INSTRUCTION: CALL FOR A VOTE AND ALIGN POSITION

UNCLAS STATE 119126

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PHUM PREL UNGA
SUBJECT: INSTRUCTION: CALL FOR A VOTE AND ALIGN POSITION
WITH EU ON UNGA 3C RESOLUTION "RIGHT TO DEVELOPMENT"

REF: MUSSER - MCGEENEY EMAIL 11/10/09 16:53


1. The Department authorizes USDEL to call for a vote and to
vote "no" or abstain in line with EU countries and to deliver
the Explanation of Vote contained in paragraph 2, below, on
the resolution entitled "Right to Development" provided the
resolution text does not change significantly from the
wording contained in REF to negatively affect vital U.S.
interests.


2. Explanation of Vote:

Thank you Mr. President.

The United States has a long-standing commitment to support
development. Our Secretary of State, Hillary Clinton, has
emphasized that the promotion of development and human
security is one of the crucial pillars of our country's
foreign policy and the United States is the world's largest
bilateral donor of overseas development assistance.
President Obama, in addressing this 64th session of the
General Assembly, spoke of developing a global economy that
advances opportunity for all people as one of the four
pillars that must fortify our future. He pledged to
"integrate more economies into a system of global trade" and
to "support the Millennium Development Goals", "setting our
sights on the eradication of extreme poverty in our time".

These objectives align closely with the broader thrust of
this resolution on the right to development.
Notwithstanding, the United States must call a vote, as we do
not believe the current text of the resolution reflects a
genuine consensus on how best to achieve these goals. In
particular, at this time, we do not consider it appropriate
for any criteria related to the right to development to
evolve into a basis for consideration of an international
legal standard of a binding nature. We also have concerns
about this resolution's numerous extraneous statements about
topics that have little to do with the right to development,
such as international governance, globalization, WTO
negotiations, and indigenous peoples. Nonetheless, we
welcome the contribution of the Independent Expert on the
Right to Development and the High Level Task Force and look
forward to continuing our engagement as the Task Force moves
to elaborate the right to development criteria and
corresponding operational sub-criteria. These tools, aimed
at strengthening development practice, may be shaped and
utilized through a process of genuine consensus to underpin
our common purpose on this vital issue.

I thank you Mr. President.
CLINTON