UNSC REFORM: PGA KERIM ASKS FOR USG HELP REIGNING

C O N F I D E N T I A L USUN NEW YORK 000716 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/08/2018 TAGS: PREL PGOV KUNR UNSC GM JA IN PK BR SUBJECT: UNSC REFORM: PGA KERIM ASKS FOR USG HELP REIGNING IN UFC FROM PLAYING "BAD LOSER" Classified By: Ambassador Zalmay Khalilzad for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d). ¶1. (C) Summary: General Assembly President Srgjan Kerim described to Ambassador Khalilzad August 7 a growing divide on UN Security Council reform between the G4 and the Uniting For Consensus (UFC) blocs, with the Brazilians threatening to join the Indians in tabling a resolution if inter-government negotiations are not launched, while the Pakistanis and Italians are reverting to rigid positions that would halt the launch of negotiations. Kerim asked the Ambassador to intervene with the UFC bloc, warn them that they risk losing control of the process, and urge them to regain control of it by allowing inter-governmental negotiations to be launched within a framework of the Open-Ended Working Group or the General Assembly with the objective of reaching general agreement. End summary. Brazil prepared to table resolution with India -------------- ¶2. (C) President of the General Assembly (PGA) Srgjan Kerim, who had just returned from a working visit to Brazil, Argentina, and Chile, told the Ambassador August 7 that the Brazilian Foreign Minister "showed his cards" and told him that Brazil would "behave like India" and join India in tabling a resolution if inter-governmental negotiations are not launched through the current process. Kerim said that he told them that the previous L.69 resolution "spoiled a lot." He said the Brazilian response was that the L.69 resolution had actually forced the opposition to include inter-governmental negotiations in the decision of the 61st session and that would not have happened without the pressure of the L.69 resolution. According to Kerim, the Brazilians are ready to join the Indians in playing the same card again. In a separate conversation earlier in the day, August 7, the Indian Permanent Representative told the Ambassador that they planned to move forward with a resolution if inter-governmental negotiations are not launched. UFC bloc -- Pakistan and Italy growing more extreme -------------- ¶3. (C) Before his trip, Kerim met several times with a small group (Japan, Egypt, Pakistan, and the United Kingdom) to make progress on agreed language for the draft decision that will be approved by the Open-Ended Working Group (OEWG) and sent to the General Assembly. In the last meeting, Kerim said the Pakistani representative threatened to provoke India, should they table a resolution, in a manner which would force them to lose. Kerim also noted the July 30 letter from the Italians, on behalf, of the Uniting for Consensus (UFC) bloc, which insists that the UFC will only support launching inter-governmental negotiations after there is agreement on the framework and "negotiables" within the OEWG. Kerim described this letter as "very rigid" and "counter-revolutionary." Kerim remarked that the UFC does not appear to be fully united in this tougher stance. Argentina, Colombia, Turkey, and Canada, he said, appear to favor more flexibility, while Pakistan and Italy are more rigid, with Spain and Mexico joining them. Kerim seeks US approach to UFC on possible way forward -------------- ¶4. (C) Kerim voiced concern that, given the more extreme positions, there will soon be a breakdown of civility and a clear split between a majority and a minority with the G4 taking the lead. In order to prevent this, Kerim stressed the need "to get the UFC on board" by the first week of September and asked for the USG's help. Kerim said he did not think the UFC was fully aware of the situation and how close the G4 were to a potential breakthrough. He asked for USG help in telling the UFC to not be a "bad loser" but instead to play a constructive role in the process by allowing it to continue to inch forward through the launching of inter-governmental negotiations. The UFC's insistence on negotiating everything prior to the actual launch of inter-governmental negotiations is not practical, Kerim stressed, nor necessary if the negotiations are launched within the framework of the OEWG or the General Assembly with the objective of reaching general agreement. Ambassador Khalilzad said he would discuss this request from the PGA with Washington. ¶5. (C) Kerim asked the Ambassador if he would be willing to participate, as a moderating influence, in the next working meeting of the group of four, August 20. The Ambassador said he would see what he could do. Khalilzad