CLIMATE CHANGE TOP PRIORITY FOR INCOMING UNGA

C O N F I D E N T I A L USUN NEW YORK 000246 SIPDIS SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/27/2012 TAGS: UNGA ECON SENV SUBJECT: CLIMATE CHANGE TOP PRIORITY FOR INCOMING UNGA PRESIDENT Classified By: Ambassador Miller for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d). ¶1. (U) At a luncheon hosted by German Ambassador Matussek on March 26, incoming GA President Srgian Kerim (former Foreign Minister of Macedonia) identified climate change as his top priority for the 62nd General Assembly session. Other areas of focus were UN reform, the results of the High Level Panel on System-wide Coherence, counter terrorism, and financing for development. ¶2. (U) In the lively discussion that ensued, Ambassador Miller, supported by Pakistani Ambassador Akram, pushed back hard on climate change and offered energy supply, technology change, and energy,s impact on development as more promising areas for discussion. ¶3. (U) Akram suggested adding trade to the list of priorities. Miller noted that the non-consensus resolution on trade pushed through by the G-77 at the 61st GA was one of that session,s largest failures, and that if we were going to discuss trade, we needed to mobilize the political will and spend the time required to negotiate a consensus outcome. ¶4. (C) Comment. Kerim will likely be a more activist President than current GA President Sheikha Haya. With a solid economics background and fluent English, he will be easy for Americans to relate to, but he is also likely to be looking for deliverables and legacy items during his tenure. The early focus on climate change is unwelcome and will need to be managed carefully. WOLFF