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.

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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.)

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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.

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Middle East Issues
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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

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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,

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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

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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:

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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.


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--------------
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

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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

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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