1540 COMMITTEE DISCUSSES EXPERTS' PANEL

UNCLAS USUN NEW YORK 000037 SIPDIS SIPDIS FOR IO/PSC: JSANDAGE, IO/UNP: EBROWN, AND ISN/CPI: TWUCHTE E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: UNSC PTER PREL KNNP SUBJECT: 1540 COMMITTEE DISCUSSES EXPERTS' PANEL REF: STATE 06792 ¶1. (SBU) BEGIN SUMMARY: The 1540 Committee met informally January 19 to discuss the appointment of three experts to fill vacancies on the Committee's panel of experts, as well as the extension of contracts of the five remaining experts. Committee Chairman Burian asked delegations to seek instructions to support his proposal to appoint UK nominee Olivia Bosch, Australian nominee Brad Howlett, and Indian nominee V. Siddhartha to the team so the Committee could reach a decision at its January 24 meeting. Chairman Burian also proposed that the Committee renew the contracts of current experts Victor Slipchenko (Russian Federation) and Richard Cupitt (U.S.) through December 31, while extending the contracts of the other experts (Berhanykun Andemicael of Eritrea, Gunterio Heineken of Argentina, and Roque Monteleone-Neto of Brazil) through the end of their two-year anniversaries as UN consultants to the Committee. END SUMMARY. -------------- Filling Three Current Vacancies -------------- ¶2. (SBU) Burian opened the meeting by explaining that he, his staff, and the UN Department of Disarmament Affairs (DDA) had reviewed carefully all 24 nominations to fill the vacancies created by the 2006 resignations of Patrice Palanque (France),Volker Beck (Germany),and Ionut Suseanu (Romania). Based on their review of nominees' eligibility and qualifications, the requirements of UN Security Council Resolutions 1540 (2004) and 1673 (2006),and the Committee's current work program, as well as consideration of the need for geographical distribution and gender balance, Burian identified Olivia Bosch (UK),Brad Howlett (Australia),and ¶V. Siddartha (India) as the top candidates. He specifically noted the Committee's needs for expertise concerning legislation and customs/border controls and Australian candidate Howlett's ability to fill such needs. ¶3. (SBU) Thomas Markram, Senior Political Affairs Officer in DDA's Weapons of Mass Destruction Branch, stressed the need for the Committee to reach agreement as soon as possible on three nominees for the panel, noting that after the Committee agrees on a list, DDA would have to send the names to the Secretary-General for appointment. Based on DDA's previous SIPDIS experience hiring the Committee's experts, he said the odds of three new experts assuming their duties before early April are "slim." ¶4. (SBU) Delegations responded briefly to Chairman Burian's proposal. Italy, which has nominated Isabella Interlandi, pressed Burian to explain the criteria he and DDA used in proposing their recommended candidates and questioned whether Brad Howlett is the best-qualified customs expert. (Note: Interlandi also has expertise in customs.) Ghana urged the Committee to take gender balance into account, arguing that having one woman on the experts' team would not be sufficient. UKUN noted that the UK has nominated two well-qualified candidates, Olivia Bosch and David Birch, and said it would need to seek instructions. UKUN also stressed that the Committee should select candidates based on their qualifications -- not their geographical representation. -------------- -------------- Addressing the Remaining Five Experts' Contracts -------------- -------------- ¶5. (SBU) Burian then proposed a way forward with respect to the other five experts currently serving the Committee. (Note: All five experts' contracts expire on February 5, 2007, although because they assumed duties on different dates, they will reach their two-year anniversaries as UN consultants at different points between now and June. Under UN rules, consultants cannot serve more than two years, although exceptions can be made if a justification is provided for extending their terms.) ¶6. (SBU) First, he proposed that the Committee have DDA renew the contracts of Victor Slipchenko and Richard Cupitt through December 31, 2007, when the UN's budget cycle expires, with the proviso that when the UN's new budget cycle opens, the Committee would consider extending their contracts through the end of the Committee's mandate. Second, Burian suggested that the Committee renew the contracts of the other team members (Roque Monteleone-Neto, Berhanykun Andemicael, and Gunterio Heineken) through their two-year anniversaries as UN consultants. (Note: Monteleone-Neto's two-year anniversary is February 19, Andemicael's is June 12, and Heineken's is June 30.) Third, the Committee should initiate recruitment of experts to fill the three slots Monteleone-Neto, Andemicael, and Heineken are occupying. Burian clarified that his proposal would not preclude a Committee decision to retain Monteleone-Neto, Andemicael, or Heineken; it also would not exclude hiring new candidates to replace them, depending on the Committee's assessment of gaps in the team's expertise and the Committee's needs. He suggested that, in making a decision on filling the slots Monteleone-Neto, Andemicael, and Heineken now occupy, the Committee could reconsider nominees it does not appoint to fill the current three vacancies. The Committee also could invite states to submit new names. ¶7. (SBU) Markram clarified that the Committee would have to issue a note verbale requesting nominations for the three positions Monteleone-Neto, Andemicael, and Heineken currently occupy. Brazil, Argentina, and Eritrea would have to re-nominate Monteleone-Neto, Andemicael, and Heineken. (Note: Argentina already has re-nominated Heineken, as well as a new candidate, Guillermo Alberto Sevilla.) (Note: Markram subsequently advised USUN that if the Committee wants to re-consider candidates it does not select to fill its current three vacancies, the Committee would need to inform states of its intention to do so. The Committee thus should circulate a note verbale requesting new nominations to fill an additional three positions and clarify that the Committee will continue to consider the nominations it has received previously.) ¶8. (SBU) The Committee reacted briefly to the Chairman's proposals. UKUN stressed the sensitivity of discussions concerning existing experts, calling for all participants in the meeting to keep the deliberations confidential. Burian stressed that the experts' team needs a strong coordinator. Since former coordinator Volker Beck's departure in April 2006, the experts have lacked organization and management, and Monteleone-Neto, whom the experts selected as their coordinator, "is not the kind of person who can bring five (people) together to produce what is needed." ¶9. (SBU) UKUN also noted that its previous request for terms of reference for the current five experts, expressing concern that without such practices, the Security Council would be disregarding UN auditing rules. Burian said the experts had not responded to his or DDA's requests to provide terms of reference. Markram clarified that because Richard Cupitt is not based in New York, all of his work is based on strict terms of reference. Burian said having terms of reference would help him, noting that on numerous occasions, the experts have refused to complete work he has tasked them to do because they assert it is not within their mandate. ¶10. (SBU) Comment: Chairman Burian's proposals were consistent with USUN's instructions (reftel),and the meeting went smoothly. Chairman Burian was well-prepared and persuasive in answering delegations' concerns and used the January 19 meeting effectively to prepare the Committee to reach a decision on filling the three vacancies on the experts' panel at its next meeting. If accepted, Chairman Burian's proposal with respect to the remaining five experts would secure Richard Cupitt's place on the team. A significant remaining question is whether the Italians will insist upon having Isabella Interlandi, rather than Brad Howlett, appointed to the team. Per reftel, USUN will not object to either choice. End comment. WOLFF