61ST UNGA: SECOND COMMITTEE ADOPTS FOUR

UNCLAS USUN NEW YORK 002219 SIPDIS SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: EAID ETRD EFIN SENV UNGA IS LN SUBJECT: 61ST UNGA: SECOND COMMITTEE ADOPTS FOUR RESOLUTIONS: NOVEMBER 22, 2006 REF: STATE 190251 ¶1. Summary: On November 22, the UN's Second Committee on economic and financial affairs passed four resolutions, including one condemning the Israeli destruction of oil tanks in Lebanon. Four countries joined the US to vote No on the Lebanese resolution, with the EU members/applicants among the 138 countries voting Yes. The Committee passed resolutions by consensus on El Nino, capital outflows from developing countries (IFS),and the UN Institute for Training and Research(UNITAR),all without program budget implications. End Summary. Anti-Israel Resolution on Lebanon -------------- ¶2. The Second Committee adopted resolution A/61/C.2/L23/rev.1, "oil slick on Lebanese shores," by a vote of 138 Yes, 5 No (US),1 Abstention, and 38 not voting. Voting against the resolution, besides the US, were Canada, Australia, Palau, and Israel. In the resolution, the General Assembly (GA) expressed deep concern over the destruction by the Israeli Air Force of Lebanese oil storage tanks linked to an electric power plant. The GA also called on Israel to compensate Lebanon. ¶3. In its Explanation of Position, Israel said the resolution was a blatant attempt to politicize an environmental issue and to paint Israel as an unjust aggressor. The resolution made no reference to environmental damage in Northern Israel caused by Hezbollah rockets. Canada explained its No vote by saying that despite its concerns about the oil spill, the GA was not an appropriate forum for addressing issues of legal liability or compensation. Lebanon closed with a statement in which it claimed its real intent was to send Israel a message from the international community that the environment could not be a target in this conflict, and then attacked Israel for turning this resolution into a "political debate." ¶4. USDEL, using reftel EOV, called the resolution, "one-sided and unbalanced" because the resolution did not acknowledge that Hezbollah had provoked the conflict with its July 12 incursion into Israel. Other Resolutions -------------- ¶5. The Committee adopted three other resolutions by consensus, none of which had program budget implications. A/61/C.2/L41, on the international financial system and development (IFS),emphasized the importance of financial stability for development. A/61/C.2/L45, a biennial resolution, called for international cooperation to reduce the impact of the El Nino phenomenon. A/61/C.2/L38 was on the operations of the UN Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR). BOLTON