62ND UN GENERAL ASSEMBLY: EAST ASIAN AND PACIFIC

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 10 USUN NEW YORK 001209 SIPDIS SIPDIS EAP FOR A/S HILL AND PDAS STEPHENS, IO FOR A/S SILVERBERG AND PDAS WARLICK, EAP/RSP FOR HALL FROM AMBASSADOR PLAISTED; DRL/MLGA FOR JULIETA NOYES E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/26/2013 TAGS: BP BX CB CH ECON FJ FM ID JA KR KS LA MG MY, NH, NR, NZ, PHUM, PP, PREL, PS, RM, RP, SN, TH, TN, TV, UNGA, VM, WS, XB SUBJECT: 62ND UN GENERAL ASSEMBLY: EAST ASIAN AND PACIFIC ISLANDS' PERFORMANCE Classified By: POLITICAL MINISTER COUNSELOR JEFF DELAURENTIS FOR REASON S 1.4 (B & D) SUMMARY AND INTRODUCTION: ¶1. (U) This cable was prepared by Ambassador Joan Plaisted, who served as Senior Area Adviser for East Asia and the Pacific to the 62nd United Nations General Assembly. ¶2. (U) Support from East Asian and Pacific Island (EAP) countries was essential for achieving U.S. objectives in this 62nd UN General Assembly (UNGA) session. The major theme of this General Assembly was climate change, an issue of top importance to EAP countries, and particularly the Pacific Islands. US themes, in addition to climate change, were free trade and economic development, financing for development, democracy and human rights, and UN reform. ¶3. (U) EAP votes were especially helpful on three Middle East resolutions the United States identified as top priorities. Although these still passed by overwhelming margins, the Pacific Islanders accounted for the majority of the "no" votes with the United States and for many of the abstentions. Voting "no" with the United States and Israel, along with Canada, were Australia, the Marshall Islands, Micronesia, Nauru, and Palau. ¶4. (SBU) EAP votes helped defeat all three no action motions in the Third Committee and one in the Plenary and helped pass all four human rights resolutions in the Plenary: on Iran (the top U.S. priority),Burma, the DPRK (the third UNGA resolution on the DPRK),and Belarus. EAP countries - including many Pacific Islands, the ROK which cast a welcomed "no" vote for the second year, and Mongolia, whose Permrep agreed to go against her instructions to abstain and vote "no" if the vote were close - helped prevent the Iran no action motion from passing in the Third Committee where the difference in two votes would have meant no Iran human rights resolution this year. The Burmese military regime's brutal crackdown in September ensured defeat for this no action motion and upped the "yes" votes and reduced the "no" votes both in the Third Committee and the Plenary for the Burma human rights resolution. Two ASEAN countries - Brunei and Indonesia - switched from "no" votes to abstentions and Cambodia switched from a "no" vote to being absent. ¶5. (U) The United States, supported by thirteen EAP co-sponsors that helped contribute to the successful outcome, finally managed to achieve consensus on our resolution on "Eliminating rape and other forms of sexual violence in all their manifestations, including in conflict and related situations." The resolution calls on the Secretary General to report on the resolution's implementation in the 63rd UNGA - a report that may well mention Sudan and Burma. The U.S. biennial elections resolution also passed by consensus. ¶6. (U) With the help of intense lobbying in capitals, Washington, and New York, the U.S. candidate, David Walker, won for the Independent Audit Advisory Board. Twenty-one of the 30 EAP countries indicated support. This board is an important part of our UN reform efforts. Another success was the re-election of the U.S. nominee to the Committee Against Torture Felice Gaer. Efforts to date to promote the U.S. candidate, Pierre-Richard Prosper, for the Committee for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination have proven positive. USUN NEW Y 00001209 002 OF 010 This election occurs in January. ¶7. (U) Regarding EAP issues in the General Assembly and the Security Council (SC),the UNGA adopted a resolution on "Peace, security and reunification on the Korean peninsula", jointly sponsored by the ROK and the DPRK. The resolution encourages the two parties to implement the Declaration on the Advancement of North-South Korean Relations, Peace and Prosperity adopted on October 4, 2007 and invites member states to continue to assist "the process of inter-Korean dialogue, reconciliation and reunification so that it may contribute to peace and security not only on the Korean peninsula but also in north-east Asia and the world as a whole." Regarding Burma, the SC issued its first-ever Presidential Statement on October 11 noting the SC "strongly deplores" the use of violence against peaceful demonstrations in Myanmar. Indonesia is serving on the Council for 2007-2008. ¶8. (C) Looking ahead, Vietnam will replace Qatar on the SC in 2008-2009. Iran and Japan are the two candidates running for a non-permanent SC seat for 2009-2010. Japan, a late entrant after Mongolia stepped down, has served on the SC nine times, most recently in 2005-2006, and is already campaigning hard. Iran has served once in 1955-1956 and will use that point in its efforts to secure a seat in the coming months. (In its favor, Japan is a responsible UN member, heads the Peacebuilding Commission, and is the second largest contributor to the UN budget. Iran, which may garner OIC support, has resolutions directed against it in both the Security Council and the General Assembly (the human rights resolution). We will need to develop our approach to this election taking place in October 2008.) -------------- General Debate -------------- ¶9. (U) Both Secretary General Ban Ki-moon and General Assembly President Srdjan Kerim sought to focus the General Assembly on climate change in order to provide impetus to the December negotiations in Bali. As would be expected, many of the leaders of EAP countries, particularly the Pacific Islands, emphasized climate change in their speeches during the General Debate when almost all of the 192 member states addressed the General Assembly. Other common themes were management and Security Council reform, counterterrorism, the environment, Millennium Development Goals, financing for development, trade and debt reform, disarmament, and human rights. Japan and the DPRK exercised their right of reply in both the General Debate and the Third Committee discussions on the advancement of women, engaging in vituperative exchanges over the abductee issue and war legacies. When the Solomon Islands Foreign Minister in his General Debate speech referred to the "occupation" of his country by Australian and New Zealand visiting contingents, both countries were quick to respond to defend the presence of the Regional Assistance Mission in the Solomon Islands (RAMSI). Most of the other EAP speeches were not so colorful. -------------- Middle East Issues -------------- USUN NEW Y 00001209 003 OF 010 ¶10. (U) EAP votes were especially helpful on three priority resolutions opposed by the United States that extend the mandates of anti-Israeli UN programs established more than a generation ago. These programs contribute neither to the achievement of peace in the region nor to the goal of UN reform. The State Department, under PL 106-113 (Section 721) is required to report by January 15 each year on steps taken to abolish certain UN groups, including these three programs. In an unsuccessful attempt to end the mandate of the Special Committee to Investigate Israeli Practices, the Plenary vote was 93-8 (U.S.) -74. Last year the vote was 90-9(U.S.)-81. Voting "no" with the U.S. and Israel were Australia, Canada, the Marshall Islands, Micronesia, Nauru, and Palau. Tuvalu, which had voted "no" for the last two years, switched to an abstention. The Philippines and Thailand again broke ranks with ASEAN to abstain. (The Philippines switched from "yes" to "abstain" in 2004). The islanders who could not join us in voting "no" made a special effort to turn out for the vote to cast their abstentions. These included three - Fiji, Papua New Guinea, and Tonga - who were absent during the Fourth Committee vote. Other EAP countries adding to the abstentions were Japan, Mongolia, New Zealand, ROK, Samoa, Solomon Islands, and Vanuatu. The Solomon Islands had switched from abstaining in 2006 to a "yes" vote in this year's Fourth Committee - the only Pacific Island to vote "yes" - but then abstained in the 2007 Plenary. Timor-Leste's Permrep made a special point to be absent for all three resolutions. Kiribati was also absent for all three. ¶11. (U) An attempt to end the Division for Palestinian Rights of the Secretariat failed by a vote of 110-8(U.S.)-54. Last year the vote was 101-7(U.S.)-62. Canada again joined the U.S., Israel, Australia, and our traditional island friends - the Marshall Islands, Micronesia, and Palau - in voting "no". Nauru added the extra "no" vote, having abstained last year when an intern cast this vote by accident. (Their Permrep later noted for the record that Nauru had intended to vote "no".) Two Pacific Islands we convinced to abstain three years ago, to be counted, rather than to be absent, again helpfully abstained: Solomon Islands and Vanuatu. Tonga was able to abstain for the second year. The ROK and Thailand helpfully maintained their abstentions. (In 2003 they both shifted to abstaining from voting "yes".) Also abstaining were Japan, New Zealand, and Samoa. Kiribati, Mongolia, Papua New Guinea, Timor-Leste, and Tuvalu were absent. Papua New Guinea had abstained from 2004 to 2006. Fiji switched from an abstention in 2006 to an unhelpful "yes" vote. ¶12. (U) We also sought unsuccessfully (109-8(U.S.)-55) to discontinue the Committee on the Exercise of the Inalienable Rights of the Palestinian People. Last year the vote was 101-7(U.S.)-62. Nauru again cast the extra "no" vote, having abstained last year by accident. Also voting "no" with the U.S. were Australia, Canada, Israel, the Marshall Islands, Micronesia, and Palau. Tonga, absent in 2005, again abstained. Two additional Pacific Islands abstained, rather than to be absent as they were in 2003: Solomon Islands and Vanuatu. Again the ROK and Thailand helpfully maintained their abstentions, rather than voting "yes" as they had done in 2002. Also abstaining were Japan, New Zealand, and Samoa. Timor-Leste, which had voted "yes" in 2003, again agreed to be absent, Kiribati, Mongolia, and Tuvalu were also absent, along with Papua New Guinea that had abstained from 2004 to ¶2006. Fiji switched from an abstention in 2006 to an USUN NEW Y 00001209 004 OF 010 unhelpful "yes" vote. ¶13. (SBU) Next year EAP should focus on obtaining more "no" votes from the islanders, including from Samoa and Tuvalu, once its new government is in place. The high cost of maintaining these mandates - $5.5 million for FY 2006-2007 for the Division for Palestinian Rights of the Secretariat - is a good point to emphasize. ¶14. (U) The Israeli's put forward a resolution on "Agricultural Technology for Development" that passed in the Second Committee by a vote of 118(U.S.)-0-29 (mostly Arab countries) and in the Plenary by 147(U.S.)-0-30. This was Israel's first resolution since the 60th UNGA adopted Israel's Holocaust Remembrance resolution by consensus. Their agricultural resolution, with strong U.S. lobbying, garnered 75 co-sponsors, including many EAP countries: Australia, Fiji, Japan, Marshall Islands, Micronesia, Nauru, Palau, Philippines, ROK, Solomon Islands, Thailand, and Tonga. -------------- Human Rights Resolutions -------------- ¶15. (SBU) No action motions (motions to adjourn debate which end all discussion of an issue) were tabled this UNGA on the draft human rights resolutions on Iran, Belarus, and Burma in the Third Committee and on Iran in the Plenary. The good news this session was that all no action motions were defeated. (Last year we lost the no-action motion on Uzbekistan, in 2005 we lost on Sudan). The no-action motion on Iran failed to pass in the Plenary by a vote of 80-84(U.S.)-19. Our intensive lobbying helped to widen the margin from the Third Committee vote of 78-79(U.S.)-24. Last year's votes on the Iran no-action motion were 75-77(U.S.)-24 in the Third Committee and 75-81(U.S.)-24 in the Plenary. This year's Third Committee vote on no action motion on Burma was 54-88(U.S.)-34 and on Belarus, 65-79(U.S.)-31. The no-action motion on Burma gained 11 more "no" votes over the Third Committee vote of last year of 64-77(U.S.)-30),likely reflecting the regime's brutal crackdown in September on peaceful demonstrators. ASEAN countries have traditionally voted in favor of all country specific no-action motions, with the exception of the Philippines that abstained on Burma last year. This year Indonesia switched to a "no" vote and both the Philippines and Singapore abstained - a sign of growing impatience with Burma's military regime. ¶16. (SBU) EAP countries helped save the day on the Iran no-action motion in the Plenary. Kiribati got its proxy to New Zealand just in time to add a "no" vote. Papua New Guinea switched from abstaining in 2006 to a good "no" vote. Nauru's Permrep held her "no" vote, after recommending an abstention to her capital. Mongolia's Permrep continued her good "no" vote, after the Senior Advisor convinced her to switch to a "no" vote in the Third Committee if the vote was close, when her instructions were to abstain. The ROK, for the second year, voted "no". On the disappointing side, both the Solomon Islands and Tuvalu, which had abstained in the Third Committee, voted "yes" in the Plenary. The Solomon Islands had voted "yes" in the Plenary in 2006, but Tuvalu had voted "no". EAP countries voting consistently "no" with the U.S. on all the no-action motions were Australia, Japan, ROK, the Marshall Islands, Micronesia, Mongolia, New Zealand, USUN NEW Y 00001209 005 OF 010 Palau, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, Timor-Leste, Tonga, and Vanuatu. Voting consistently "yes" were Brunei, Cambodia, China, DPRK, Laos, Malaysia, Burma (Myanmar),Thailand, and Vietnam. ¶17. (SBU) The U.S. lobbied very hard on the Iran human rights resolution, a Canadian draft which we co-sponsored. The resolution carried in the Plenary by a vote of 73(U.S.)-53-55. Last year's Plenary vote was 72(U.S.)-50-55. Voting "yes" were Australia, Fiji, Japan, Kiribati, the Marshall Islands, Micronesia, Nauru, New Zealand, Palau, Samoa, Timor-Leste, Tonga, and Vanuatu. Voting "no" were China, DPRK, Indonesia, Malaysia, Burma (Myanmar),Solomon Islands, Tuvalu, and Vietnam. Abstaining were Brunei, Laos, Mongolia, Papua New Guinea, Philippines, ROK, Singapore, and Thailand. Cambodia was absent. One more "yes" vote was added, but two were subtracted. Timor Leste, after much U.S. lobbying even with their President, voted "yes" rather than being not present. Brunei switched from a "no" vote in last year's Plenary to abstaining. The real disappointment was the shift by Tuvalu from a "yes" vote last year to a "no" vote and by the Solomon Islands from abstaining to a "no" vote. ¶18. (U) The DPRK draft human rights resolution passed in the Plenary by a vote of 101(U.S.)-22-59. Last year's Plenary vote was 99(U.S.)-21-56. The DPRK resolution garnered more "yes" votes by far than any other human rights resolution this session. This was the third time the UNGA has passed a human rights resolution on the DPRK. It was EU-sponsored (and the United States cosponsored). The resolution expresses very serious concern at the persistence of continuing reports of systemic, widespread and grave violations of civil, political, economic, social and cultural rights and the continued refusal to recognize the mandate of the Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in the DPRK. Two new "yes" votes were added and three were subtracted. Cambodia went from an abstention in 2006 to a "yes" vote - the first time Cambodia appears to have voted "yes" for a country-specific human rights resolution. Kiribati for the first time in recent memory added its proxy a "yes" for a human rights vote other than Iran. Both Nauru and Vanuatu maintained their new "yes" votes cast in 2006. Both the Solomon Islands and ROK, in a decision that went to the top of their Government and was fought by their Mission in NYC, switched from a "yes" vote to an abstention. Both Malaysia and Myanmar went from an abstention in 2006 to a "no" vote. In sum, voting "yes" this year were Australia, Cambodia, Fiji, Japan, Kiribati, the Marshall Islands, Micronesia, Nauru, New Zealand, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, Timor-Leste, Tonga, Tuvalu, and Vanuatu. Voting "no" were China, DPRK, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Burma (Myanmar), and Vietnam. Abstaining were Brunei, Philippines, ROK, Singapore, Solomon Islands, and Thailand. Mongolia was deliberately absent. ¶19. (U) The U.S. sponsored draft resolution on Belarus passed in the Plenary vote of 72(U.S.)-33-78 compared with last year's vote of 72(U.S.)-32-69. Voting "yes" were Australia, Japan, the Marshall Islands, Micronesia, New Zealand, Palau, ROK, Timor-Leste, Tonga, Tuvalu, and Vanuatu. Voting "no" were China, DPRK, Indonesia, Malaysia, Burma (Myanmar),and Vietnam. Abstaining were Brunei, Cambodia, Fiji, Laos, Mongolia, Nauru, Papua New Guinea, Philippines, Samoa, Singapore, Solomon Islands, and Thailand. Kiribati USUN NEW Y 00001209 006 OF 010 was absent. Fiji shifted from a "yes" vote in the Plenary in 2006 to abstaining. Cambodia and Nauru, absent in 2006, abstained. ¶20. (U) The Burma human rights resolution, sponsored by the EU, passed in the Third Committee by a vote of 88(U.S.)-24-66 and in the Plenary by a vote of 83(U.S.)-22-47. The numbers, including three more ASEAN "no" votes, undoubtedly reflect the Burmese military government's violent suppression of peaceful protests last September. The vote was an improvement over last year's votes of 79(U.S.)-28-63 and 82(U.S.)-25-45 in the Third Committee and the Plenary, respectively. This was the second year the Burma resolution was voted upon. Past resolutions were adopted by consensus. The United States again co-sponsored. The resolution strongly calls on the government of Myanmar to exercise utmost restraint and to desist from further arrests and violence against peaceful protesters and to release without delay those arbitrarily arrested and detained as well as all political prisoners, immediately and unconditionally, including Aung San Suu Kyi. It also calls on the Government of Myanmar to permit all political representatives and representatives of ethnic nationalities to participate fully in the political transition process without restrictions and to resume, without further delay, a dialogue with all political actors, including the NLD and ethnic groups. The resolution extends the mandate for the SG's Special Envoy by requesting the SG "to continue to provide his good offices" and to give all necessary assistance to enable his Special Envoy and the Special Rapporteur to discharge their mandates fully and effectively. Voting "yes" on the Third Committee draft human rights resolution on Burma with the United States were Australia, Japan, the Marshall Islands, Micronesia, Mongolia, Nauru, New Zealand, Palau, ROK, Timor-Leste, Tuvalu, and Vanuatu. All but Tuvalu and Vanuatu repeated their "yes" votes in the Plenary which took place in the early morning hours of Saturday, December 22 (Tuvalu and Vanuatu were absent). Voting "no" in both the Third Committee and the Plenary were China, DPRK, Laos, Malaysia, Burma (Myanmar),and Vietnam. Abstaining in the Third Committee were Brunei, Fiji, Indonesia, Papua New Guinea, Philippines, Samoa, Singapore, Solomon Islands, and Thailand. Cambodia, Kiribati, and Tonga were absent in the Third Committee, but in the Plenary Tonga voted "yes". (Cambodia and Kiribati were again absent in the Plenary, joined by PNG, Samoa, Solomon Islands, and as mentioned above Tuvalu and Vanuatu.) Brunei and Indonesia both switched from a "no" vote in 2006 to abstaining and Cambodia switched from a "no" vote to being absent. Vanuatu went from being absent to voting "yes". ¶21. (U) Two U.S. sponsored resolutions - on elections and rape - passed in the Plenary. Our biennial elections resolution titled "Strengthening the role of the United Nations in enhancing the effectiveness of the principle of periodic and genuine elections and the promotion of democratization" was easily adopted by consensus. The Third Committee, after weeks of intense negotiations primarily with the African delegations, managed to achieve consensus on the U.S. resolution on "Eliminating rape and other forms of sexual violence in all their manifestations, including in conflict and related situations." The original title was "Condemning the use of rape as an instrument of state policy." Thirteen EAP delegations signed on as co-sponsors contributing to the momentum for final approval by consensus: USUN NEW Y 00001209 007 OF 010 Cambodia, Indonesia, Japan, Marshall Islands, Micronesia, Nauru, New Zealand, Palau, Philippines, ROK, Samoa, Timor-Leste, and Vanuatu. Timor-Leste was the first country to sign on as a co-sponsor. The resolution calls on the Secretary General to report on the resolution's SIPDIS implementation in the 63rd UNGA - a report that may well mention Sudan and Burma. -------------- Elections -------------- ¶22. (U) With the help of intense lobbying in capitals, Washington, and New York, the U.S. candidate won for the Independent Audit Advisory Committee, which is an important part of our UN reform efforts. Initially at a disadvantage for late entry into the race after the other WEOG candidates from Spain and Switzerland, David Walker proved to be an exceptionally well-qualified candidate. His service as the Comptroller General of the United States and head of the U.S. Government Accountability Office proved quite relevant. Walker obtained 99 votes on the first ballot, with 93 (a two-thirds majority) required to win. EAP lobbying paid off, with the large majority of EAP countries promising support including: Australia, Brunei, Cambodia, Fiji, Indonesia, Laos, Marshall Islands, Micronesia, Mongolia, Nauru, New Zealand, Palau, Philippines, ROK, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Timor-Leste, Tonga, Tuvalu, Vanuatu, and Vietnam. Japan noted they were unable to support our candidate. ¶23. (U) Another success was the re-election of the U.S. nominee to the Committee Against Torture. With 12 contenders for five seats, Felice Gaer walked away with the most votes (86 on the first ballot) to win an unprecedented third term. This body of experts meets in Geneva to oversee the implementation of the UN Convention Against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment. ¶24. (U) Efforts to date to promote the U.S. candidate, Pierre-Richard Prosper, for the Committee for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination have proven positive. The election is in January 2008. -------------- -------------- Security Council Issues: Burma, Timor-Leste -------------- -------------- ¶25. (U) Burma's military regime's brutal crackdown in September on Buddhist monks and peaceful demonstrators helped to overcome Chinese and Russian opposition to bring Burma before the Security Council. The Secretary General's Special Advisor on Myanmar Ibrahim Gambari briefed SC members after both his September and November trips to Burma. SG Ban, who joined the October 5 briefing, denounced the regime's crackdown as "abhorrent and unacceptable" and called for active international support of the UN good offices mission, including that of the UN Security Council. The SC, on October 11, issued its first-ever Presidential Statement on Burma. ¶26. (SBU) Indonesia served as SC President for the month of November. A SC mission visited Timor-Leste in December. The SC last February extended the mandate of the UN Mission in Timor-Leste (UNMIT) for one year until February 28, 2008. USUN NEW Y 00001209 008 OF 010 -------------- Bloc Politics and EAP Country Performance -------------- ¶27. (SBU) ASEAN countries sometimes went their own ways this UNGA, as seen in their diverse votes on the Burma no-action motion in the Third Committee and the Burma and Iranian human rights resolutions. The Philippines and Thailand again split off to abstain on some Middle East issues this session. Singapore took over the ASEAN Chair from the Philippines. Cuba took over from Malaysia last year as the NAM coordinator, making NAM decisions all that more likely to go against US interests. ¶28. (C) As in past years, Pacific Island Forum (PIF) countries consult regularly on UN issues. Tonga now serves as the Pacific Island Forum chair, having replaced Fiji. Counting Australia and New Zealand, the Pacific Islands now number 14, with the addition of Tuvalu as a member in 2000 and Kiribati, Nauru, and Tonga in 1999. While not exactly a voting bloc, the islands are an influential group whose votes are increasingly solicited by others. The United States can not take these votes for granted when we seek support on human rights and Middle East resolutions. The most important issues to the islands are sustainable development and climate change, where the US is not always viewed as supportive. Belarus, Iran, and the Palestinian Observer Mission to the UN, for example, lobbied aggressively on human rights and Middle East issues. Tuvalu, the Solomon Islands, and to a lesser extent Nauru have proven to be somewhat susceptible. Tuvalu's new Permrep, who had gone back to his capital to get his instructions from the Foreign Ministry reversed at the Cabinet level, talks about the need to develop new friends with countries like Venezuela. Even the Charge from Micronesia, one of our closest friends, explained he could not vote with the United States against the Durban Conference resolution, but would abstain, because this is a G-77 resolution and Micronesia is a G-77 member. ¶29. (C) The best way to get island votes is to spend time with these small delegations and to provide written talking points for them to share with their capitals, when needed. Most regular contact in New York ends after the Senior Advisor departs. The islanders have appreciated lunches in the past with the U.S. Permrep and the session U/S Burns holds each September with their heads of delegation to the General Debate. It has been helpful to have Palau's Permrep, who almost always votes with the U.S., in New York and not to have to pursue a proxy. Kiribati, due to cost, is now the only Pacific island without a UN Mission in New York; their Vice President did participate in September's General Debate. Kiribati traditionally grants its proxy to New Zealand on the Iran human rights resolution and for the first time this year granted a proxy on the DPRK human rights resolution. One has to start well in advance to line up this proxy. The Solomon Islands, with its faltering government and poor relations with Australia and New Zealand, is often the odd island out on human rights and other votes, but may increasingly be joined by Tuvalu. Vanuatu - with its new Permrep and the encouragement of the EAP Senior Advisor - has more often been able to participate in votes. For many of the islands with small missions, just showing up for a vote is a major feat. Some have made effective use of interns to supplement their small delegations. Taiwan has managed to get into the UN via the back door, placing interns in a few USUN NEW Y 00001209 009 OF 010 delegations including the Marshall Islands, Nauru, and Palau. When the Marshall Islands Permrep returns home for a week in January 2008, the Taiwan intern will be the only one remaining in their Mission. ¶30. (SBU) Because almost all of developing Asia is organized in one regional group or another, Mongolia feels left out, belonging to no sub-regional group and believes this impacts on its inability to get elected to UN bodies, leading it to drop its candidacy for a Security Council seat for 2009-2010. Mongolia has recently played a more active role as seen in its two resolutions adopted by consensus this UNGA on "Cooperatives in Social Development" and declaring October 15 of each year the "International Day of Rural Women." Timor-Leste, a recent UN member, is feeling its way on the issues and, without being a member of a group, is amenable to considering questions on their merits. Timor-Leste's new Permrep this session cast laudatory "yes" votes on all the human rights resolutions including Iran and "no" votes against all no action motions. In sum, it is very important to get to know and spend time with the Permreps. ¶31. (C) Japan has performed solidly, if very cautiously in view of its permanent seat aspirations on the SC, and its bid for election to a temporary Peacebuilding two-year seat for 2009-2010. Japan chairs the newly created Peacebuilding Commission as part of its efforts to be seen as a Constructive player. As a fellow large contributor, Japan can generally be counted on to consider seriously the financial implications of Council decisions, especially those related to the expansion of peacekeeping mandates. Japan's willingness to back U.S. positions was only constrained by its desire to be as inoffensive to as many other delegations on as many issues as possible to obtain maximum support for its overarching objective: securing a permanent SC seat. -------------- The Future -------------- ¶32. (C) Vietnam will replace Qatar on the SC in January 2008. The Asian group had agreed earlier to nominate Vietnam as the only candidate for a non-permanent SC seat for 2008-2009. Vietnam's efforts to emerge on the world stage mean it will have to start taking clear stands on issues of international peace and security out of its region. Their approach to most issues more closely resembles that of China, rather than the United States; Vietnam's voting coincidence with us in the General Assembly is very low. Iran and Japan are the only two candidates running in the fall of 2008 for a 2009-2010 SC seat, after Mongolia concluded its win was unlikely and withdrew. Japan was a late entrant and has already served on the SC nine times, most recently in 2005-2006. Iran has served once, in 1955-1956. Japan is a responsible UN member, chairs the Peacebuilding Commission, and is the UN's second largest contributor. Iran, that may garner OIC support, has resolutions against it in both the SC and the General Assembly. The United States will need to develop our approach to this election taking place in October 2008. ¶33. (C) The issue of SC enlargement may again prove too difficult to resolve. In pursuit of a permanent seat, Japan's new prime minister has reached out more to China and has refrained from visiting the controversial Yasukuni Shrine. China remains non-supportive wanting Japan's leaders USUN NEW Y 00001209 010 OF 010 to apologize for WWII atrocities and to cease visits to the shrine. The ROK has signaled its opposition to new permanent members of the Security Council. As President Bush said in his General Assembly address, the United States continues to support Japan's candidacy for permanent membership and believes that the candidacies of other nations should be considered as well. ¶34. (C) As the two largest UN contributors, the U.S. and Japan will need to work closely together to pursue critical management reforms in the Secretariat and fiscal restraint, especially important with a UN biennial budget proposal for a 25 percent increase. Secretary General Ban Ki-moon, when he was sworn in as the first Asian Secretary General in 35 years (since U Thant of Burma),promised that his first priority would be to restore trust in a United Nations that has been criticized for corruption and mismanagement and witnessed distrust among members deeply divided over UN reform. His work is cut out for him. ¶35. (U) The good showing this UNGA by EAP countries - with the Pacific Islands often our best allies in the UN - was attributable to concerted efforts on all fronts: in New York, in Washington, and in capitals. Our embassies in particular deserve our gratitude for their lobbying efforts with host governments, often on short notice. In general, EAP countries helped us to realize most U.S. objectives during this 62nd UNGA. KHALILZAD Khalilzad