PORTUGAL ON UN REFORM: INTERNAL ADMINISTRATION OF

UNCLAS LISBON 000708 SIPDIS SIPDIS SENSITIVE IO/MPR HACKETT AND USUN/MR GARCIA E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: AORC APER PREL PO SUBJECT: PORTUGAL ON UN REFORM: INTERNAL ADMINISTRATION OF JUSTICE REF: SECSTATE 31831 ¶1. (SBU) Pol-Econ Officer spoke with MFA International Organizations Officers Maria Manoel de Vilhena and Miguel Maia do Vale regarding our concerns over the proposed reforms before the UN's fifth and sixth committees (reftel). Vilhena stated that the European Union delegates were waiting for an official report before the EU begins discussing the reform process. She added that EU delegates would not be ready to vote on the proposed reforms until May at the earliest and would not be interested in rushing to approve reforms without full consideration. ¶2. (SBU) Comment: Although Portugal will support the common EU position, Vilhena expressed interest in hearing more detailed information about the USG concerns before the EU meets. We will brief her further in hopes of indirectly encouraging the EU bloc to incorporate our views. End comment. Hoffman