ACTION REQUEST: DEMARCHE ON ZIMBABWE CHAIR OF UN

UNCLAS STATE 040180 SIPDIS SIPDIS FOR US EU AND EMB BRUSSELS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: SENV AORC PREL EAGR EUN EAID ECON SUBJECT: ACTION REQUEST: DEMARCHE ON ZIMBABWE CHAIR OF UN COMMISSION ON SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT ¶1. This is an Action Request. Please see paragraphs 5 and ¶6. ¶2. The May 5 - 16 meeting of the UN Commission on Sustainable Development (CSD-16) will be chaired by Zimbabwe's Minister of Environment and Tourism, Francis Nhema. The Zimbabwean chairmanship is particularly troubling in light of the CSD's themes this year - agriculture, rural development, land, drought, desertification, and Africa - areas in which Zimbabwe President Mugabe's rule has been especially egregious. We unsuccessfully fought Nhema's election to the chair last year. ¶3. The situation in Zimbabwe is worsening daily, with little progress made towards a political solution. It is unlikely that a possible runoff election will be held prior to CSD-16. We understand as well from recent media reports that Nhema has played a questionable role in the redistribution of farmland. Under these circumstances, a Zimbabwean chairing a UN body on sustainable development runs counter to U.S. attempts to reform the United Nations and raises questions about the CSD as a credible forum for addressing these issues. ¶4. As a result, the U.S. Government is reviewing its level of participation at CSD-16. Under normal circumstances Under Secretary Dobriansky would lead the U.S. delegation; however, SIPDIS this is unlikely unless there is a dramatic improvement in the political situation in Zimbabwe before the CSD begins, or Zimbabwe does not chair CSD-16. We expect that a Deputy Assistant Secretary career officer will represent the U.S. instead. ¶5. Action Request (except Embassy Tel Aviv): Embassy is requested to demarche the appropriate Foreign, Environment or other Ministry officials to encourage Governments to join us in lowering their level of representation at CSD-16 and to report back as soon as possible. ¶6. Embassy may wish to draw from the following points: -- Absent a positive and peaceful resolution of the political conflict in Zimbabwe, or Zimbabwe not chairing the meeting, we believe Governments should seriously consider lowering their level of representation at CSD-16 for the following reasons: -- A high-level official or political presence in meetings officiated by a Zimbabwean Minister would encourage the abuses in Zimbabwe and display support for a broken UN system. -- We should not validate Zimbabwe as a champion or practitioner of sustainable development. -- A Zimbabwean chairmanship damages the credibility of the Commission and Member States efforts in the realm of sustainable development. -- Sending a lower-than-normal level official to head the delegation sends a quiet but clear message that a Zimbabwean chairmanship of a CSD session devoted to rural development in Africa is unacceptable. -- Although we encourage an apolitical CSD in which practical discourse takes place, under these circumstances, we believe we should display our genuine support for sustainable development by making it clear that a Zimbabwean chairmanship is not acceptable in terms of sustainable development or UN credibility and reform. -- We recognize the importance of balancing the impact on our broader sustainable development policy with our overall policy of reforming the UN. We want to ensure that any political signal we send will not be at the expense of our ongoing commitment to sustainable development and the CSD. The U.S. delegation will demonstrate this commitment through its contributions to, and active and constructive participation in, the sessions and side events of CSD-16. -- We are approaching most OECD members with this request to seek views and determine if there is support for a collective action. ¶7. Action Request Embassy Tel Aviv: Embassy is requested to inform appropriate Environment or other Ministry officials that we are taking this action. This is a courtesy because Israel is the WEOG Bureau member for CSD-16; we are not asking it to take any specific action. ¶8. Please slug responses to IO/EDA Rebecca Webber (WebberRE@state.gov) and OES/ENV Keri Holland (HollandKJ@state.gov). RICE