61ST UNGA: SECOND COMMITTEE VOTES ON TRADE; ADOPTS

UNCLAS USUN NEW YORK 002230 SIPDIS SIPDIS STATE FOR IO/EDA,EB AND OES/ETC E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: ETRD EAID SENV UNGA SUBJECT: 61ST UNGA: SECOND COMMITTEE VOTES ON TRADE; ADOPTS FIVE RESOLUTIONS ON DECEMBER 1 REF: STATE 193533 ¶1. Summary: On December 1, the UN's Second Committee on economic and financial affairs passed five resolutions, including one on international trade that called for the restarting of the WTO Doha round. The US was alone in voting against it, while a large block of 52 countries including the EU and other developed countries abstained. The Committee passed resolutions by consensus on proclaiming international years; on the international year of natural fibers; on the international year of sanitation; on migration; and, on special economic assistance for Angola, all without program budget implications. End Summary. G77 STOPS NEGOTIATING TRADE RESOLUTION -------------- ¶2. After several negotiation sessions on a trade resolution primarily urging that the WTO Doha round be restarted, the Group of 77 countries indicated that they had not been able to reach consensus, reintroduced their original draft of A/C.2/61/L.14, and called for a vote. The vote was 107 Yes, 1 No (US),52 Abstentions, and 32 not voting, with the G77 voting Yes and the EU and other developed countries abstaining. ¶3. In its Explanation of Vote (reftel),USDEL expressed disappointment that the draft had prejudged the conditions under which the Doha round should be restarted. The representative of Australia said the text had understated the role of a rule-based trading system. The Canadian delegate pointed out several problems with the text, including that it gave the incorrect impression that Trade Related Aspects of Intellectual Property (TRIPs) were inconsistent with the convention on biological diversity. Other Resolutions -------------- ¶4. The Committee approved four more resolutions by consensus, none of which had program budget implications. A/C.2/61/L.46/Rev.1, on the Proclamation of International Years, was introduced by Australia and Canada, with the US joining co-sponsorship. A/C.2/61/L.52 proclaimed 2009 the International Year of Natural Fibers. A/C.2/61/L.51 made 2008 the International Year of Sanitation. A/C.2/61/L.47 focused on international migration and development. A/C.2/61/L.10/Rev.2 was on international assistance for the economic rehabilitation of Angola. BOLTON