U.S. PRIORITIES FOR THE COMMUNITY OF DEMOCRACIES

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 STATE 129764

SIPDIS

SENSITIVE
SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: KDEM PHUM PREL UNGA PGOV
SUBJECT: U.S. PRIORITIES FOR THE COMMUNITY OF DEMOCRACIES



1. This is an action request. Please see paragraphs 3 - 5.

BACKGROUND
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2. (U) On October 1, 2007, on the margins of this year,s UN
General Assembly (UNGA),Mali, the Chair the Community of
Democracies (CD),will host a short meeting of Ministers that
will set the stage for its biennial Ministerial in Bamako,
Mali from November 15-17 2007. The 2007 ministerial,s theme
is democracy and development. During the meeting in New York
the U.S. will convey its priorities for the Bamako
Ministerial and will ask other participants for their support.

OBJECTIVES
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3. (U) Action requested to all CD participants.

--Note that we are looking forward to seeing their Minister
at the CD meeting hosted by Mali to be held on the margins of
the UN General Assembly, October 1, 2007, at 2:30 PM.

-- Express support for Mali, as Chair, in its efforts to
organize a high-profile and successful Ministerial that will
highlight the connections between democracy and development,
and strengthen cooperation between CD countries.
Participants should emphasize importance of carrying out
sustainable development policies while actively promoting all
civil and political rights.

-- Request all 126 CD participants to approach Mali and offer
political and logistical support in preparation for the
Bamako Ministerial. By supporting Mali, we are supporting
Africa,s leadership on global democracy and human rights
promotion.

-- Urge countries to expressly support the establishment of
the newly created CD Secretariat that will be unveiled during
the Bamako Ministerial and will be hosted by Poland in
Warsaw. Prior to the Ministerial in Bamako, at the UNGA,
Mali will re-circulate the secretariat structure, mission,
and mandate. The proposed secretariat has a limited mandate
and small size (5-6 people); it will be supported by
voluntary contributions. The U.S. believes that this small
secretariat will assist the CD in meeting its objectives and

SIPDIS
help in coordinating democracy promotion initiatives. The
Foreign Minister of Poland has offered to provide a site and
detail three Polish diplomats. Participants are urged to
endorse it and to make mention of it during their ministers'
statements.

-- Encourage all CD participants to express support and to
actively participate in one or more of the four CD working
groups including: civil society; democracy and development;
regional and interregional cooperation; and threats to
democracy. During the meeting the ministers will receive a
report of working group activities including potential
projects. Examples of CD working group initiatives include
the OAS-AU meeting on sharing of democracy experiences and
the development of a handbook for diplomats on engagement
with civil society. Participants should consider supporting
specific projects
as appropriate.

-- Recognize the indispensable role of NGOs and other civil
society organizations in the development and success of free
societies and their vital function in ensuring accountable
and democratic governments. Urge that countries express
support for NGOs and mention restrictive NGO laws as one of
the biggest challenges facing democracy today in many
countries.

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-- Contribute actively to the building of a global democracy
network that has a strong connection to the CD. For example,
through the regional and interregional cooperation working
group, initiatives such as the OAS-AU Democracy Bridge could
be highlighted.

-- To strengthen the UN Democracy Fund (UNDEF),urge all CD
participants to announce a contribution during the UNGA CD
Ministerial. (Background: Australia, Bulgaria, Chile,
Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, France,
Georgia, Germany, Hungary, India, Ireland, Israel, Italy,
Japan, Lithuania, Mongolia, Peru, Poland, Portugal, Qatar,
Republic of Korea, Senegal, Slovenia, Spain, Sri Lanka,
Sweden, United Kingdom have made contributions or pledged to
do so.)

(Continued UNDEF Background: The UNDEF is the only voluntary
UN Fund whose sole purpose is democracy promotion. The CD
could serve as an important alliance of democracies that
strives to ensure that the UNDEF fulfills the role for which
it was created. To date the UNDEF has received close to
seventy million US Dollars in pledges and donations from 32
member states, and approved for funding 125 projects
throughout the world aimed at strengthening democratic
institutions and pro-democracy civil society. In Africa,
UNDEF funds a project for civic education, electoral support,
and political parties. In the Asia/Pacific region, UNDEF
finances a project to develop practical tools for judicial
reform in accordance with human rights norms. In Latin
America, there are several projects aimed at strengthening
democratic institutions. There are also projects for the
Arab and Muslim world focused on increasing civil society
input into the decision-making process. A list of projects
by country can be found at www.un.org/democracyfund.)

-- Other initiatives which support the CD,s fundamental
mission to build a global democracy network include the
Partnership for Democratic Governance and the Asia-Pacific
Democracy Partnership, recently announced by President Bush
at the APEC Summit in Sydney.

-- Encourage all CD participants to use the UN Democracy
Caucus in New York, Geneva, and other cities that host UN
meetings. The Caucus is not intended to supplant
long-standing regional or other groupings, but rather to
provide an added mechanism for like-minded democratic nations
to cooperate.

If Asked about USG Representation at UNGA Ministerial.

-- Secretary Rice is scheduled to attend part of the
ministerial. Under Secretary for Democracy and Global
Affairs Paula Dobriansky will also participate.


4. (SBU) Action requested to Paris.

-- We urge that you consider providing Mali financial,
logistical, and political support for the Ministerial
conference. The US hopes that France will play a larger role
in CD. The CD is an important forum for democracy promotion
cooperation. The US believes that democracies have a special
responsibility to help others aspiring to obtain the same
rights and freedoms. French support for the CD would benefit
CD participants and supporter broader transatlantic
cooperation.


5. (SBU) Action requested to Tokyo, Ottawa, and Gabarone.

-- Inquire of host governments whether they would be
interested in taking a larger role in the CD, even perhaps
chairing it at some point in the future, especially after
Portugal ends its chairmanship in 2011. Future CD chairs
will be decided during the Bamako ministerial. (BACKGROUND:
Though none of these countries are in the 16-member CD
Convening Group, a mechanism to make them co-convenors would

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have to be established if they choose to chair the CD at some
future date.)

REPORTING DEADLINE
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6. (U) Posts should report results of efforts by cable to
Joaquin Ferrao in G and to Gianni Paz in DRL/MLGA by
September 24.
RICE