Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
07STATE160491
2007-11-27 15:50:00
UNCLASSIFIED
Secretary of State
Cable title:
REVISED INSTRUCTIONS -- WSSD RESOLUTION.
how-toVZCZCXYZ0015 OO RUEHWEB DE RUEHC #0491 3311601 ZNR UUUUU ZZH O 271550Z NOV 07 FM SECSTATE WASHDC TO RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK IMMEDIATE 0000 INFO RUEHGV/USMISSION GENEVA IMMEDIATE 0000
UNCLAS STATE 160491
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: AORC UN UNGA SOCI
SUBJECT: REVISED INSTRUCTIONS -- WSSD RESOLUTION.
REF: STATE 159204.
UNCLAS STATE 160491
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: AORC UN UNGA SOCI
SUBJECT: REVISED INSTRUCTIONS -- WSSD RESOLUTION.
REF: STATE 159204.
1. State 159204 was an instruction cable, sent on November
21, on the G-77/China resolution "On the Implementation of
the Outcome of the World Summit for Social Development and of
the Twenty-Fourth Special Session of the General Assembly."
This cable supplements those instructions.
2. Paragraphs of concern.
-- OP 14 and OP 14 bis. Israel could not accept wording in
an earlier draft related to the issues of foreign occupation
and terrorism, and had declared its intention to call for a
vote and vote NO on the entire resolution. In the November
12 version of the resolution, the latest one available, the
pertinent paragraphs are OP 14 and OP 14 bis.
As of the evening of November 26, Israel, the chair, and
other interested delegations are still in intense discussions
to try to arrive at wording which could dissuade Israel from
calling for a vote.
-- OP 29. In addition, OP 29 of the resolution "Urges
developed countries that have not yet done so in accordance
with their commitment, to make concrete efforts towards
meeting the targets of 0.7 percent of their GNP for ODA to
developing countries and 0.15 to 0.2 percent of their GNP to
LDCs, and encourages developing countries to build on the
progress achieved in ensuring that ODA is used effectively to
help meet development goals and targets."
The U.S. had argued unsuccessfully to remove the word
"meeting" from this paragraph because it represents a
substantive change in agreed language on ODA.
3. Instructions for USUN.
A) If by the time of action Israel's concerns on the
resolution are not satisfied and they call for a vote on the
entire resolution, USDEL should follow the instructions in
State 159204 and vote NO along with Israel. Points for an
Explanation of Vote are contained both in that cable and
below.
B) Alternatively, if by the time of action compromise
wording has been arrived at that Israel can accept and which
dissuades them from calling for a vote on the resolution as a
whole,
Mission is instructed to join consensus on the WSSD
resolution with an EOP, drawing from the points below.
BEGIN POINTS for an EOV or EOP.
-- The United States regrets that this resolution on the
World Summit for Sustainable Development, which has until now
not contained any references to foreign occupation, has
become politicized by the inclusion of that term. The term
is widely recognized to signify a position on an extremely
controversial issue, one that should not taint Third
Committee deliberations.
-- The U.S. also takes issue with the use of committee
resolutions such as these to rework and redefine the
development language that was so carefully negotiated in
Monterrey. Well-meaning sponsors of an expanded vocabulary
unwittingly undermine the consensus that allowed donors to
commit to increasing their Official Development Assistance
(ODA). The addition of the verb "meeting" in OP 29 to
describe the 0.7 percent of GNP for ODA as an MDG target is a
case in point.
-- While the U.S. has more than doubled its ODA since the
Monterrey summit, we believe that a narrow focus on ODA
overlooks other vital sources of financing for development.
Numerous studies have shown that other international
financing sources, such as private investment flows,
remittances, and private philanthropy, dwarf ODA. According
to recent World Bank statistics, a staggering $647 billion in
private investment capital alone flowed into developing
countries in 2006.
-- ODA, when applied strategically and effectively in areas
such as governance, health and education, and free-market
reform can leverage critical changes that are vital for
societies' long-term growth and attract foreign investment.
By contrast, an obsession with ODA to the exclusion of these
essential financing and policy factors undermines previously
agreed international consensus on generating global economic
growth and development. Incessant maneuvering and
word-smithing around the 0.7 percent target is a case in
point. It neither addresses critical governance and
effectiveness issues, nor the specific needs of its
recipients.
END POINTS.
RICE
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: AORC UN UNGA SOCI
SUBJECT: REVISED INSTRUCTIONS -- WSSD RESOLUTION.
REF: STATE 159204.
1. State 159204 was an instruction cable, sent on November
21, on the G-77/China resolution "On the Implementation of
the Outcome of the World Summit for Social Development and of
the Twenty-Fourth Special Session of the General Assembly."
This cable supplements those instructions.
2. Paragraphs of concern.
-- OP 14 and OP 14 bis. Israel could not accept wording in
an earlier draft related to the issues of foreign occupation
and terrorism, and had declared its intention to call for a
vote and vote NO on the entire resolution. In the November
12 version of the resolution, the latest one available, the
pertinent paragraphs are OP 14 and OP 14 bis.
As of the evening of November 26, Israel, the chair, and
other interested delegations are still in intense discussions
to try to arrive at wording which could dissuade Israel from
calling for a vote.
-- OP 29. In addition, OP 29 of the resolution "Urges
developed countries that have not yet done so in accordance
with their commitment, to make concrete efforts towards
meeting the targets of 0.7 percent of their GNP for ODA to
developing countries and 0.15 to 0.2 percent of their GNP to
LDCs, and encourages developing countries to build on the
progress achieved in ensuring that ODA is used effectively to
help meet development goals and targets."
The U.S. had argued unsuccessfully to remove the word
"meeting" from this paragraph because it represents a
substantive change in agreed language on ODA.
3. Instructions for USUN.
A) If by the time of action Israel's concerns on the
resolution are not satisfied and they call for a vote on the
entire resolution, USDEL should follow the instructions in
State 159204 and vote NO along with Israel. Points for an
Explanation of Vote are contained both in that cable and
below.
B) Alternatively, if by the time of action compromise
wording has been arrived at that Israel can accept and which
dissuades them from calling for a vote on the resolution as a
whole,
Mission is instructed to join consensus on the WSSD
resolution with an EOP, drawing from the points below.
BEGIN POINTS for an EOV or EOP.
-- The United States regrets that this resolution on the
World Summit for Sustainable Development, which has until now
not contained any references to foreign occupation, has
become politicized by the inclusion of that term. The term
is widely recognized to signify a position on an extremely
controversial issue, one that should not taint Third
Committee deliberations.
-- The U.S. also takes issue with the use of committee
resolutions such as these to rework and redefine the
development language that was so carefully negotiated in
Monterrey. Well-meaning sponsors of an expanded vocabulary
unwittingly undermine the consensus that allowed donors to
commit to increasing their Official Development Assistance
(ODA). The addition of the verb "meeting" in OP 29 to
describe the 0.7 percent of GNP for ODA as an MDG target is a
case in point.
-- While the U.S. has more than doubled its ODA since the
Monterrey summit, we believe that a narrow focus on ODA
overlooks other vital sources of financing for development.
Numerous studies have shown that other international
financing sources, such as private investment flows,
remittances, and private philanthropy, dwarf ODA. According
to recent World Bank statistics, a staggering $647 billion in
private investment capital alone flowed into developing
countries in 2006.
-- ODA, when applied strategically and effectively in areas
such as governance, health and education, and free-market
reform can leverage critical changes that are vital for
societies' long-term growth and attract foreign investment.
By contrast, an obsession with ODA to the exclusion of these
essential financing and policy factors undermines previously
agreed international consensus on generating global economic
growth and development. Incessant maneuvering and
word-smithing around the 0.7 percent target is a case in
point. It neither addresses critical governance and
effectiveness issues, nor the specific needs of its
recipients.
END POINTS.
RICE