PHILIPPINES CONCURS WITH U.S. VIEWS REGARDING UN

UNCLAS MANILA 001981 SENSITIVE SIPDIS STATE FOR EAP/MTS, EAP/RSP, IO/EDA (WEBBER) E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PREL UNGA SENV AORC KGHG UNGA RP EUN SUBJECT: PHILIPPINES CONCURS WITH U.S. VIEWS REGARDING UN CLIMATE CHANGE DICUSSIONS REF: SECSTATE 87757 ¶1. (SBU) Officials at the Philippine Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) Office of United Nations and Other International Organizations (UNIO) welcomed our thoughts on the Pacific Small Island Developing States (PSIDS) proposed resolution on Climate Change that would call for a UN Security Council resolution on the subject (reftel). Post underscored U.S. support for climate change initiatives and expressed our concern about the appropriateness of the PSIDS plan to require UN Security Council involvement at a time when a plethora of pressing matters threaten peace and security. UNIO Assistant Director G. Marie Concha for the Environment, Science and Technology said on August 20 that the DFA had not reached a final position but "was moving in the direction" of the U.S. position. Concha generally agreed with the demarche points (reftel),and while she could not yet speak for the DFA, she noted that officials from other offices and the Philippine Mission in New York shared our concerns over the PSIDS proposal. Concha said her colleagues had specifically questioned whether the UN Security Council was the proper forum, and whether the PSIDS-proposed resolution would sideline other climate-change efforts and forums already underway. ¶2. (SBU) If the PSIDS proposal calling for UN Security Council action does manage to make headway, it would fall into the bailiwick of UNIO Political, Security and Legal Affairs Director Leah Ruiz. Ruiz welcomed our input on August 19 and said that she had not previously given full attention to the PSIDS plans. Ruiz voiced concern that climate change can "wreak havoc on security issues" but, from a technical standpoint, she said her immediate reaction was to agree that the Second Committee of the next General Assembly (UNGA 63) would be a better venue for such deliberations than this year's UN General Assembly (UNGA 62). Both directors remarked separately that they would keep our views in mind as they studied the issue. Visit Embassy Manila's Classified SIPRNET website: http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/eap/manila/index. cfm You can also access this site through the State Department's Classified SIPRNET website: http://www.state.sgov.gov/ KENNEY