Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
06PARIS6360
2006-09-22 09:02:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Paris
Cable title:  

FRANCE HOLDS EU DISADVANTAGED BY UN SCALE OF

Tags:  AORC FR KUNR UNGA UNSC 
pdf how-to read a cable
VZCZCXRO6899
OO RUEHDBU RUEHFL RUEHKW RUEHLA RUEHROV RUEHSR
DE RUEHFR #6360 2650902
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
O 220902Z SEP 06
FM AMEMBASSY PARIS
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 1592
INFO RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK IMMEDIATE 0909
RUEHZL/EUROPEAN POLITICAL COLLECTIVE
RUEHBJ/AMEMBASSY BEIJING 1320
RUEHBR/AMEMBASSY BRASILIA 1676
RUEHBU/AMEMBASSY BUENOS AIRES 1298
RUEHMO/AMEMBASSY MOSCOW 5629
RUEHKO/AMEMBASSY TOKYO 2355
RUEHBS/USEU BRUSSELS 1751
RUEHGV/USMISSION GENEVA 2489
C O N F I D E N T I A L PARIS 006360 

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/22/2016
TAGS: AORC FR KUNR UNGA UNSC
SUBJECT: FRANCE HOLDS EU DISADVANTAGED BY UN SCALE OF
ASSESSMENTS

REF: STATE 153946

Classified By: Political Minister Counselor Josiah B. Rosenblatt. Reas
ons 1.4b,d

C O N F I D E N T I A L PARIS 006360

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/22/2016
TAGS: AORC FR KUNR UNGA UNSC
SUBJECT: FRANCE HOLDS EU DISADVANTAGED BY UN SCALE OF
ASSESSMENTS

REF: STATE 153946

Classified By: Political Minister Counselor Josiah B. Rosenblatt. Reas
ons 1.4b,d


1. (SBU) In response to reftel points, MFA IO Acting
A/S-Equivalent Marc Giacomini expounded on the disadvantages
for the EU of the current UN scale of assessments in a
September 19 meeting with poloff. Giacomini observed that
the present 22 percent ceiling on the USG assessment of the
UN budget constituted in effect an indirect tax on the EU,
since the USG was underpaying relative to its share of world
Gross National Income (GNI). He said the EU at 25 was now
collectively paying 37 percent of the UN budget when its GNI
share only stood at 26 percent. A renegotiation of the scale
of assessments was in order. (Comment: He did not note
however how much the EU's GNI share will increase when
Romania and Bulgaria join in 2007.)


2. (C) Japan was the big winner, according to Giacomini,
regardless of the variable mixes possible in weighting
assessments according to a nation's GNI over the last 3 years
and/or 6 years. Japan's assessment would soon drop to the
neighborhood of 16 percent, even without changes to the
current UN methodology. Brazil and Argentina, he suggested,
were underpaying, because of distortions in their GNI share
over the last six years caused by the 2001 economic crisis.


3. (C) Giacomini expressed discomfort with the notional
Japanese proposal that all permanent members of the Security
Council should pay minimal assessments of 3-5 percent. The
problem was less the proposal itself than the reaction of
China to its Japanese origins. He noted moreover that the
Chinese contribution actually was nearing 3 percent already.
We should be grateful, too, that Russia had volunteered to
raise its contribution to 1 percent, although it was only
bound to contribute 0.6 percent.


4. (SBU) Comment: Although Giacomini indicated no
flexibility in the EU objective of reducing its collective
assessment, he warmed to the demarche. The subject clearly
struck a chord and he reveled in demonstrating his command of
the topic. Giacomini, who just started as MFA IO
PDAS-Equivalent after a stint in Geneva as deputy permanent
representative, will travel to the UN in New York for
consultations at an unspecified date. Embassy strongly
recommends meetings with USUN, specifically regarding UN
finances.

Please visit Paris' Classified Website at:
http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/eur/paris/index.c fm
STAPLETON