AMBASSADOR KHALILZAD'S INTRODUCTORY MEETING WITH

C O N F I D E N T I A L USUN NEW YORK 000344 SIPDIS SIPDIS IO FOR FRONT FRONT OFFICE E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/01/2017 TAGS: UNSC PREL PGOV UNGA SUBJECT: AMBASSADOR KHALILZAD'S INTRODUCTORY MEETING WITH SYG BAN Classified By: Ambassador Zalmay Khalilzad for Reasons 1.4 (b,d) ¶1. (C) SUMMARY: Following his formal presentation of credentials, AMB Khalilzad met with SYG Ban Ki-Moon and his top deputies to discuss U.S. policy objectives at the UN. SYG Ban emphasized the need for strong U.S. support to move forward on UN capacity building and listed Iraq, Kosovo, Darfur and Lebanon as the most pressing geopolitical problem areas for the UN. SYG Ban highlighted the importance of EU unity on Kosovo and requested POTUS participation at high-level UN event on climate change tentatively scheduled for September 24. AMB Khalilzad promised to work proactively with SYG Ban to solve problems and move forward on UN reform. END SUMMARY. ¶2. (U) UN Participants: SYG Ban Ki-Moon, DPA U/SYG Lynn Pascoe, DPKO U/SYG Jean-Marie Guehenno, and A/SYG Won Soo Kim. U.S. Participants: AMB Khalilzad, AMB Wolff, USUN/Chief of Staff Clarke Cooper, staff aide (notetaker). -------------- Getting Work Done Together -------------- ¶3. (C) AMB Khalilzad opened the meeting by commenting that he had worked closely with the UN both in Afghanistan and Iraq and looked forward to working with the Secretariat to find solutions to the most pressing global problems. The U.S. and the UN can get a lot of work done when they work together effectively. SYG Ban singled out Iraq, Kosovo, Darfur and Lebanon as the most pressing geopolitical problem areas for the UN to address. SYG Ban added that he looked forward to working with AMB Khalilzad during the May U.S. UNSC presidency. -------------- Kosovo -------------- ¶4. (C) SYG Ban inquired whether the UNSC mission to Kosovo had brought the UNSC any closer to an agreement on the Ahtisaari plan. AMB Khalilzad responded that the presentations by the UN officials and Kosovar leaders had assuaged some of the concerns of the UNSC regarding the Ahtisaari proposals and he believes the UNSC is ready to move forward on Ahtisaari's recommendations. SYG Ban responded that he was ready "to assist the effort in any way possible" and reported that he had already reached out to China, South Africa, Indonesia and Qatar. SYG Ban said he planned to reach out to the remaining elected UNSC members in the coming few days. ¶5. (C) SYG Ban highlighted the importance of a unified EU position on Kosovo, EU engagement with Serbia, and expanded economic assistance for Balkan development. AMB Khalilzad concurred, adding that there was also a need to address outstanding issues regarding both Serbian and Kosovar IDPs and some members of the UNSC delegation had mentioned the idea of a Special Envoy to deal with this issue. SYG Ban said he was prepared to help with this idea also. -------------- Climate Change -------------- ¶6. (C) SYG Ban brought up the issue of climate change and said he is planning a high-level UN event focused on climate change to take place at the margins of the UNGA on September ¶24. SYG Ban said he plans to name Gro Harlem Brundtland (former PM of Norway) Ricardo Lagos (former President of Chile),and Han Seung-soo (former FM of South Korea) as his SRSGs on climate change to work together and individually to promote a "convergence of views" on climate change. Separately, SYG Ban said he would host a dinner of selected leaders on the eve of the opening debate of the General Assembly for an informal discussion and highlighted the importance of President Bush's attendance. SYG Ban asked if POTUS participation in such a climate change event would be possible. AMB Khalilzad said that the U.S. shared the goal of finding an effective and appropriate role for the UN to address climate change and promised to communicate the SYG's request for POTUS participation. -------------- UN Capacity Building -------------- ¶7. (C) AMB Khalilzad said that building the capacity of the UN to respond effectively to global problems is one of the major objectives for his tenure at USUN and promised to work closely with SYG Ban to identify substantive, attainable goals, and support the SYG's management reform goals. SYG Ban concurred that sustained U.S. support for capacity building is essential to move forward on any issue. SYG Ban commented that while U.S.-UN relations had gone through "a difficult period" in recent years, "without U.S. support for the UN, nothing happens." SYG Ban closed by saying that he looked forward to working with AMB Khalilzad on management reform efforts commenting, "your success is our success." KHALILZAD