UNGA 64: GOALS AND OBJECTIVES

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 05 STATE 090254 SENSITIVE SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PREL UNGA XA XB XD XF XG XS XM XL SUBJECT: UNGA 64: GOALS AND OBJECTIVES ¶1. (SBU) Summary and Action Request: The upcoming 64th UN General Assembly (UNGA) provides an unparalleled opportunity to build broad-based support for foreign policy priorities that need multilateral action or global implementation to be successful. At the General Assembly, the Administration will advance new policies on: non-proliferation and disarmament; climate change and other environmental issues; human rights and democracy; and the UN budget. Other priorities include peacekeeping and conflict management, sustainable development; combating gender violence; and UN management reforms, including enforcing budget discipline in the regular budget and peacekeeping scales of assessments. This year, the UNGA will conduct its triennial review of the scale of assessments. ¶2. (SBU) The United States will reach out across the full range of UN member states to seek support for these initiatives, focusing additional attention on blocs that have become estranged from the United States in recent years, such as the G-77 and the Non-Aligned movement. ¶3. (SBU) The Administration's approach builds on themes of re-engagement on multilateral issues that were articulated in the President's Prague, Cairo, and Accra addresses and during our successful candidacy for a seat on the UN Human Rights Council. In laying the groundwork for on-going discussions with host governments on these issues, post may draw from this message as appropriate, based on your assessment of the issues which are important to your host government. Posts should also draw on Ambassador Susan Rice's August 12 speech at New York University outlining the new U.S. approach to the United Nations (see http://usunnewyork.usmission.gov/press_releas es/20090812_16 3.html).End Summary and Action Request. -------------- RE-ENGAGEMENT AND MULTILATERAL COOPERATION -------------- ¶4. (SBU) The UNGA will allow us to re-commit to effective international leadership and cooperation rooted in common interests, shared values, and mutual respect. We will challenge the UN to meet this new era of engagement with a new era of responsibility through reforms that position the UN to deal more effectively with 21st century threats and translate the commitments embodied in the UN Charter into consistent, effective action. Our goal is to move toward a world that transcends the historical North/South divide by creating opportunities for a broad range of member states, including those in the G-77 and Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) to work more cooperatively with the United States and other like-minded partners on issues of common interest. -------------- PRIORITIES LINKED TO SECURITY OF STATES -------------- ¶5. (SBU) Nonproliferation and Disarmament: Building on his Prague speech and the Moscow summit, President Obama will chair a thematic discussion in the UNSC on nuclear non-proliferation and nuclear disarmament on September 24. The goal will be bolstering international support for the main elements of an effective nuclear threat reduction strategy (e.g., a strengthened NPT and IAEA, improved nuclear security, and progress on CTBT and PMCT),building momentum for the upcoming Global Summit on Nuclear Security and the 2010 NPT Review Conference, and making progress in key areas such as implementation of UNSCR ¶1540. The high-level discussion will also underscore the Administration's objective to seek ratification of the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty. Council action will also set the stage for serious U.S. engagement on disarmament and non-proliferation in the UNGA. The new approach will give us the flexibility to modify our positions on a number of related UNGA items, allowing us to move from isolation to consensus on some resolutions and to consider co-sponsoring others with other UN members. Our key objectives at the NPT Review Conference are a clear reaffirmation by the Parties of the importance of the NPT to regional and global stability and security, and a commitment to further steps to strengthen the Treaty and the broader nonproliferation regime - including measures to strengthen IAEA verification of NPT safeguards commitments and detection of violations, and measures to respond to abuse of the NPT withdrawal provision. STATE 00090254 002 OF 005 ¶6. (SBU) Peacekeeping and Conflict Management: This UNGA presents a key opportunity to lead a new international push to strengthen multilateral and regional peacekeeping. UN and regional peace operations are at a critical stage with over 116,000 personnel deployed, often to the most remote and dangerous parts of the world, even as the systems to support these missions struggle to keep up with the ambitions behind their deployment. U.S. government leadership is required to define the vision and operational efforts to support more effective and sustainable peacekeeping missions. We will build on the principles outlined by Ambassador Rice, such as: -- Credible and achievable UN mandates; -- Intensified U.S. efforts to give new momentum to some faltering peace processes in areas where UN peacekeepers are deployed, starting with Darfur and Sudan's North-South peace process; -- Strengthened U.S. efforts with the UN and others to increase the pool and effectiveness of troop and police contributions; -- Greater attention to renewal of existing mandates and associated peacebuilding activities that are critical to long-term success of peacekeeping missions; and -- Careful U.S. government review and openness to reform proposals from the Secretariat and others. Beyond our efforts in the Security Council, we will work through the UNGA peacekeeping committee (C-34) and with leading troop and police contributing countries to improve force generation and better equipping and training of military police in the UN missions. We will also seek greater emphasis on the role of civilian police and Formed Police Units (FPUs) in UN missions. Outside the UN system, we will continue work with partners and through frameworks like the G8 peacekeeping initiative to expand the pool of troop and police contributors for both current and future UN peacekeeping operations. We will also consider direct contributions of more uniformed and civilian personnel and enabling assistance to UN peacekeeping missions by ourselves or with partners. The United States will remain a major financial contributor to UN peacekeeping, directly contributing an estimated $2.2 billion in FY2010, roughly one-quarter of the assessed costs. We also sponsor substantial bilateral programs with Troop Contributing Countries to train, equip, deploy, and sustain UN peacekeepers, particularly in Africa. We remain open to practical suggestions and to deeper consultations among troop and police contributors, the Security Council, and the Secretariat. We look forward to reviewing formal proposals from the Secretariat by the end of the year. ¶7. (SBU) The Middle East: We will encourage Arab states to take steps to normalize relations with Israel, and will urge increased international support for the Palestinian Authority. This will reinforce Senator Mitchell's efforts to resume Israeli-Palestinian negotiations. Throughout the UNGA, we will urge member states to help create a climate for peace by opposing resolutions containing one-sided criticisms of Israel, or at least to accept the consolidation of redundant resolutions that disproportionately emphasize the Israeli-Palestinian issue in contrast to the many other serious security issues worldwide. During the week-long General Debate, we anticipate meetings of the Middle East Quartet, and with Arab League Foreign Ministers. ¶8. (SBU) Creating Stability in Afghanistan: The United States will work in the UNGA 5th Committee for appropriate increases in the budget of the UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA). This will allow UNAMA to expand and open additional provincial offices to effectively coordinate assistance throughout the country. In addition, as the Secretary pointed out in her July 15 speech to the Council on Foreign Relations, success in Afghanistan requires close cooperation from Pakistan, which in turn necessitates Pakistan's progress towards becoming a more stable, democratic, and economically viable state. Following international commitments at The Hague ministerial conference in March and G-8 consultations in Trieste in July, we seek greater donor country support for good governance programs, building on the successful national elections in August. -------------- -------------- STATE 00090254 003 OF 005 PRIORITIES LINKED TO HUMAN SECURITY AND THE WELL-BEING OF THE PERSON -------------- -------------- ¶9. (SBU) Human Rights and Democracy: Human rights work at UNGA will take advantage of our return to the Geneva-based Human Rights Council in September. Our overarching goals are to: empower human rights defenders and activists to transform their own governments consistent with universal human rights standards as embodied in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the UN Charter; strengthen the ability of UN human rights mechanisms to promote and protect human rights and fundamental freedoms throughout the world; and support the work and the independence of the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights and the UN's special procedures as they work to raise the profile and address critical violations of human rights. ¶10. (SBU) This year, we will work with a broad spectrum of countries to adopt resolutions addressing human rights violations in Iran, DPRK, and Burma, urging member states to make strong statements to these governments about the need to address fully human rights concerns. We will urge all member states to vote against no-action motions that end debate on critical human rights issues and undermine the UN's ability to address tough but important issues. We will also urge consensus on universal human rights concerns, such as the elimination of religious intolerance, and the resolution on torture and other cruel, inhuman, or degrading treatment or punishment. ¶11. (SBU) Expanding Economic Growth and Opportunity and Promoting Development: At the UNGA, the United States will explicitly endorse the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) as "America's Goals." This stance is reinforced by the Administration's new Global Food Security Initiative and Global Health Strategy, whose respective emphasis on fostering and expanding opportunities for agricultural development, and on health systems and infrastructure, will enable a more effective contribution to longer-term sustainable economic growth and human security. During the UNGA, the Secretary will host a ministerial event on food security. Increasing food security in all of its guises, from humanitarian food assistance to sustainable improvements in productivity across the entire food chain, will play a key role in achieving the primary MDG of reducing poverty and hunger and facilitating achievement of the other MDGs. We will argue for the MDG Review conference in 2010 to take a holistic view of the MDGs that are part of broader sustainable development strategy, not an end in themselves purchased with ever greater levels of official development assistance ODA. We will link this to the issue of improved aid effectiveness and aim to move beyond simplistic debates over ODA levels and focus on better and sustainable ways to promote broad-based economic growth. This means facilitating development financing through both private and public capital including through trade, investment, and domestic resources and providing leadership to help the international community meet the MDGs through our multilateral and bilateral aid programs with regard to global health, poverty reduction, and food security. In addition, we will continue to promote a refinement of the UN's role in effective management of countries' fiscal, financial, and material resources that are critical to restoring economic growth and emerging from the financial crisis. This is critical as we continue to confront persistent, albeit increasingly marginalized, calls from a few countries for a radical overhaul of the global economic architecture. Also shaping our positions and dialogue will be the importance of continuing to improve aid effectiveness and following the principles of the Paris Declaration and the Accra Agenda for Action. During the UNGA, the Secretary will host a ministerial event highlighting food security. ¶12. (SBU) Gender Issues: As women and girls across the world continue to experience egregious crimes of sexual violence in conflict zones, in their homes, and in society. This fall, during our Security Council presidency, the United States will introduce a follow-on resolution to UNSC resolution 1820, which demands immediate halt to acts of sexual violence against civilians in conflict zones. Additionally, we will support significant reforms to the UN's gender-related institutions, and urge creation without delay of "composite gender entity" that combines and rationalizes the functions of the four existing main UN bodies dealing with gender issues: the Office of the Special Adviser on Gender Issues, the UN Division on the Advancement of Women, the UN Development Fund for Women, and the Institute for Training and Research on the STATE 00090254 004 OF 005 Advancement of Women. This composite entity will create a more robust, efficient, and effective system for addressing women's issues, including women's political and economic empowerment, women's health, and full implementation of the 1995 Fourth World Conference on Women in Beijing, as well as violence against women in all its forms. Finally, the Secretary will host a key meeting with women heads of state and foreign ministers which will focus on one of our key priorities on the gender agenda. (Note: Options are under discussion. End note.) -------------- PRIORITIES LINKED TO GLOBAL ENVIRONMENT -------------- ¶13. (SBU) Climate Change: President Obama will participate in UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon's September 22 event on climate change. Our goal is to achieve a robust agreement in the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), which requires moving beyond entrenched positions to produce agreement on a global agreement to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and combat global climate change by the end of the December 2009 UNFCCC meeting in Copenhagen. ¶14. (SBU) We will also continue to work with the Pacific Small Island Developing States (PSIDS) to address their concerns, including on the security implications of climate change. In the debate on relevant UNGA resolutions, however, we will safeguard the role of the UNFCCC as the primary forum for negotiation, while highlighting the contribution of the U.S.-led Major Economies Forum on Climate Change towards facilitating dialogue among the major emitting economies. Financing, technology transfer, and adaptation to climate change will likely feature in UNGA discussions on sustainable development. However, the UNFCCC and the MEF are the appropriate venues for concrete, substantive discussions on any financing or other commitments that would be part of a climate change agreement. ¶15. (SBU) Environment and Development: In addition to climate change, we expect debate on other environment-related issues on the UNGA sustainable development agenda, including biodiversity, desertification, resource efficiency, the role of the UN Environment Program in the context of reform of the architecture governing the global environment, and the follow-up to the major outcomes from the 1992 UN Conference on Environment and Development in Rio de Janeiro and the 2002 World Summit on Sustainable Development in Johannesburg. During these debates, and in the run-up to any relevant resolutions, we will promote our vision of the environment as a global system that requires standards and an international rules-based regime, as well as assistance to build capacity among developing countries to implement these standards and rules. Recognizing the importance of safeguarding the global environment in the context of security and sustainable development, the United States will carefully consider other views on Brazil's proposed 2012 Summit on Sustainable Development ("Rio +20"),about which we have some concerns. -------------- PRIORITIES LINKED TO UN MANAGEMENT -------------- ¶16. (SBU) UN Effectiveness and Reform: Congress passed and the President signed appropriations legislation for FY2009 that includes sufficient funding for payment of U.S. arrears to the UN to enable us to meet our obligations in full. As part of our re-engagement with the UN, during the UNGA the United States will renew its commitment to effective, transparent, and accountable management of the UN Secretariat, funds and programs, specialized agencies, and related organizations through modernizing outdated business practices, including strengthening ethics and oversight, and enhancing effectiveness. These issues are of particular importance as three major negotiations converge: the UN Scale of Assessments for both the regular budget and peacekeeping for the 2010 - 2012 scale period, and the UN Budget for 2010 - 2011. ¶17. (SBU) This is the first time in nine years that the two scales, for the regular and peacekeeping budgets, will be discussed simultaneously. The Scale of Assessment is the methodology by which the amount of each member state's assessed contribution is determined. The United States is currently assessed the ceiling rate of 22% for the regular budget; we oppose any increase in the ceiling and will likely need help from other member states to ensure that STATE 00090254 005 OF 005 it remains unchanged. Similarly, we expect attempts to revise the peacekeeping scale, which is strongly tied to the regular budget assessments through a system of discounts for developing countries funded by premiums paid by the Permanent Five Security Council members (P-5). Discussions and negotiations surrounding the Scale of Assessments are complex and difficult, but we are determined to reach a decision by consensus. ¶18. (SBU) Continued growth in the UN regular budget has been a significant challenge for us, as has the recent phenomenon of "add-ons," whereby budgets are adopted only to be immediately revised with new add-on items. As always, our goal remains achieving a consensus decision on the budget. Our position needs to be carefully balanced, however, as many of the add-ons result from high priority items to the United States, like the special political missions in Iraq and Afghanistan. We will continue to advocate for a transparent and comprehensive budget that takes into account the organization's full requirements for the next biennium as much as possible, while reflecting a commitment to budget discipline. ¶19. (SBU) Schedule: The 64th session of the UN General Assembly begins on September 15, 2009, with the Head of State-level General Debate September 23 - 30. UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon will convene a high-level event on climate change on September 22. The UNGA's Plenary and Main Committee sessions will run from October 1 through mid-December. In addition, the United States will hold the presidency of the UN Security Council in September and will host a thematic summit on nuclear non-proliferation and nuclear disarmament in the Council, chaired by President Obama. The President and Secretary Clinton will participate in portions of the General Debate and side events; final details on their participation are still being developed. Finally, the G-20 Summit, hosted by President Obama, is scheduled for September 24 - 25 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. ¶20. (SBU) Follow-up: The over-arching themes outlined above will be debated throughout the Plenary and Main Committee sessions from October through December. The Department will follow up via septels on specific committees, resolutions, and other actions, requesting post's assistance as appropriate. Additional background material on the 64th UNGA is available on the unclassified State Department Intranet site at http://p.state.sbu/sites/USUN/GA/GA64/default .aspx, as well as on the UN public web site at www.un.org. Posts are encouraged to report back to the Department with read-outs on any reactions host governments may have to these goals and priorities, as well as information on host country goals and priorities at this year's UNGA. Please slug cables for IO/UNP (Sun) and regional bureau UNGA coordinators: AF (Bowles),EAP (Vorderstrasse),EUR (Eldridge),NEA (Vaccarro),SCA (Mazzone),WHA (Ben-Yehuda). MINIMIZE CONSIDERED CLINTON