UNGA TAKES ACTION ON CONFLICT DIAMONDS, SPORT FOR

UNCLAS USUN NEW YORK 001191 SIPDIS DEPARTMENT FOR IO/UNP E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PREL PHUM PREF KPAL UNGA SUBJECT: UNGA TAKES ACTION ON CONFLICT DIAMONDS, SPORT FOR PEACE, PALESTINIAN ASSISTANCE, LEGAL EMPOWERMENT OF THE POOR, AND REGIONAL ORGANIZATIONS ¶1. The UN General Assembly (UNGA) adopted by consensus 10 resolutions and a text on December 11. The resolutions and report were as follows: U.S. co-sponsored "The Role of Diamonds in Fueling Conflict" (A/63/L.52),"Sport as a Means to Promote Education, Health, Development and Peace" (A/63/L.51),U.S. co-sponsored "Humanitarian Assistance and Reconstruction of Liberia" (A/63/L.45),U.S. co-sponsored "Strengthening Emergency Relief, Rehabilitation, Reconstruction and Prevention in the Aftermath of the Indian Ocean Tsunami Disaster" (A/63/L.47),U.S. co-sponsored "Safety and Security of Humanitarian Personnel and Protection of United Nations Personnel" (A/63/L.48),U.S. co-sponsored "Strengthening of Coordination of Emergency Humanitarian Assistance of the United Nations" (A/63/L.49),U.S. co-sponsored "Assistance to the Palestinian People" (A/63/L.50),U.S. co-sponsored "Strengthening the Coordination of Humanitarian Disaster Relief and Assistance of the United Nations, including Economic Assistance" (A/63/L.53),U.S. co-sponsored "Legal Empowerment of the Poor and Eradication of Poverty" (A/63/L.25/Rev.1),"Cooperation between the United Nations and Portuguese-Speaking Countries" (A/63/L.41),and a text on "Zone of Peace and Cooperation of the South Atlantic" (A/63/525). Below are highlights from delegates' Explanations of Position (EOP) and general statements. Conflict Diamonds -------------- ¶2. The Arab and African representatives' EOP's commended the Kimberley Process (KP) as a valuable tool to address conflict prevention and the illicit trade of diamonds but did not name Israel as Vice-Chair or note Zimbabwe's difficulty in KP implementation. Morocco on behalf of the African Group referred to the KP as a vital instrument of conflict prevention and deterrence but did not name the Chair or Vice-Chair of the process (nor did the Russian representative). The Botswanan and Angolan representatives named Namibia as Chair but did not name Israel as Vice-Chair. Syria, waiting until the end of the morning session, said that it only withheld calling a vote out of deference to "our brothers in the African continent" but argued that Israel should not be Vice-Chair as its diamond merchants are also reserve military officers that "fabricate" conflict in other countries and recruit children into armed conflict. (Syria, along with Iran, Qatar, and Libya, had earlier upheld negotiations due to the resolution's naming of Israel as Vice-Chair. They only conceded after the Indian Deputy Permanent Representative chose to table the resolution, despite his attempts to seek compromise language.) ¶3. In contrast, western representatives noted Israel as Vice-Chair and called on Zimbabwe to address challenges to KP implementation. France on behalf of the EU said that it is not in the participants' interest to politicize the issue, and regretted that the resolution did not mention the challenges faced by Zimbabwe in KP implementation or include a more positive statement on Namibia as Chair and Israel as Vice-Chair. Within its intervention, the United States (as well as Canada on behalf of Australia and New Zealand) welcomed Israel as Vice-Chair and raised the issue of Zimbabwe's illicit diamond trade. Sport for Development and Peace -------------- ¶4. Several delegates highlighted harnessing sports as a means to promote development and peace under a dedicated agenda item considered biannually. Interventions were robust and welcomed the Secretary-General's re-mandating of his Special Advisor on Sport for Peace and Development and work program that the consensus resolution then endorsed. The German representative noted in particular the importance of the participation of girls and women, as well as sports as a means to achieve the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). Kazakhstan noted that its Parliament would authorize legislation ensuring equal access to physical training and sport. Security and Safety of Humanitarian Personnel -------------- ¶5. Pakistan and Singapore recalled their efforts to ensure the security and safety of humanitarian personnel. Pakistan raised the need to consolidate the location of the various UN personnel working throughout Islamabad. Singapore bemoaned that a few delegations refused to include references to the Zacklin and Brahimi panels and asserted that their omission may signal to the Secretary-General that the GA rejects the panels' findings. Syria reiterated its interpretation of "jurisdiction" to include the "occupied territories." Assistance to the Palestinians -------------- ¶6. The Palestinian Observer Mission representative said that acceptance of the resolution by consensus reaffirmed the GA's commitment to the Palestinians and the realization of their inalienable rights. He added that the assistance also reaffirmed the Palestinians' existence and right to live a life of dignity. Humanitarian Assistance and Natural Disasters -------------- ¶7. Within its intervention, the United States (as well as France on behalf of the EU) expressed support for the resolution but added that they withheld co-sponsorship due to the late introduction of revisions. Canada also said that they lamented the last minute changes and added that the study mentioned in OP 28 would place an undue burden on the Secretariat. Switzerland agreed and stated that submitting the resolution for consideration while affording so little time for review violated UN Rule of Procedure 78, which states that no delegation can discuss in or put to a vote a resolution before the GA unless copies have been circulated to all delegations no later than the day preceding the meeting. (Despite coming to a consensus on December 5, the G77 made changes to OP28 the night before the December 11 plenary.) Khalilzad