Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
06USUNNEWYORK1716
2006-09-01 22:33:00
UNCLASSIFIED
USUN New York
Cable title:
LEAST DEVELOPED COUNTRIES (LDCS) TAKE
how-toVZCZCXYZ0003 RR RUEHWEB DE RUCNDT #1716 2442233 ZNR UUUUU ZZH R 012233Z SEP 06 FM USMISSION USUN NEW YORK TO SECSTATE WASHDC 0081
UNCLAS USUN NEW YORK 001716
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
IO/EDA FOR JOHN TUMINARO
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: ECON SOCI UNGA UN
SUBJECT: LEAST DEVELOPED COUNTRIES (LDCS) TAKE
CONFRONTATIONAL POSITION IN PREPARATIONS FOR UN HIGH LEVEL
MEETING
UNCLAS USUN NEW YORK 001716
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
IO/EDA FOR JOHN TUMINARO
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: ECON SOCI UNGA UN
SUBJECT: LEAST DEVELOPED COUNTRIES (LDCS) TAKE
CONFRONTATIONAL POSITION IN PREPARATIONS FOR UN HIGH LEVEL
MEETING
1. (U) Summary: Least Developed Countries (LDCs) continue
to press for a contentious draft outcome document, which
would require laborious negotiation, for adoption during the
LDC High Level Meeting at UN headquarters September 18-19,
immediately preceding the General Debate of the 61st General
Assembly. The LDCs have rejected compromise proposals of
partner and donor countries to replace a negotiated product
with a consensus ministerial declaration, and asserted that
they are prepared to call for a vote, if necessary, during
the High Level Meeting (HLM). End summary.
2. (U) An experts meeting to review the Brussels Program of
Action for a UN High Level Meeting (HLM) for Least Developed
Countries (LDC) will take place September 5-7 in New York.
An emerging intention of this three-day session is to
negotiate an outcome document for adoption during the HLM on
September 18-19. The LDCs, chaired by Benin, have introduced
the Cotonou Strategy for further Implementation of the
Brussels Program of Action (BPOA) as an outcome document to
be negotiated during the experts meeting. Donors and
partners of the LDCs, including the European Union, Russia,
Australia, Japan, Norway and the United States, have advised
the LDCs that the Cotonou Strategy does not constitue a
realistic document for negotiation, given the short
time-frame and notable length of the document (39 pages).
Instead, donors have suggested that the three-day experts
meeting be used as a forum to discuss implementation of the
BPOA. They have also advocated that a non-negotiated
consensus declaration be the outcome document of the HLM.
The Cotonou Strategy was drafted and adopted by the LDCs
during a meeting held in July 2006 in Benin. This meeting
did not include participation of donors and partners.
3. (U) On August 31, the LDCs notified the co-chairs of the
HLM, the EU and Norway, that the LDCs intend to stick to this
strategy on the basis of an outcome document, and that they
are prepared to also add a ministerial declaration for
adoption on September 19. When told by the EU and Norway
that such a negotiated document based upon the Cotonou
Strategy was not feasible, the LDCs responded that they are
ready to call a vote on this document, if necessary.
4. (U) Department may wish to consider whether to send a
Washington-based official to deliver the U.S. statement
during the LDC High Level Meeting. End text.
BOLTON
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
IO/EDA FOR JOHN TUMINARO
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: ECON SOCI UNGA UN
SUBJECT: LEAST DEVELOPED COUNTRIES (LDCS) TAKE
CONFRONTATIONAL POSITION IN PREPARATIONS FOR UN HIGH LEVEL
MEETING
1. (U) Summary: Least Developed Countries (LDCs) continue
to press for a contentious draft outcome document, which
would require laborious negotiation, for adoption during the
LDC High Level Meeting at UN headquarters September 18-19,
immediately preceding the General Debate of the 61st General
Assembly. The LDCs have rejected compromise proposals of
partner and donor countries to replace a negotiated product
with a consensus ministerial declaration, and asserted that
they are prepared to call for a vote, if necessary, during
the High Level Meeting (HLM). End summary.
2. (U) An experts meeting to review the Brussels Program of
Action for a UN High Level Meeting (HLM) for Least Developed
Countries (LDC) will take place September 5-7 in New York.
An emerging intention of this three-day session is to
negotiate an outcome document for adoption during the HLM on
September 18-19. The LDCs, chaired by Benin, have introduced
the Cotonou Strategy for further Implementation of the
Brussels Program of Action (BPOA) as an outcome document to
be negotiated during the experts meeting. Donors and
partners of the LDCs, including the European Union, Russia,
Australia, Japan, Norway and the United States, have advised
the LDCs that the Cotonou Strategy does not constitue a
realistic document for negotiation, given the short
time-frame and notable length of the document (39 pages).
Instead, donors have suggested that the three-day experts
meeting be used as a forum to discuss implementation of the
BPOA. They have also advocated that a non-negotiated
consensus declaration be the outcome document of the HLM.
The Cotonou Strategy was drafted and adopted by the LDCs
during a meeting held in July 2006 in Benin. This meeting
did not include participation of donors and partners.
3. (U) On August 31, the LDCs notified the co-chairs of the
HLM, the EU and Norway, that the LDCs intend to stick to this
strategy on the basis of an outcome document, and that they
are prepared to also add a ministerial declaration for
adoption on September 19. When told by the EU and Norway
that such a negotiated document based upon the Cotonou
Strategy was not feasible, the LDCs responded that they are
ready to call a vote on this document, if necessary.
4. (U) Department may wish to consider whether to send a
Washington-based official to deliver the U.S. statement
during the LDC High Level Meeting. End text.
BOLTON