Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
06PORTMORESBY361
2006-09-01 04:02:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Port Moresby
Cable title:
PNG UNDERSTANDS BUT CAN'T COMMIT ON VENEZUELA
how-toVZCZCXRO2275 PP RUEHPB DE RUEHPB #0361 2440402 ZNY CCCCC ZZH P R 010402Z SEP 06 FM AMEMBASSY PORT MORESBY TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 4595 INFO RUEHBY/AMEMBASSY CANBERRA 0868 RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK 0026 RHMFISS/CDR USPACOM HONOLULU HI RUEHPB/AMEMBASSY PORT MORESBY 2010
C O N F I D E N T I A L PORT MORESBY 000361
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
FOR IO/UNP AND EAP/ANP
E.O. 12958: DECL: 9/1/2016
TAGS: PREL UNSC PP
SUBJECT: PNG UNDERSTANDS BUT CAN'T COMMIT ON VENEZUELA
REF: PORT MORESBY 65
CLASSIFIED BY: Robert Fitts, Ambassador, U.S. Embassy Port
Moresby, Department of State.
REASON: 1.4 (d)
C O N F I D E N T I A L PORT MORESBY 000361
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
FOR IO/UNP AND EAP/ANP
E.O. 12958: DECL: 9/1/2016
TAGS: PREL UNSC PP
SUBJECT: PNG UNDERSTANDS BUT CAN'T COMMIT ON VENEZUELA
REF: PORT MORESBY 65
CLASSIFIED BY: Robert Fitts, Ambassador, U.S. Embassy Port
Moresby, Department of State.
REASON: 1.4 (d)
1.(C) SUMMARY: PNG staffers understand the undesirability of
having Venezuela on the UNSC. However, they cannot commit as to
their government's final position. The mercurial Prime Minister
is acting Foreign Minister and may well make up his mind
himself. END SUMMARY
2.(C) Amb raised U.S. concerns over the non-permanent Latin
American seat on the UNSC with the Prime Minister's acting Chief
Secretary September 1. That official, Viali Vagi, is generally
SIPDIS
very cooperative with U.S. initiatives. He readily agreed that
the UN needed to move on many vital fronts rather than waste
time with posturing and bickering. The recent play given to the
Chavez visit to Syria while Syria was refusing to cooperate with
the new UNIFIL mandate was another case in point. Vagi
undertook to discuss our concerns with Somare. He did note that
the PRC position would be important.
3.(C) Comment: As with then-Foreign Minister Namaliu (reftel)
the staffers take our point. However, Somare now has control of
the Foreign Affairs portfolio while remaining remote to
discussion of most foreign affairs business. We hear that he
might appoint a new Foreign Minister to head PNG's delegation at
UNGA, which he will eschew in favor of the NAM meetings in Cuba
followed by Clinton Foundation meetings in New York. That would
give us another interlocutor to work on. However, Somare will
presumably hear of the UNSC seat in Havana and may well decide
this on his own. He has recently been cultivating a penchant
for taking a poke at established powers.
FITTS
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
FOR IO/UNP AND EAP/ANP
E.O. 12958: DECL: 9/1/2016
TAGS: PREL UNSC PP
SUBJECT: PNG UNDERSTANDS BUT CAN'T COMMIT ON VENEZUELA
REF: PORT MORESBY 65
CLASSIFIED BY: Robert Fitts, Ambassador, U.S. Embassy Port
Moresby, Department of State.
REASON: 1.4 (d)
1.(C) SUMMARY: PNG staffers understand the undesirability of
having Venezuela on the UNSC. However, they cannot commit as to
their government's final position. The mercurial Prime Minister
is acting Foreign Minister and may well make up his mind
himself. END SUMMARY
2.(C) Amb raised U.S. concerns over the non-permanent Latin
American seat on the UNSC with the Prime Minister's acting Chief
Secretary September 1. That official, Viali Vagi, is generally
SIPDIS
very cooperative with U.S. initiatives. He readily agreed that
the UN needed to move on many vital fronts rather than waste
time with posturing and bickering. The recent play given to the
Chavez visit to Syria while Syria was refusing to cooperate with
the new UNIFIL mandate was another case in point. Vagi
undertook to discuss our concerns with Somare. He did note that
the PRC position would be important.
3.(C) Comment: As with then-Foreign Minister Namaliu (reftel)
the staffers take our point. However, Somare now has control of
the Foreign Affairs portfolio while remaining remote to
discussion of most foreign affairs business. We hear that he
might appoint a new Foreign Minister to head PNG's delegation at
UNGA, which he will eschew in favor of the NAM meetings in Cuba
followed by Clinton Foundation meetings in New York. That would
give us another interlocutor to work on. However, Somare will
presumably hear of the UNSC seat in Havana and may well decide
this on his own. He has recently been cultivating a penchant
for taking a poke at established powers.
FITTS