SYG LETTER OF APPRECIATION TO SECRETARY RICE RE:

UNCLAS USUN NEW YORK 000897 SIPDIS SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: EAID KDEM KUNR PHUM SUBJECT: SYG LETTER OF APPRECIATION TO SECRETARY RICE RE: USG CONTRIBUTION TO THE UN DEMOCRACY FUND ¶1. USUN received the following cover letter from Alicia Barcena, Acting Chef de Cabinet, and attached letter from the UN Secretary General to Secretary Rice, thanking the USG for its additional contribution of $7,920,000 to the United Nations Democracy Fund (UNDEF). Text of cover letter and letter to Secretary Rice follows in para. 2 below. ¶2. Begin text of cover letter: 20 April 2006 Excellency, The Secretary-General would be grateful if you could kindly forward the enclosed letter to Her Excellency Ms. Condoleezza Rice, Secretary of State of the United States of America. A copy of the letter is attached for your information. Please accept, Excellency, the assurances of my highest consideration. Alicia Barcena Acting Chef de Cabinet His Excellency Mr. John R. Bolton Permanent Representative of the United States Mission to the United Nations New York 20 April 2006 Excellency, I would like to thank you warmly for the additional contribution of $7,920,000 by the United States to the United Nations Democracy Fund (UNDEF). Thanks to the support of your Government and other partners, we are making good progress in operationalising the Fund. At its inaugural meeting on 6 March 2006, the Advisory Board agreed on priorities and guidelines for the submission of proposals. In particular, UNDEF will focus on supporting the six key elements of democracy: strengthening democratic dialogue, civil society empowerment, civic education, citizens' access to information, human rights, accountability and transparency. The online call for proposals for funding has now been launched on the UNDEF Website (www.un.org/democracyfund),and I shall be receiving the recommendations of the Board on projects after its meeting in July. The objective is to distribute grants later this year. Together with the creation of the Peacebuilding Commission and the establishment of the Human Rights Council, the work of the Democracy Fund will contribute to enhancing the United Nations' role in promoting freedom, peace and development Please accept, Excellency, the assurances of my highest consideration. Her Excellency Ms. Condoleezza Rice Secretary of State SIPDIS of the United States of America Washington, D.C. BOLTON