Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
08TELAVIV1810
2008-08-15 14:45:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Tel Aviv
Cable title:
ISRAEL WANTS TO BUILD ON PAST SUCCESSES AT 63RD
how-toVZCZCXYZ0000 OO RUEHWEB DE RUEHTV #1810 2281445 ZNY CCCCC ZZH O 151445Z AUG 08 FM AMEMBASSY TEL AVIV TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 8021 INFO RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK PRIORITY 7342
C O N F I D E N T I A L TEL AVIV 001810
SIPDIS
DEPT FOR IO/UNP (SUN),P (REINEMEYER),NEA/RA (ARVIS,
LANGEVIN)
NSC FOR MCDONALD
E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/15/2018
TAGS: PREL UNGA OTRA OVIP KSEP UN IS
SUBJECT: ISRAEL WANTS TO BUILD ON PAST SUCCESSES AT 63RD
UNGA
REF: A. STATE 55178
B. STATE 072078
Classified By: Classified by Political Counselor Marc Sievers for reaso
n 1.4 (b) and (d).
C O N F I D E N T I A L TEL AVIV 001810
SIPDIS
DEPT FOR IO/UNP (SUN),P (REINEMEYER),NEA/RA (ARVIS,
LANGEVIN)
NSC FOR MCDONALD
E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/15/2018
TAGS: PREL UNGA OTRA OVIP KSEP UN IS
SUBJECT: ISRAEL WANTS TO BUILD ON PAST SUCCESSES AT 63RD
UNGA
REF: A. STATE 55178
B. STATE 072078
Classified By: Classified by Political Counselor Marc Sievers for reaso
n 1.4 (b) and (d).
1. (C) SUMMARY: PolOff met with Rony Adam, Director of the
Department for UN Political Affairs at the MFA to discuss
both UN voting practices (ref A) and Israeli participation at
UNGA (ref B) on July 23, with a follow-up on August 5. Adam
said that plans for UNGA are still tentative, but PM Olmert
will likely address the plenary. It is also possible that
President Peres may go to New York during the first week.
During UNGA, Israel plans focus on promoting their successful
agricultural technology resolution from last year, rather
than launch any new initiatives. END SUMMARY.
2. (SBU) On August 14, PolCouns was told by MFA officials
that Prime Minister Olmert plans on addressing the UNGA
plenary instead of Foreign Minister Livni. President Peres
is considering attending sometime during the first week to
attend the high-level meeting on the implementation of the
New Partnership for Africa's Development (NEPAD) on September
22, although this is increasingly unlikely. With the
attendance of Olmert, FM Livni is unlikely to go to UNGA,
which also comes shortly after the mid-September Kadima Party
primaries, in which Livni is a candidate.
3. (C) On voting practices, PolOff noted that Israel had the
highest voting coincidence with the U.S., and there were only
two "important votes" in which Israel did not support the
U.S. position. Israel was absent for both votes. Regarding
the first, the budget resolution, Adam explained that Israel
was on the budget committee, a position it had worked hard to
get as part of its efforts to be a more "normal" UN member
state. Therefore, it felt it could not vote against the
budget. Adam said the GOI understood why the United States
was against the resolution and did not want to cast a vote
against the U.S. either, so it decided to be absent for the
vote. On the second important vote, the Myanmar resolution,
Adam said he did not know why Israel was absent for that vote
but promised to look into it.
4. (C) According to Adam, Israel's strategy during UNGA is
to solidify its gains from the 62nd UNGA rather than launch
any new initiatives. This includes promoting last year's
successful Agricultural Technology resolution, the first
Israeli-sponsored resolution. Israel may announce some
projects to help implement the resolution, and it is
considering hosting an event on agricultural technology.
Some countries had suggested making the initiative an annual
resolution, but Adam said Israel is content to just promote
the current resolution.
5. (C) Israel is also evaluating its efforts to discourage
the numerous anti-Israel resolutions in the General Assembly.
The GOI hopes to see fewer resolutions, and an omnibus
resolution on UNRWA as was the practice prior to 1995, and it
is pleased that the UN Secretary General has publicly stated
that many of these resolutions do not benefit the Palestinian
people. However, Adam noted, their small UN Mission spends a
great deal of effort fighting these resolutions with little
effect. Recently, the focus has been changing from being a
single-issue country to engaging the UN at all levels, but it
will be up to the new UN team to decide the how to engage.
NOTE: Israel's UN Ambassador, the Deputy Director General for
International Organizations (A/S equivalent) and the Director
for UN Political Affairs are all changing before UNGA begins.
END NOTE.
********************************************* ********************
Visit Embassy Tel Aviv's Classified Website:
http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/nea/telaviv
You can also access this site through the State Department's
Classified SIPRNET website.
********************************************* ********************
MORENO
SIPDIS
DEPT FOR IO/UNP (SUN),P (REINEMEYER),NEA/RA (ARVIS,
LANGEVIN)
NSC FOR MCDONALD
E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/15/2018
TAGS: PREL UNGA OTRA OVIP KSEP UN IS
SUBJECT: ISRAEL WANTS TO BUILD ON PAST SUCCESSES AT 63RD
UNGA
REF: A. STATE 55178
B. STATE 072078
Classified By: Classified by Political Counselor Marc Sievers for reaso
n 1.4 (b) and (d).
1. (C) SUMMARY: PolOff met with Rony Adam, Director of the
Department for UN Political Affairs at the MFA to discuss
both UN voting practices (ref A) and Israeli participation at
UNGA (ref B) on July 23, with a follow-up on August 5. Adam
said that plans for UNGA are still tentative, but PM Olmert
will likely address the plenary. It is also possible that
President Peres may go to New York during the first week.
During UNGA, Israel plans focus on promoting their successful
agricultural technology resolution from last year, rather
than launch any new initiatives. END SUMMARY.
2. (SBU) On August 14, PolCouns was told by MFA officials
that Prime Minister Olmert plans on addressing the UNGA
plenary instead of Foreign Minister Livni. President Peres
is considering attending sometime during the first week to
attend the high-level meeting on the implementation of the
New Partnership for Africa's Development (NEPAD) on September
22, although this is increasingly unlikely. With the
attendance of Olmert, FM Livni is unlikely to go to UNGA,
which also comes shortly after the mid-September Kadima Party
primaries, in which Livni is a candidate.
3. (C) On voting practices, PolOff noted that Israel had the
highest voting coincidence with the U.S., and there were only
two "important votes" in which Israel did not support the
U.S. position. Israel was absent for both votes. Regarding
the first, the budget resolution, Adam explained that Israel
was on the budget committee, a position it had worked hard to
get as part of its efforts to be a more "normal" UN member
state. Therefore, it felt it could not vote against the
budget. Adam said the GOI understood why the United States
was against the resolution and did not want to cast a vote
against the U.S. either, so it decided to be absent for the
vote. On the second important vote, the Myanmar resolution,
Adam said he did not know why Israel was absent for that vote
but promised to look into it.
4. (C) According to Adam, Israel's strategy during UNGA is
to solidify its gains from the 62nd UNGA rather than launch
any new initiatives. This includes promoting last year's
successful Agricultural Technology resolution, the first
Israeli-sponsored resolution. Israel may announce some
projects to help implement the resolution, and it is
considering hosting an event on agricultural technology.
Some countries had suggested making the initiative an annual
resolution, but Adam said Israel is content to just promote
the current resolution.
5. (C) Israel is also evaluating its efforts to discourage
the numerous anti-Israel resolutions in the General Assembly.
The GOI hopes to see fewer resolutions, and an omnibus
resolution on UNRWA as was the practice prior to 1995, and it
is pleased that the UN Secretary General has publicly stated
that many of these resolutions do not benefit the Palestinian
people. However, Adam noted, their small UN Mission spends a
great deal of effort fighting these resolutions with little
effect. Recently, the focus has been changing from being a
single-issue country to engaging the UN at all levels, but it
will be up to the new UN team to decide the how to engage.
NOTE: Israel's UN Ambassador, the Deputy Director General for
International Organizations (A/S equivalent) and the Director
for UN Political Affairs are all changing before UNGA begins.
END NOTE.
********************************************* ********************
Visit Embassy Tel Aviv's Classified Website:
http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/nea/telaviv
You can also access this site through the State Department's
Classified SIPRNET website.
********************************************* ********************
MORENO