Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
08USUNNEWYORK681
2008-07-30 16:32:00
UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY
USUN New York
Cable title:
GUIDANCE REQUEST:PACIFIC ISLANDS-DRAFTED GA
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UNCLAS USUN NEW YORK 000681
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
STATE FOR IO/UNP, IO/EDA, EAP, OES/EGC
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: UNGA UNSC KGHG SENV
SUBJECT: GUIDANCE REQUEST:PACIFIC ISLANDS-DRAFTED GA
RESOLUTION ON CLIMATE CHANGE AND UNSC
REF: SNOWDEN-WEBBER E-MAIL 7/29/08 AND PREVIOUS
UNCLAS USUN NEW YORK 000681
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
STATE FOR IO/UNP, IO/EDA, EAP, OES/EGC
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: UNGA UNSC KGHG SENV
SUBJECT: GUIDANCE REQUEST:PACIFIC ISLANDS-DRAFTED GA
RESOLUTION ON CLIMATE CHANGE AND UNSC
REF: SNOWDEN-WEBBER E-MAIL 7/29/08 AND PREVIOUS
1. (U) This is an action request - please see para 4.
2. (U) In a July 29 briefing for UN delegations, the Pacific
Small Island Developing States (PSIDS) announced their
intention to conclude bilateral consultations by Thursday,
July 31, on their draft General Assembly resolution calling
on the UN Security Council (UNSC) to address "the threat
posed by climate change to international peace and security."
(Note: The latest draft text has been sent to IO/EDA per ref
e-mail.) The PSIDS PermReps will meet on August 1 to
finalize the text before formally tabling the draft
resolution in the GA. They intend the GA to take action on
the resolution on September 8, before the conclusion of the
62nd GA. A limited number of negotiation sessions on the
text will take place in August.
3. (SBU) Despite private misgivings that climate change is
first and foremost a development issue that more
appropriately belongs in the General Assembly, and better yet
within the formal negotiations taking place under the UN
Framework Convention on Climate Change, other UN delegations
have overwhelmingly voiced their official support for the
draft resolution and pledge to negotiate the final text in a
"constructive spirit." Among such delegations are the EU,
Japan, Israel, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand.
Delegations that could be predicted to have strong
misgivings, such as China and India, are thus far keeping a
very low profile. Furthermore, we understand that this issue
may have been raised in the Secretary's July 27 meeting in
Samoa with Pacific Island foreign ministers.
4. (SBU) Action Request: At the request of the PSIDS PermReps
for an ambassador-level consultation with USUN on their draft
resolution prior to August 1, the meeting has been scheduled
for Thursday, July 31 at 10 am. In view of the growing
momentum behind the draft text, as well as the close
cooperation the USG traditionally expects from the PSIDS on
contentious GA resolutions each fall concerning the Middle
East, USUN requests talking points for use in this meeting.
Specifically, USUN seeks to understand Department's red-lines
and our degree of flexibility for compromise text that could
avoid USG isolation and preserve our broader equities with
the PSIDS.
Khalilzad
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
STATE FOR IO/UNP, IO/EDA, EAP, OES/EGC
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: UNGA UNSC KGHG SENV
SUBJECT: GUIDANCE REQUEST:PACIFIC ISLANDS-DRAFTED GA
RESOLUTION ON CLIMATE CHANGE AND UNSC
REF: SNOWDEN-WEBBER E-MAIL 7/29/08 AND PREVIOUS
1. (U) This is an action request - please see para 4.
2. (U) In a July 29 briefing for UN delegations, the Pacific
Small Island Developing States (PSIDS) announced their
intention to conclude bilateral consultations by Thursday,
July 31, on their draft General Assembly resolution calling
on the UN Security Council (UNSC) to address "the threat
posed by climate change to international peace and security."
(Note: The latest draft text has been sent to IO/EDA per ref
e-mail.) The PSIDS PermReps will meet on August 1 to
finalize the text before formally tabling the draft
resolution in the GA. They intend the GA to take action on
the resolution on September 8, before the conclusion of the
62nd GA. A limited number of negotiation sessions on the
text will take place in August.
3. (SBU) Despite private misgivings that climate change is
first and foremost a development issue that more
appropriately belongs in the General Assembly, and better yet
within the formal negotiations taking place under the UN
Framework Convention on Climate Change, other UN delegations
have overwhelmingly voiced their official support for the
draft resolution and pledge to negotiate the final text in a
"constructive spirit." Among such delegations are the EU,
Japan, Israel, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand.
Delegations that could be predicted to have strong
misgivings, such as China and India, are thus far keeping a
very low profile. Furthermore, we understand that this issue
may have been raised in the Secretary's July 27 meeting in
Samoa with Pacific Island foreign ministers.
4. (SBU) Action Request: At the request of the PSIDS PermReps
for an ambassador-level consultation with USUN on their draft
resolution prior to August 1, the meeting has been scheduled
for Thursday, July 31 at 10 am. In view of the growing
momentum behind the draft text, as well as the close
cooperation the USG traditionally expects from the PSIDS on
contentious GA resolutions each fall concerning the Middle
East, USUN requests talking points for use in this meeting.
Specifically, USUN seeks to understand Department's red-lines
and our degree of flexibility for compromise text that could
avoid USG isolation and preserve our broader equities with
the PSIDS.
Khalilzad