UN CAPITAL MASTER PLAN: AMBASSADOR BOLTON MEETS

UNCLAS USUN NEW YORK 000562 SIPDIS SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: AORC KUNR UNGA SUBJECT: UN CAPITAL MASTER PLAN: AMBASSADOR BOLTON MEETS WITH NYC DEPUTY MAYOR ¶1. SUMMARY: New York City Deputy Mayor for Economic Development and Rebuilding Dan Doctoroff and Commissioner for the United Nations, Consular Corps and Protocol Marjorie Tiven called on Ambassador Bolton on March 21 to discuss DC-5 and the UN Capital Master Plan (CMP). They highlighted the City's continued interest in DC-5 as a possible consolidation building for UN offices and asked for USG/USUN support to keep this option available. They also inquired as to when the Fifth Committee might reach an agreement on the Capital Master Plan. Ambassador Bolton noted that Secretary Rice was aware of the issues surrounding the CMP and would make the decision with regard to the U.S. position. He also noted that Congressional support for funding the project will be necessary, but may not be easy to achieve. END SUMMARY. ¶2. New York City Deputy Mayor for Economic Development and Rebuilding Dan Doctoroff and Commissioner for the United Nations, Consular Corps and Protocol Marjorie Tiven met with Ambassador Bolton on March 21 to discuss the City's continued interest in DC-5 and next steps on the Capital Master Plan. Deputy Mayor Doctoroff stated that the City really cared about DC-5 and that the building would be financially beneficial for both the City and the UN. He also commented that the City understood from conversations with UN Under-Secretary-General for Management Chris Burnham that the UN was still interested in having DC-5 as a consolidation building. The City has continued to work with the New York State Legislature to get the necessary approvals to go forward with the project. Doctoroff said that there is a "50/50 chance" that the New York State Legislature will allow the project to go forward and hoped that Ambassador Bolton or someone else in the USG might, at the appropriate time, call the leaders of the State Legislature to express the U.S. Government's support for DC-5. ¶3. Ambassador Bolton stated that USUN did not yet have instructions from Washington as to the USG position on the Capital Master Plan. He noted that Secretary Rice was aware of the various issues and she would make the decision as to the USG position. Ambassador Bolton also commented that a major issue for the U.S. Government was cost, as highlighted in last summer's Senate hearing. The Department and the UN had therefore spent a lot of time talking to the Congress about the project and its cost, in order to ensure their support. He noted that the conversations had generally been positive, but it will also depend on how much the State Department budget can handle and that is not an easy thing to do in the current climate. ¶4. Doctoroff commented that the UN renovation was important to the City, particularly given the fire and other safety issues related to the age of the complex. Commissioner Tiven noted that the UN has agreed to make building plans available to the New York Fire Department. She also said that she understood that the Fifth Committee was considering the possibility of building a permanent building on the North Lawn and wondered whether any language in a GA resolution regarding future consideration of such a building could also include consideration of DC-5. Ambassador Bolton replied that it was reasonable to have language that covered both buildings. ¶5. Doctoroff wondered about timing of a Fifth Committee decision on the CMP. Ambassador Bolton stated that if the U.S. position would be to fully support the Secretary-General's latest proposals on the CMP, then that SIPDIS would make an early decision easier, though there would still be the issue of how the costs fit into the Department's budget. However, if the position did not fully support the current proposals, a decision would be more complicated and would likely impact ongoing management reform issues. ¶6. Doctoroff reiterated that it might be useful for Ambassador Bolton to call leaders of the State Legislature to ensure that they take the necessary actions to enable DC-5 to be built. He noted that it was better to have the flexibility to make a decision later and again stated that DC-5 would be financially good for both the City and the UN. Ambassador Bolton and Deputy Mayor Doctoroff agreed to stay in touch. BOLTON