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.

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Filling Three Current Vacancies
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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.

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Addressing the Remaining Five Experts' Contracts
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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