IRELAND/UN: VENEZUELA, THE PEACEBUILDING

C O N F I D E N T I A L DUBLIN 000206 SIPDIS SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/31/2015 TAGS: PREL KPKO UNSC GT VE EI SUBJECT: IRELAND/UN: VENEZUELA, THE PEACEBUILDING COMMISSION, AND UNSYG SUCCESSION REF: A. STATE 20173 ¶B. STATE 23591 ¶C. STATE 22833 Classified By: Political-Economic Counselor Mary E. Daly; Reasons 1.4 ( B) and (D). ¶1. (C) Like the United States, Ireland believes that Venezuela would bring neither strength nor diplomatic credentials to the 2007-2008 Latin America non-permanent seat on the UN Security Council, according to John Deady and Brian Cahalane, Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) Counselor and First Secretary, respectively, for UN Affairs, to whom emboffs delivered reftels' demarches on February 17. While Ireland would not take a public position on the Latin America seat until closer to the UNGA ballot, the GOI nevertheless regarded Guatemala as the better candidate, explained Deady. He cautioned, however, that Venezuela's influence among the Group of Latin American Countries (GRULAC) seemed to be growing, and he believed that Bolivia might now favor Venezuela's candidacy for the UNSC seat. ¶2. (C) Ireland is not actively considering candidacy for the Organizational Committee (OC) of the UN's new Peacebuilding Commission (PBC),said Deady. He noted that the OC would likely draw representatives from six geographic regions and that Europe already had three candidates (Bosnia, Croatia, and Switzerland). The GOI saw Ireland's current role as working with Switzerland and other Western Europe and Others Group (WEOG) members in defining the PBC's mission. Deady stressed, however, that the GOI attached great importance to the PBC, having written the EU paper supporting the Commission's creation during Ireland's 2004 EU presidency. Ireland has also been a long-standing troops contributor to UN peacekeeping missions, such as currently in Liberia, he added. ¶3. (C) Regarding the appointment of the next UN Secretary-General, Deady said that Ireland was "officially SIPDIS agnostic" on the need for regional variation of the post. He observed, however, that regional rotation was a factor worth considering in the UNSYG succession process; moreover, the U.S. preference to find the most qualified person might be politically difficult to achieve. He elaborated that both Eastern Europe and East Asia could make strong cases for candidates from their regions to succeed UNSYG Annan. Deady also cited recent comments from Ambassador Bolton that, under Article 97 of the UN Charter, the Secretary-General should be qualified to act as the UN's chief administrative officer. Deady highlighted Articles 98 and 99, which also require the UNSYG to have the necessary political/diplomatic skills to carry out the office. "A mere administrator," observed Deady, "would not fit the bill." KENNY