Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
09OSLO578
2009-09-21 14:41:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Oslo
Cable title:
NORWAY'S MIXED RESPONSE ON UNGA WALKOUT REDLINES;
how-toVZCZCXRO0548 OO RUEHDBU RUEHFL RUEHKW RUEHLA RUEHNP RUEHROV RUEHSL RUEHSR DE RUEHNY #0578/01 2641441 ZNY CCCCC ZZH O 211441Z SEP 09 FM AMEMBASSY OSLO TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 7803 INFO RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK IMMEDIATE 0335 RUEHZL/EUROPEAN POLITICAL COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 OSLO 000578
SIPDIS
DEPARTMENT FOR IO/UNP CHRIS DEUTSCH AND USUN/W JENNIFER
SIMON
E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/20/2019
TAGS: NO PREL UNGA
SUBJECT: NORWAY'S MIXED RESPONSE ON UNGA WALKOUT REDLINES;
MORE ON EXPANDING THE CHORUS ON IRAN
REF: A: STATE 97566 B: STATE 95073 C: OSLO 569
Classified By: POL/ECON Counselor Cherrie Daniels for Reasons 1.4 b and
d.
(C) Summary: Pol/Econ Counselor met September 21 upon
receipt of reftel with Lars Petter Henie, Deputy Chief of the
UN Section of Norway,s Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) to
seek Norway,s support for the USG,s UNGA walkout redlines.
Norway,s position against walkouts, whether at UNGA last
year or at Durban II, is all too clear, made clearer by
Henie,s initial reaction during the initial conversation to
schedule the appointment:"You know we would never walk out at
UNGA, but we,re happy to hear what you have to say." After
an hour long discussion of Ref A points and the context of
the new U.S. administration,s overall goal of increasing our
engagement with the UN and multilateral institutions, Henie
ended on a more positive note, "Actually, we do agree there
ought to be standards for civil discourse at UNGA. Perhaps
Norway can support the creation of such standards or redlines
in a different way, without walking out." He agreed to convey
the USG's position and request to Norway,s delegation at
UNGA, along with reinforcing to the delegation the USG's
position in Ref B regarding Expanding the Chorus on Iran.
End Summary.
2. (C) Deputy head of the UN section at the Norwegian MFA
Lars Petter Henie was initially quite negative about the USG
idea of redlines for an UNGA walkout. After listening to the
background and points in Ref A, his initial response was
essentially, "We understand what you,re saying, but we will
just have to disagree; we believe in general that walking out
is somewhat childish and, moreover, not constructive."
Reading from the GON's response after having stayed to hear
Ahmedinejad,s comments at Durban II, Henie added, Norway
believes in free expression at such fora, and it is our
strategy not to leave the floor to the extremists, but to
stay behind and to respond. Pol/Econ Counselor went back
over several of ref A points again, reminding Henie that the
new U.S. administration,s goal was to increase, not
decrease, our engagement at the United Nations and to
increase the credibility of the UNGA and UN Human Rights
Council, etc, by increasing the objectivity of debate and the
tone of discussion. She added that the USG position was to
request that Norway and others at least downgrade their
representation during such offensive remarks, should they
occur, even if they could not walk out with us.
No to a Walkout; but Possible Yes to Supporting Creation of
Standards of Civil Discourse Appropriate to UNGA
--------------
3. (C) By the end of the hour-long discussion, Henie
reflected and seemed to find some reason in the USG,s
position even if Norway could not see itself walking out at
any UN body. Norway agrees with you that there ought to be
some kind of standard of civility to increase the credibility
and effectiveness of UNGA and other UN bodies, he indicated.
Henie therefore committed both to convey the USG position to
Norway,s delegation at UNGA and to coordinate within the GON
a firm position on the idea. "We do agree with your
definition of what kinds of remarks cross the line, and we
will find some way to clearly and strongly express our
displeasure at any such offensive remarks if they occur,
including by means of our own speech at UNGA." Acknowledging
that remarks at the United Nations by Iran or others that
cross our redlines would not help the credibility of the UN
at a time when the new U.S. administration is willing to
engage with the UN in a way Norway has long sought, Henie
offered: "Perhaps Norway can support creating such standards
or redlines for acceptable UNGA discourse in a different way,
without walking out." (Embassy Comment: This offer of support
"in principle" could be worth fleshing out further in
Washington or New York should a common approach emerge from
other capitals approached.)
4. (C) On the idea of downgrading presence, Henie responded,
"We can,t really commit selectively to downgrading our
presence in response to offensive comments. Over the course
of such a long UNGA opening session, Norway will not always
have a senior official in our chair to begin with" (Note:
Unlike Durban II, a shorter meeting at which FM Stoere was
present throughout and famously stayed in his seat during
Ahmedinejad,s remarks. End Note).
More Regarding Expanding the Chorus on Iran
--------------
5. (C) Pol/Econ Counselor also took the opportunity to
OSLO 00000578 002 OF 002
deliver to Mr. Henie the demarche points in Ref B, originally
delivered to the MFA Middle East Section September 16 (see
Norway,s response Ref C). Henie said he would double track
the USG,s message by conveying to Norway,s UNGA delegation
our request that Norway use its public speeches and private
side meetings in New York to emphasize the importance of
Iran,s accepting a diplomatic solution to the nuclear issue
and fulfilling its international responsibilities.
HEG
SIPDIS
DEPARTMENT FOR IO/UNP CHRIS DEUTSCH AND USUN/W JENNIFER
SIMON
E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/20/2019
TAGS: NO PREL UNGA
SUBJECT: NORWAY'S MIXED RESPONSE ON UNGA WALKOUT REDLINES;
MORE ON EXPANDING THE CHORUS ON IRAN
REF: A: STATE 97566 B: STATE 95073 C: OSLO 569
Classified By: POL/ECON Counselor Cherrie Daniels for Reasons 1.4 b and
d.
(C) Summary: Pol/Econ Counselor met September 21 upon
receipt of reftel with Lars Petter Henie, Deputy Chief of the
UN Section of Norway,s Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) to
seek Norway,s support for the USG,s UNGA walkout redlines.
Norway,s position against walkouts, whether at UNGA last
year or at Durban II, is all too clear, made clearer by
Henie,s initial reaction during the initial conversation to
schedule the appointment:"You know we would never walk out at
UNGA, but we,re happy to hear what you have to say." After
an hour long discussion of Ref A points and the context of
the new U.S. administration,s overall goal of increasing our
engagement with the UN and multilateral institutions, Henie
ended on a more positive note, "Actually, we do agree there
ought to be standards for civil discourse at UNGA. Perhaps
Norway can support the creation of such standards or redlines
in a different way, without walking out." He agreed to convey
the USG's position and request to Norway,s delegation at
UNGA, along with reinforcing to the delegation the USG's
position in Ref B regarding Expanding the Chorus on Iran.
End Summary.
2. (C) Deputy head of the UN section at the Norwegian MFA
Lars Petter Henie was initially quite negative about the USG
idea of redlines for an UNGA walkout. After listening to the
background and points in Ref A, his initial response was
essentially, "We understand what you,re saying, but we will
just have to disagree; we believe in general that walking out
is somewhat childish and, moreover, not constructive."
Reading from the GON's response after having stayed to hear
Ahmedinejad,s comments at Durban II, Henie added, Norway
believes in free expression at such fora, and it is our
strategy not to leave the floor to the extremists, but to
stay behind and to respond. Pol/Econ Counselor went back
over several of ref A points again, reminding Henie that the
new U.S. administration,s goal was to increase, not
decrease, our engagement at the United Nations and to
increase the credibility of the UNGA and UN Human Rights
Council, etc, by increasing the objectivity of debate and the
tone of discussion. She added that the USG position was to
request that Norway and others at least downgrade their
representation during such offensive remarks, should they
occur, even if they could not walk out with us.
No to a Walkout; but Possible Yes to Supporting Creation of
Standards of Civil Discourse Appropriate to UNGA
--------------
3. (C) By the end of the hour-long discussion, Henie
reflected and seemed to find some reason in the USG,s
position even if Norway could not see itself walking out at
any UN body. Norway agrees with you that there ought to be
some kind of standard of civility to increase the credibility
and effectiveness of UNGA and other UN bodies, he indicated.
Henie therefore committed both to convey the USG position to
Norway,s delegation at UNGA and to coordinate within the GON
a firm position on the idea. "We do agree with your
definition of what kinds of remarks cross the line, and we
will find some way to clearly and strongly express our
displeasure at any such offensive remarks if they occur,
including by means of our own speech at UNGA." Acknowledging
that remarks at the United Nations by Iran or others that
cross our redlines would not help the credibility of the UN
at a time when the new U.S. administration is willing to
engage with the UN in a way Norway has long sought, Henie
offered: "Perhaps Norway can support creating such standards
or redlines for acceptable UNGA discourse in a different way,
without walking out." (Embassy Comment: This offer of support
"in principle" could be worth fleshing out further in
Washington or New York should a common approach emerge from
other capitals approached.)
4. (C) On the idea of downgrading presence, Henie responded,
"We can,t really commit selectively to downgrading our
presence in response to offensive comments. Over the course
of such a long UNGA opening session, Norway will not always
have a senior official in our chair to begin with" (Note:
Unlike Durban II, a shorter meeting at which FM Stoere was
present throughout and famously stayed in his seat during
Ahmedinejad,s remarks. End Note).
More Regarding Expanding the Chorus on Iran
--------------
5. (C) Pol/Econ Counselor also took the opportunity to
OSLO 00000578 002 OF 002
deliver to Mr. Henie the demarche points in Ref B, originally
delivered to the MFA Middle East Section September 16 (see
Norway,s response Ref C). Henie said he would double track
the USG,s message by conveying to Norway,s UNGA delegation
our request that Norway use its public speeches and private
side meetings in New York to emphasize the importance of
Iran,s accepting a diplomatic solution to the nuclear issue
and fulfilling its international responsibilities.
HEG