain further details on GoA position on UN reform issues raised in reftels b and c. ¶2. (C) Management Reform: The GoA is in general agreement with management reform points raised in reftels b and c, including mandate review, the consolidation and/or elimination of programs, and expanded authority of the Secretary General to redeploy resources and staff. The SIPDIS primary concern of the GoA is that these reforms be transparent and, to the extent possible, be concensus-based. In this regard, Gomez expressed concern about budget conditionalities and spending caps being applied by some countries in their effort to direct the reform debate. ¶3. (C) Human Rights Council: MFA director for Human Rights Federico Villegas told Poloff on February 22 that the GoA generally supports the position of the co-facilitators in HRC negotiations. The GoA supports a minimum membership of 45 countries. They are open to discussing the exclusion of countries subject to UNSC sanctions and would support if that is the concensus position. The GoA agrees that the Council should be able to address country specific issues. The GoA supports P-5 participation on the HRC. ¶4. (C) Security Council Reform: The GoA's longstanding position is that Security Council reform must be carried out as part of a package of comprehensive UN reforms. The GoA opposes the addition of any new permanent seats and any expansion of veto rights. The GoA supports the addition of non-permanent seats on the Council. ¶5. (C) ECOSOC: GoA calls for development of a more robust ECOSOC that would meet on a regular basis to review development and poverty reduction programs. ¶6. (C) Peacebuilding Commission: GoA supports equitable regional representation on PBC. GUTIERREZ