EU RESPONSE TO DEMARCHE ON ZIMBABWE CHAIR OF UN

UNCLAS BRUSSELS 000591 SIPDIS SENSITIVE SIPDIS IO/EDA FOR REBECCA WEBBER OES/ENV FOR KERI HOLLAND E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: SENV AORC PREL EAGR EAID ECON EUN SUBJECT: EU RESPONSE TO DEMARCHE ON ZIMBABWE CHAIR OF UN COMMISSION ON SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT REF: SECSTATE 40180 ¶1. (SBU) We raised points on Zimbabwe chairing the Commission on Sustainable Developmnet (reftel) with EU Council Secretariat Deputy Head of Africa Task Force and Special Advisor on Africa Jean-Christophe Belliard, whose response was a succinct, "Agree 100 per cent with the U.S. views." ¶2. (SBU) We also raised points with the United Nations desk officer Morten Knudsen. He replied that the CONUN working group had met on April 16, before reftel was released, so he had no official response from Members States or the Presidency. He noted, however, that the U.S. position was "not controversial" and was similar to the decision taken last year by the EU on this issue. MURRAY .