JAPAN PROPOSES NEW UN SCALE OF ASSESSMENTS, WARNS

C O N F I D E N T I A L TOKYO 001296

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/09/2021
TAGS: PREL UNSC UNGA PHUM JA
SUBJECT: JAPAN PROPOSES NEW UN SCALE OF ASSESSMENTS, WARNS
HUMAN RIGHTS COUNCIL REFORM AT RISK


Classified By: Ambassador J.T. Schieffer for Reasons: 1.4 (b),(d)


1. (C) Summary: Japan will count on U.S. support to back its
proposal to change the contribution requirement of UNSC
permanent members, MOFA Global Issues Director General Shinyo
told Political Minister Counselor Meserve on March 8. The
Japanese argue that P5 contributions to the overall UN budget
should be commensurate with their responsibilities and
economic potential. Under Japan's proposal, the U.S.
contribution would remain the same, the UK's would increase
slightly, and France would see a decrease in its obligation.
Russia and China, whose contributions would jump, will likely
oppose Japan's proposal, Shinyo believed. The assessments
for Japan and Germany, who are not P5 members, would decrease
significantly. Separately, DG Shinyo requested U.S.
flexibility on the issue of membership eligibility to the
Human Rights Council, even if it means accepting solutions
that fall outside the document's formal text. End Summary.



2. (C) MOFA Global Issues Director General Takahiro Shinyo
called in the Political Minister Counselor Meserve on March 8
to relay the Japanese government's proposal on the
"Methodology for UN Scale of Assessments for 2007-2009" (full
text faxed March 8 to EAP/J) and to encourage the U.S.
Government to accept UNGA President Jan Eliasson's
recommendation to use an absolute majority voting method, in
lieu of a two-thirds majority, for deciding membership to the
Human Rights Council.


UN Scale of Assessments: Japanese Government Proposal
-------------- --------------

3. (C) "The Japanese government will count on strong support
and understanding from the United States" to see that its
proposal to change the contribution requirement of UNSC
permanent members is adopted at UNGA's fifth committee
meeting in the autumn, Shinyo stressed. Under the Japanese
plan, the U.S. contribution would remain at its current 22%
level. The U.K. contribution would increase marginally, from
6.1 percent to 6.2%, "because its economy is expanding."
France's contribution would decline from 6.0% to 5.8%. China
and Russia both would see significant overall increases in
their percent contributions: China would contribute 5% and
Russia 3%, up from previous levels of 2.1% and 1.1%,
respectively.


4. (C) Japan's proposal likely would encounter strong
opposition from China and Russia, Shinyo acknowledged, but
stressed that reform is "absolutely necessary." A 3-5% floor
for all P5 members, he continued, is only fair considering
their enormous decision-making responsibility. Neither China
nor Russia, whose economies represent great potential in DG
Shinyo's view, currently is shouldering a burden commensurate
with its stature on the Security Council. Conversely, the
United States assessment should not exceed 22% because one
country "should not monopolize contributions to the UN" and,
Shinyo added, as a close ally, Japan wants to stand together
with the U.S. on this issue. Japan and Germany - not
currently UNSC members, but two of the largest contributors
nevertheless - would see drops in their contributions to
14.8% and 7.8%, respectively.


5. (C) Shinyo provided the "elements and criteria" for the
newly proposed methodology, presented, unedited, below:

(i) Data on gross national income.
(ii) A statistical base period of three years, with annual
recalculation.
(iii) Conversion rates based on market exchange rates, except
where that would cause excessive fluctuations and distortions
in the income of some Member States, when price adjusted
rates of exchange or other appropriate conversion rates
should be employed, taking due account of General Assembly
resolution 46/221B of 20 December 1991.
(iv) Debt burden adjustment based on the total debt stock.
(v) A low per capita income adjustment of 80%, with the
threshold per capita income limit of the average per capita
gross national income of all Member States for the
statistical base period.
(vi) A minimum assessment rate of 3 or 5 per cent for the
States permanent members of the Security Council.
(vii) A minimum assessment rate of .001 percent.
(viii) A maximum assessment rate for the least developed


countries of .01 percent.
(ix) A maximum assessment rate of 22 percent.


6. (C) Japan's Mission in New York has already passed the
Japanese proposal to USUN; Japan will present it to others
-- China, Russia, and Iran, in its capacity as chair of the
fifth committee -- on March 10, according to DG Shinyo.
Japan will circulate the draft on March 13.


7. (C) Political Minister Counselor Meserve thanked the
Director General for his comprehensive and detailed
explanation. He noted the Japanese plan did not recommend
that the U.S. Government pay more than 22% mandated by the
U.S. Congress. He reaffirmed that the United States would
remain open to all proposals, including Japan's.

Human Rights Council
--------------

8. (C) Stressing that "99% of the work has already been
done," Shinyo asked for the United States to show "an inch of
flexibility" in resolving the remaining sticking point on
election of members to the Human Rights Council. While the
Director General acknowledged the U.S. position that
countries admitted to the Council should be elected by
two-thirds of the members, he strongly encouraged the United
States to accept Mr. Eliasson's proposal requiring election
by only an absolute majority. If the U.S. Government does
not agree, Shinyo cautioned, momentum for reform of the
Council would stall and, worse, the Commission in Geneva -
which has been suspended - would not reconvene; this issue
would then be "frozen for a long time to come."


9. (C) Shinyo suggested that the U.S. Government "work out
alternatives" - outside the text of the document - that would
address its concerns. For example, a candidate country could
make a written pledge that its government upholds human
rights and is taking steps to improve its human rights
situation. Another option, Shinyo offered, would be to
require that an "interim review" of member countries is
necessary. This decision should be made at "the highest
levels" in Washington and New York, Director General Shinyo
suggested. In response, Political Minister Counselor Meserve
promised to relay the Director General's request back to
Washington, adding that Japan and the United States must work
together to achieve an outcome that reflects our common view
that there is no place on the Council for countries that are
gross violators of human rights.
SCHIEFFER