U.S.-EU TROIKA MEETING ON UNITED NATIONS ISSUES

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 03 BRUSSELS 000462

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SENSITIVE
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E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/24/2018
TAGS: PREL PHUM EUN
SUBJECT: U.S.-EU TROIKA MEETING ON UNITED NATIONS ISSUES

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Classified By: Alyce Tidball, A/Minister Counselor for
Political Affairs, for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d)


1. (C) SUMMARY: IO PDAS James Warlick met with
representatives of the European Union to discuss possible
areas of U.S.-EU cooperation in the United Nations
system. PDAS Warlick emphasized that the U.S. is committed
to participation in multilateral fora and is determined to
finds ways to make those organizations more effective,
efficient and transparent. The EU encouraged an even
greater commitment on the part of the U.S. in UN bodies,
notably the Peace Building Commission and the Human Rights
Council. Both sides said it was important to improve
U.S.-EU coordination in multilateral fora, and agreed to
suggest language to that effect in statements created for
the upcoming U.S.-EU summit. END SUMMARY

Peace Building Commission (PBC)
--------------

2. (C) All parties agreed that the PBC needs to
demonstrate its effectiveness beyond cooperation
already begun with Burundi and Sierra Leone.
Slovenian Presidency Head of Delegation
Blazka Kepic thanked the U.S. for its increased
commitment to the PBC, and stated that the EU
member states would support PBC assistance to Guinea Bissau
as the next target country. Veronique Arnault
from the European Commission (EC) said she would pass
explicit instructions to the EC Delegation in New York
to liaise with the U.S. on issues before the PBC.

System Wide Coherence
--------------

3. (C) The EU and U.S. agreed on the importance of
UN agencies coordinating and cooperating in each country.
Kepic listed three areas of improvement necessary to
increase UN coherence: national "ownership" of development
projects, unified support from donor countries, and
readiness of UN agencies to engage on this issue. Warlick
urged caution in pushing this issue too hard, because of
suspicion from the G-77 and the (NAM) that the U.S. and EU
have a hidden agenda to cut development funding. Kepic
agreed with that approach, saying it was important to
carefully analyze the results of the 8 pilot projects
before pushing ahead.

UN Reform
--------------

4. (C) Human Rights Council (HRC): Kepic argued that
the EU wants a strong, efficient and credible council, able
to respond quickly to human rights violations. The EU will
continue to support the system of special representatives
and country specific mandates, arguing that both are
necessary for the HRC to remain credible. Kepic promised
on behalf of the EU and its Member States to lead by
example during the Universal Periodic Review, to ensure
frank and objective analyses by the council. Kepic
reiterated the EU request for greater U.S. participation.
Warlick described U.S. disappointment in the HRC and
skepticism in its ability to be a credible body. However,
he insisted the U.S. remains committed to pursuing human
rights in the UN and other multinational fora, saying that
the EU should expect the U.S. to continue to be active in
the General Assembly's Third Committee.


5. (C) Durban: Kepic stated that she was not an
expert on this topic and could not go into great detail,
but said the EU agreed with the U.S. that Durban II
should not be a repeat of Durban I.


6. (C) Management Reform: Although the multiple EU
representatives had questions and requested specifics,
there was no opposition to the U.S. suggestion of
working for greater transparency and accountability
throughout the UN system. It would be necessary to
review adherence to accepted management standards,
including whistle-blower protection, generally accepted
accounting principles and making audit reports publicly
available. Kepic asked the U.S. to remember that
significant progress had already been made in this area;
the U.S. responded that there is significant room for
improvement.

Budget and Fifth Committee
--------------

7. (C) Kepic said the EU agreed that budgetary

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discipline is necessary, but the EU does not share the same
sense of urgency as the U.S. Kepic pointed out that less
than 30% of UN budget "add-ons" for the biennium
involve discretionary spending, limiting what can
be cut. Warlick emphasized that the U.S. cannot support
a budget increase that could be as high as 25%.
He hoped EU Member States, who along with the
U.S. provide much of the UN's budget, will demand good
faith measures to limit spending and cut redundant or
obsolete programs.

Rule of Law
--------------

8. (C) Warlick agreed with the EU on the importance
of Rule of Law projects. Kepic argued for additional
funding to the UN Secretariat to create a Rule of Law unit;
the U.S. restated its position that the unit be created out
of existing resources.

Climate Change
--------------

9. (C) Kepic stressed the importance of persuading
individuals and industry to make changes necessary to halt
global warming. Although the EU and U.S. have different
patterns of energy use, each can learn from shared best
practices. The EU wants cooperation from all states who
are major pollution emitters, while realizing that not all
countries can realistically be held to the same standard.
The EU supports the establishment of a UN organization to
monitor and enforce international environmental standards.
PDAS Warlick responded that while international
environmental governance is an issue, there
is no agreement yet on how to move forward with it.

Monterrey Consensus
--------------

10. (C) Since France will hold the Presidency of the
EU during the follow-up conference to Monterrey in Doha
this December, the French delegation spoke for the EU
during this portion of the discussion. In response to
U.S. concerns that the G-77 could try to rewrite
the Monterrey consensus, Head of Delegation Marc
Giacomini provided a list of items that it will raise:
1) Third World Debt; 2) Official Development
Assistance (ODA); 3) Best Practices; 4) Governance
of the International Financial Institutions; 5) Millennium
Development Goals and Qualitative Approaches; and 6) Private
Sector Financing.

Due Process and Counter Terrorism
--------------

11. (SBU) Under "all other business", the U.S.
raised the issue of sanctions imposed under UN Security
Council Resolution 1267, and recent cases in the European
Court of Justice suggesting the procedure impinges on
fundamental human rights. The EU listened to U.S.
concerns, but concluded that it was not a CONUN competency
and should be discussed at the COJUR.


12. (U) Next CONUN Troika was tentatively scheduled for 29
September 2008 in New York, pending approval from both
sides.


13. (U) Meeting Participants

PRESIDENCY (Slovenia)
Ms. Blazka Kepic, Minister Plenipotentiary, Planning and
Multilateral Political Relations, Ministry of Foreign
Affairs
Ms. Nusa Majhenc, First Secretary, Planning and
Multilateral Political Relations, Ministry of Foreign
Affairs
Ms. Barbara Butinar, First Secretary, Planning and
Multilateral Political Relations, Ministry of Foreign
Affairs

INCOMING PRESIDENCY (France)
Mr. Marc Giacomini, Deputy Director, Directorate for UN and
International Organizations, Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Ms. Natasha Butler, Permanent Representation of France to
the EU

COUNCIL SECRETARIAT
Mr. Rafael de Bustamente Tello, UN Desk

COMMISSION

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Ms. Veronique Arnault, Director, Multilateral Relations and
Human Rights, DG RELEX
Ms. Christiane Bourloyannis, UN Unit, DG RELEX B
Ms. Kristin de Peyron, UN Unit, DG RELEX B
Mr. Valentin Gescher, U.S. Desk, DG RELEX C

UNITED STATES
IO PDAS James Warlick
PolOff

MURRAY
.