Ecuador Positive on USG Priorities for UNGA

C O N F I D E N T I A L QUITO 000835 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 2019/09/21 TAGS: PREL UNGA EC SUBJECT: Ecuador Positive on USG Priorities for UNGA REF: STATE 90254; STATE 93894 CLASSIFIED BY: Andrew Chritton, Charge d'Affaires, State Department; REASON: 1.4(B),(D) ¶1. (C) PolOff communicated USG goals and priorities per Ref A to MFA Multilateral Affairs Director General Lourdes Puma on September ¶11. Puma said that the GOE agreed with many of the USG's priorities at this year's UNGA. She added that the USG's tone of re-engagement and multilateral cooperation was very positive, and specifically noted reaching out to the G-77 and Non-Aligned Movement as a step forward. SECURITY ¶2. (C) Puma approved of the USG's efforts in nuclear threat reduction, and said that President Obama and Secretary Clinton's efforts with Russia were also positive. Puma said that Ecuador would support the 2010 NPT Review Conference and implementing UNSCR ¶1540. She added that all nuclear countries should sign the NPT, and then fulfill their obligations to comply with the treaty. PEACEKEEPING ¶3. (C) Puma observed that Ecuador is involved in four peacekeeping efforts. She said that Ecuador recently sent 66 troops to Haiti with MINUSTAH, the only mission to which it provides military support, and maintains liaison staff in the U.N. missions in Liberia, Chad and the Ivory Coast. Puma expressed interest in opportunities for peacekeeping training, and observed the Ecuador would likely increase its participation in peacekeeping operations in the future. MIDDLE EAST ¶4. (C) Puma praised President Obama's efforts to restart the peace process between Israel and the Palestinians, and recognized the need for Arab states to normalize relations with Israel and for international support for the Palestinian Authority. She lamented that Israeli settlement building had not been frozen, and asserted that this would be an ongoing irritant to the process until resolved. Puma praised the USG's return to the Human Rights Council, but reiterated the GOE's position on country specific resolutions -- that the GOE would not support "no action" motions, but would likely abstain or vote no on the resolutions. CLIMATE CHANGE ¶5. (C) Puma agreed that the U.N. Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and the Major Economies Forum (MEF) were appropriate forums for negotiation, and stated that climate change was an important issue to the GOE. When asked about the GOE's positions, she deferred to the Foreign Minister's Advisor, Marco Albuja, as the lead for the GOE on this issue at the UNGA. U.N. MANAGEMENT ¶6. (C) Puma praised the U.S. commitment to meet its funding obligations, but appeared non-committal and uninterested in the accountability and management of the U.N. Secretariat. Rather, she expressed interest in reforming the U.N. Security Council, noting that the UNSC did not have sufficient representation of Latin America in its permanent membership. However, Puma was unable to articulate how Latin America would be able to establish a consensus on who should represent the region, if such reform were ever approved. FOOD SECURITY EVENT ¶7. (SBU) Puma said that she didn't know whether Foreign Minister Falconi would attend the UNGA Food Security Event, but noted that no other GOE minister was traveling to UNGA (Ref B); Post will send septel once we are able to confirm GOE attendance at the event. UNGA ATTENDANCE ¶8. (U) Puma confirmed GOE participation at UNGA: -- Fander FALCONI Benitez, Foreign Minister -- Spouse not attending. -- Foreign Minister Falconi speaks fluent Spanish and some English. -- Dr. Marco ALBUJA, Legal Advisor to the Foreign Minister, MFA -- Spouse not attending -- Albuja speaks Spanish. -- Ambassador Carlos JATIVA Naranjo, Under Secretary of Multilateral Affairs, MFA -- Spouse not attending -- Ambassador Jativa speaks fluent English and Spanish. -- Ambassador Lourdes PUMA Puma, Director General of Multilateral Affairs, MFA -- Spouse not attending -- Minister Puma speaks fluent English and Spanish. CHRITTON