Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
06USUNNEWYORK2246
2006-12-13 19:39:00
UNCLASSIFIED
USUN New York
Cable title:  

UN SECOND COMMITTEE CONCLUDES WORK, ADOPTS ELEVEN

Tags:  ECON EAID EFIN ETRD TSPL SENV UNGA 
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DE RUCNDT #2246/01 3471939
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R 131939Z DEC 06
FM USMISSION USUN NEW YORK
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 0930
INFO RUEHAB/AMEMBASSY ABIDJAN 0779
RUEHNR/AMEMBASSY NAIROBI 0547
RUEHGV/USMISSION GENEVA 2421
RUEHBS/USEU BRUSSELS
UNCLAS USUN NEW YORK 002246 

SIPDIS

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E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: ECON EAID EFIN ETRD TSPL SENV UNGA
SUBJECT: UN SECOND COMMITTEE CONCLUDES WORK, ADOPTS ELEVEN
RESOLUTIONS ON DECEMBER 8

REF: A. STATE 196546 (NOTAL)


B. STATE 196992 (NOTAL)

UNCLAS USUN NEW YORK 002246

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: ECON EAID EFIN ETRD TSPL SENV UNGA
SUBJECT: UN SECOND COMMITTEE CONCLUDES WORK, ADOPTS ELEVEN
RESOLUTIONS ON DECEMBER 8

REF: A. STATE 196546 (NOTAL)


B. STATE 196992 (NOTAL)


1. Summary: Concluding its work for 2006, the United Nations
General Assembly Second Committee on economic and financial
affairs adopted ten resolutions and one decision by consensus
and voted (at EU insistence) on a resolution on global
climate change during action on December 8. UN Under
Secretary General Jose Ocampo and the Second Committee Chair

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gave closing remarks in which they thanked delegates for
passing more than 40 resolutions, while hoping that next year
the Committee might restore the tradition of consensus on
such contentious issues as trade and climate change. The
Second Committee resolutions and reports will be acted upon
by the UNGA in plenary session on December 20. End Summary.

No Consensus on Climate Change
--------------


2. The most contentious resolution of the day was on global
climate change, A/C.2/61/L24/Rev.1, primarily over the fact
that the Group of 77 countries (G77) refused to entertain a
cluster of EU amendments. After Japan and the U.S. voted
against an operative paragraph (OP 10) with potential future
program budget implications (it was adopted 108-2),the EU
then called for a vote on the entire resolution, which passed
114 (US) - 0, with 49 Abstentions and 29 not voting. The
abstentions came primarily from the EU and CANZ (Canada,
Australia, and New Zealand).


3. The representative of Japan explained his vote against OP
10, saying that the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change
(UNFCCC) was an independent body with its own budget and
secretariat, thus the UN should not be asked to shoulder its

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expenses, as OP 10 implied it could.


4. Explaining why the Group of 77 countries (G77) had pulled
the plug on further negotiations on the resolution and
instead re-introduced its original text with a few
modifications, the South African delegate said, "Attempts
were made to break up the G77 by a group of states." She
added, "The G77 has shown extreme flexibility, and it is

unimaginable that anyone could vote against such a
resolution, or even abstain, on such an issue that affects
the whole planet." The G77's remarks were directed at the
EU, which nevertheless announced it could not support the
resolution in the face of the G77's unwillingness to engage
further in negotiations. CANZ likewise announced its
decision to abstain on procedural, rather than substantive,
grounds. (Comment: One EU delegate told us they would have a
simple task explaining their abstentions in capitals by
noting the resolution was "acceptable to the U.S." End
Comment.)

Globalization and Interdependence
--------------


5. A/C.2/61/L.69, the role of the United Nations in promoting
development in the context of globalization and
interdependence, was approved by consensus, but with several
Explanations of Position (EOPs). Speaking for the EU, the
Finnish representative stressed that next year's discussion
on globalization should encompass both benefits and
challenges alike, rather than singling out a specific theme.
She also said that future reports by the Secretary General
should avoid espousing theories that took multilateral rules
as inimical to development. USDEL (ref A) called for this
issue to be addressed biennially, rather than annually, and
noted that since "all resolutions in the Second Committee
address specific aspects of globalization," a themed
globalization resolution was "redundant." South Africa,
speaking for the G77, responded with the oft-heard refrain
that good governance and sound economic policies in
developing countries were contingent on what took place at
the international level.

Caribbean Sea Resolution
--------------


6. While the U.S. joined consensus on A/C.2/61/L.67,
Sustainable Development in the Caribbean Sea, USDEL (ref B)
highlighted two aspects of the text in an EOP. First, USDEL
questioned the new formulation "special area in the context
of sustainable development," since "special area" is a term
with particular legal implications. Second, regarding OP5,
"accidental release of hazardous waste" is only a violation
of international rules when such rules provide.

Cote d'Ivoire Resolution Withdrawn


--------------


7. Resolution A/C.2/61/L.43, special economic assistance to
Cote d'Ivoire, was withdrawn without action. On behalf of
the African Group, the Niger representative said that the
Group had wanted to bring the dumpers of toxic waste in Cote
d'Ivoire to justice, but that during negotiations some
delegates had "emptied the document of any sense,"
particularly regarding legal provisions. The resolution had
been tabled after relevant deadlines had passed, was handled
in an exceptionally unorthodox manner, and had a text that
was deemed so deeply flawed by such a wide array of
delegations that negotiations proved fruitless.


Consensus on Eight More Resolutions
--------------


8. The Committee adopted by consensus eight other resolutions
and one document:

A/C.2/61/L.68 Report of the Governing Council of the UN
Environment Program
A/C.2/61/L.66 UN Decade for the Eradication of Poverty
A/C.2/61/L.60 Implementation of Agenda 21
A/C.2/61/L.29/Rev.1 International Year of Biodiversity, 2010
A/C.2/61/L.55 Combating desertification
A/C.2/61/L.61 Convention on biological diversity
A/C.2/61/L.62 Landlocked developing countries
A/C.2/61/L.65 Industrial Development Cooperation
A/C.2/61/L.59 (document) Draft Program of Work for the 62nd
Session of the General Assembly

U/S Ocampo and Chair Give Closing Remarks
--------------


9. UN Under Secretary General for Economic and Social Affairs
Jose Ocampo said in his concluding remarks that the more than
40 resolutions adopted this year by the Committee constituted
a significant contribution to the Millennium Development
Goals. He noted that no consensus had been reached on trade
or climate change, and said that this reflected a growing
gap, particularly in the field of trade. Ocampo stressed the
need to conclude the WTO Doha round both soon and
successfully.


10. The Chair of the Second Committee (the Estonian
PermRep),summing up the Committee's work this year, pointed
out that this had been the third year running in which no
consensus had been reached on trade resolutions. She
exhorted the delegates to not let such a practice become the
norm, particularly since Second Committee was traditionally a
"consensus Committee." She also remarked that at a meeting
of the bureaus of the Second and Third Committees, it was
felt that many agenda items cut across both Committees --
particularly those to do with the advancement of women, the
eradication of poverty, and the role of the private sector in
helping to achieve international development. She said that
joint informal events might be considered next year to foster
mutual understanding of both Committees. The U.S. and other
delegations made concluding remarks expressing appreciation
to the Bureau and Secretariat for helping the Second
Committee conclude its work within the appointed timeframe --
a rarity in recent years.


11. The report of the Second Committee, containing all of the
resolutions it approved this session, will be acted upon by
the UNGA in its plenary session on the afternoon of December

20. The Department's assistance throughout the three-month
work cycle of the Second Committee is highly appreciated.
WOLFF