Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
09OTTAWA16
2009-01-08 21:19:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Ottawa
Cable title:
CANADA TO DOWNPLAY ROLE OF UNDP CHAIR IF IRAN WINS
how-toVZCZCXYZ0005 OO RUEHWEB DE RUEHOT #0016 0082119 ZNY CCCCC ZZH O 082119Z JAN 09 FM AMEMBASSY OTTAWA TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 8966 INFO RUCNCAN/ALL CANADIAN POSTS COLLECTIVE PRIORITY RUEHSW/AMEMBASSY BERN PRIORITY 1712 RUEHBY/AMEMBASSY CANBERRA PRIORITY 1402 RUEHDL/AMEMBASSY DUBLIN PRIORITY 0068 RUEHLO/AMEMBASSY LONDON PRIORITY 1002 RUEHRO/AMEMBASSY ROME PRIORITY 1403 RUEHUL/AMEMBASSY SEOUL PRIORITY 1544 RUEHWL/AMEMBASSY WELLINGTON PRIORITY 0266 RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK PRIORITY 0518
C O N F I D E N T I A L OTTAWA 000016
SIPDIS
IO/EDA FOR CHARLES CHANG AND NEA/IR FOR VICTORIA TAYLOR
E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/08/2019
TAGS: PREL EAID IR UN CA
SUBJECT: CANADA TO DOWNPLAY ROLE OF UNDP CHAIR IF IRAN WINS
REF: A. STATE 1500
B. LONDON 55
Classified By: PolMinCouns Scott Bellard, reasons 1.4 (b) and (d)
C O N F I D E N T I A L OTTAWA 000016
SIPDIS
IO/EDA FOR CHARLES CHANG AND NEA/IR FOR VICTORIA TAYLOR
E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/08/2019
TAGS: PREL EAID IR UN CA
SUBJECT: CANADA TO DOWNPLAY ROLE OF UNDP CHAIR IF IRAN WINS
REF: A. STATE 1500
B. LONDON 55
Classified By: PolMinCouns Scott Bellard, reasons 1.4 (b) and (d)
1. (C) Canada will not openly oppose Iran's candidacy for the
chair of the UNDP executive board, according to Department of
Foreign Affairs and International Trade (DFAIT) International
Organization Deputy Director Shannon-Marie Soni. Instead,
Canada will seek to downplay the importance of the role of
the chair and to marginalize Iran if it succeeds in its bid.
Using language strikingly similar to the UK response (ref b),
Soni commented that Canada does not want to "hand Iran a
victory" and allow it to be "seen as having triumphed over
the West" on an issue that Canada deems of secondary
importance compared with our shared concerns over
non-proliferation and human rights. Soni noted that Canada's
UN mission had also consulted privately with the South Korean
delegation, which confirmed that the ROK is unwilling to step
forward to take Iran's place. Canada will also not support a
motion for a vote, unless another candidate presents itself,
added Soni. With no viable alternative, Soni said that
Canada could see no reason to hand Iran "such valuable
political leverage." Soni predicted that Iran is likely to
succeed in its bid, thanks to G-77 support, but stressed that
Canada views the chair of the executive board as "mostly
devoid of power and largely symbolic."
2. (C) Soni nonetheless underscored that DFAIT strongly
opposed this passive course of action, but admitted that
DFAIT had been left out of the loop by the Canadian
International Development Agency (CIDA),which represents
Canadian interests on the UNDP. She said that the fast
moving nature of this issue had unfortunately allowed CIDA to
cut DFAIT out of the policy deliberations. DFAIT's own
(unsuccessful) position had been that Canada "couldn't NOT
oppose the Iranian candidacy," given Iranian treatment of
Canada following Canada's successful UNGA resolution on human
rights in Iran.
3. (C) Canada will seek to avoid making any public comment on
Iran's bid, but would respond to questions publicly by
emphasizing its general policy of respect for the "procedural
prerogatives" of regional groups to choose their nominees,
according to Soni. She noted that Canada also uses this
policy to support various nominations of Israel by the WEOG.
Visit Canada,s Economy and Environment Forum at
http://www.intelink.gov/communities/state/can ada
WILKINS
SIPDIS
IO/EDA FOR CHARLES CHANG AND NEA/IR FOR VICTORIA TAYLOR
E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/08/2019
TAGS: PREL EAID IR UN CA
SUBJECT: CANADA TO DOWNPLAY ROLE OF UNDP CHAIR IF IRAN WINS
REF: A. STATE 1500
B. LONDON 55
Classified By: PolMinCouns Scott Bellard, reasons 1.4 (b) and (d)
1. (C) Canada will not openly oppose Iran's candidacy for the
chair of the UNDP executive board, according to Department of
Foreign Affairs and International Trade (DFAIT) International
Organization Deputy Director Shannon-Marie Soni. Instead,
Canada will seek to downplay the importance of the role of
the chair and to marginalize Iran if it succeeds in its bid.
Using language strikingly similar to the UK response (ref b),
Soni commented that Canada does not want to "hand Iran a
victory" and allow it to be "seen as having triumphed over
the West" on an issue that Canada deems of secondary
importance compared with our shared concerns over
non-proliferation and human rights. Soni noted that Canada's
UN mission had also consulted privately with the South Korean
delegation, which confirmed that the ROK is unwilling to step
forward to take Iran's place. Canada will also not support a
motion for a vote, unless another candidate presents itself,
added Soni. With no viable alternative, Soni said that
Canada could see no reason to hand Iran "such valuable
political leverage." Soni predicted that Iran is likely to
succeed in its bid, thanks to G-77 support, but stressed that
Canada views the chair of the executive board as "mostly
devoid of power and largely symbolic."
2. (C) Soni nonetheless underscored that DFAIT strongly
opposed this passive course of action, but admitted that
DFAIT had been left out of the loop by the Canadian
International Development Agency (CIDA),which represents
Canadian interests on the UNDP. She said that the fast
moving nature of this issue had unfortunately allowed CIDA to
cut DFAIT out of the policy deliberations. DFAIT's own
(unsuccessful) position had been that Canada "couldn't NOT
oppose the Iranian candidacy," given Iranian treatment of
Canada following Canada's successful UNGA resolution on human
rights in Iran.
3. (C) Canada will seek to avoid making any public comment on
Iran's bid, but would respond to questions publicly by
emphasizing its general policy of respect for the "procedural
prerogatives" of regional groups to choose their nominees,
according to Soni. She noted that Canada also uses this
policy to support various nominations of Israel by the WEOG.
Visit Canada,s Economy and Environment Forum at
http://www.intelink.gov/communities/state/can ada
WILKINS