Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
09STATE94942
2009-09-11 23:38:00
UNCLASSIFIED
Secretary of State
Cable title:  

IAEA: GUIDANCE FOR USDEL TO 2009 IAEA GENERAL

Tags:  IAEA KNNP TRGY AORC ENRG PTER KN XP 
pdf how-to read a cable
VZCZCXYZ0003
OO RUEHWEB

DE RUEHC #4942 2542358
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 112338Z SEP 09
FM SECSTATE WASHDC
TO USMISSION UNVIE VIENNA IMMEDIATE 0000
UNCLAS STATE 094942 

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: IAEA KNNP TRGY AORC ENRG PTER KN XP
SUBJECT: IAEA: GUIDANCE FOR USDEL TO 2009 IAEA GENERAL
CONFERENCE, SEPTEMBER 14, 2009

REF: A. UNVIE 359

B. UNVIE 410

C. U.S. POSITION PAPERS EMAILED TO UNVIE BY IO/GS
SEPTEMBER 10 2009.

UNCLAS STATE 094942

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: IAEA KNNP TRGY AORC ENRG PTER KN XP
SUBJECT: IAEA: GUIDANCE FOR USDEL TO 2009 IAEA GENERAL
CONFERENCE, SEPTEMBER 14, 2009

REF: A. UNVIE 359

B. UNVIE 410

C. U.S. POSITION PAPERS EMAILED TO UNVIE BY IO/GS
SEPTEMBER 10 2009.


1. Summary. The Department appreciates the Mission's
analysis and recommendations for the September General
Conference (GC) meeting (refs A and B). Instructions for
USDEL for the GC are provided in paragraphs 2-27 below and
follow the provisional agenda in document GOV/2009/19. U.S.
position papers were emailed separately by IO/GS on September
10, 2009, to UNVIE (ref c). End Summary.


2. AGENDA ITEM 1 - ELECTION OF OFFICERS AND APPOINTMENT OF
THE GENERAL CONFERENCE

ISSUE: The GC will be called upon to formally elect a
President, eight Vice-Presidents, a Chairman of the Committee
of the Whole (COW),and five additional members, via a motion
by the President. Nominations are made by the regional
groups. See ref A for details regarding regional group
selections.

U.S. POSITION: USDEL should join the expected consensus in
endorsing the selection of officers and appointment of the
General Committee, as proposed by the Secretariat.


3. AGENDA ITEM 2 - APPLICATION FOR MEMBERSHIP OF THE AGENCY

ISSUE: The GC will have before it applications for
membership in the IAEA from Cambodia and Rwanda.

U.S. POSITION: USDEL is authorized to join the expected GC
consensus approving the applications for membership by
Cambodia and Rwanda.


4. AGENDA ITEM 3 - MESSAGE FROM THE SECRETARY-GENERAL OF THE
UNITED NATIONS

ISSUE: Each year the Secretary-General of the United Nations
sends a message that is read to the GC. No discussion of the
SYG,s message takes place.

U.S. ACTION: USDEL should fax the message to IO/GS as soon
as it is delivered.


5. AGENDA ITEM 4 - STATEMENT BY THE DIRECTOR GENERAL

ISSUE: IAEA Director General ElBaradei,s statement serves
as an overview of the Conference agenda. The statement is
not normally available until delivery.

U.S. ACTION: USDEL should fax the statement to ISN/MNSA and
IO/GS as soon as it is available.


6. AGENDA ITEM 5 - ARRANGEMENTS FOR THE CONFERENCE


(a) Adoption of the agenda and allocation of items for
initial discussion.

(b) Closing date of the session and opening date of the next
session.

ISSUE: The GC will be asked to approve the agenda and
allocate the items for initial discussion. The GC is also
required to set the closing date of this session and the
opening date of the 54th (2010) regular session.

U.S. POSITION: USDEL should join consensus approving the
agenda, as well as approving the proposed closing date of the
session and opening date of the next session.


7. AGENDA ITEM 6 - APPROVAL OF THE APPOINTMENT OF THE
DIRECTOR GENERAL

ISSUE: The GC will be asked to approve the appointment of the
new DG, Yukiya Amano of Japan, for a term of four years from
December 1, 2009, to November 30, 2013.

U.S. POSITION: USDEL should join consensus on the approval of
the new Director General and the tribute to ElBaradei. As
Chairman of the North America Group, the USDEL is authorized
to deliver the regional group statement welcoming
DG-designate Amano and paying tribute to ElBaradei.


8. AGENDA ITEM 7 - CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE TECHNICAL COOPERATION
FUND FOR 2010

ISSUE: Each year the Secretariat asks for pledges during the
GC for the Technical Cooperation Fund (TCF) for the following
year. The Secretariat periodically publishes the results
during the GC and announces the results at the end (Agenda
Item 26).

U.S. POSITION: No USDEL action required. The United States
never makes a TCF pledge at the GC because Congress has not
yet appropriated the funds for the following year.


9. AGENDA ITEM 8 - GENERAL DEBATE AND ANNUAL REPORT FOR 2008

ISSUE: The GC will have before it for discussion and its
consideration document GC(53)/7, the Agency,s Annual Report
for 2008.

U.S. POSITION: USDEL should join consensus in approving the
IAEA Annual Report for 2008.


10. AGENDA ITEM 9 - ELECTION OF MEMBERS TO THE 2009-2010
Board of Governors

ISSUE: The GC will be called upon to elect 11 members to the
Board of Governors who will serve from the end of the
fifty-third (2009) regular session to the end of the
fifty-fourth (2010) regular session of the General
Conference. The GC will also be asked officially to approve
the list of 13 Member States designated to serve on the Board.

U.S. POSITION: USDEL should join the expected GC consensus
to approve the Board,s designation of the 13 Member States
and elect the 11 regional group candidates (Africa, GRULAC,
Western Europe, Eastern Europe, and SEAP) for elective Board
membership, as is customary.

If the Africa Group has not reached consensus on its
candidates, USDEL should consult Washington regarding which
states to support.


11. AGENDA ITEM 10 - THE AGENCY'S ACCOUNTS FOR 2008

ISSUE: The GC will be asked to take note of the Agency's
Accounts for 2008.

U.S. POSITION: USDEL can support the draft resolution taking
note of the Agency's Accounts for 2008.


12. AGENDA ITEM 11 - THE AGENCY'S BUDGET FOR 2010-2011

ISSUE: The GC will be asked to approve the Agency,s budget
for 2010-2011 contained in GC(53)/5.

U.S. POSITION: USDEL should join consensus on approval of
the 2010 Budget, the TCF target, and the 2010 working capital
fund level.


13. AGENDA ITEM 12 - APPOINTMENT OF THE EXTERNAL AUDITOR

ISSUE: The GC is being asked to approve the recommendation of
the Board of Governors concerning the re-appointment of the
External Auditor for 2010-2011.

U.S. POSITION: USDEL should join consensus to the Board of
Governors recommendation to appoint the German Supreme Audit
Institution as the IAEA External Auditor for 2010-2011. If
discussions do not produce a consensus candidate, USDEL is
instructed to vote for Germany with the understanding that
this is Germany,s final term as External Auditor. USDEL is
instructed to raise the issue of extending the short
term-of-office of the External Auditor, currently set at
two-years, to a single six-year, non-renewable term.


14. AGENDA ITEM 13 - AMENDMENT TO ARTICLE XIV.A OF THE STATUTE

ISSUE: By resolution GC(43)/RES/8, the GC approved an
amendment to Article XIV.A of the Agency's Statute,
permitting biennial budgeting. The item was included in the
agenda, pursuant to the decision of the GC last year
(GC(52)/DEC/9),to consider entry into force of the
amendment. (Note: the U.S. Senate has not yet been asked to
provide its advice and consent to ratification of this
amendment.)

U.S. POSITION: USDEL should join consensus on a decision or
resolution that urges/encourages Member States to consider
accepting the amendment.


15. AGENDA ITEM 14 - SCALE OF ASSESSMENT OF MEMBERS,
CONTRIBUTIONS TOWARD THE REGULAR BUDGET

ISSUE: The GC will be asked to approve the Scale of
Assessment of Members' contributions for the 2010 regular
budget.

U.S. POSITION: USDEL may join consensus on a
resolution/decision approving the scale of assessments for

2010.


16. AGENDA ITEM 15 - MEASURES TO STRENGTHEN INTERNATIONAL
COOPERATION IN NUCLEAR, RADIATION AND TRANSPORT SAFETY AND
WASTE MANAGEMENT

ISSUE: The GC will be asked to take note of the Director
General's Report Measures to strengthen international
cooperation in nuclear, radiation and transport safety and
waste management.

U.S. POSITION: USDEL should join consensus in taking note of
the report.


17. AGENDA ITEM 16 - NUCLEAR SECURITY: MEASURES TO PROTECT
AGAINST NUCLEAR TERRORISM

ISSUE 1: The GC will have before it for adoption the Nuclear
Security (NS) Report 2009 and the Nuclear Security Plan (NSP)
2010-2013.

U.S. POSITION: USDEL should join consensus on adoption of
the Nuclear Security Report 2009 and the Nuclear Security
Plan for 2010-2013.

ISSUE 2: The GC will also have before it a nuclear security
(NS) resolution for its adoption. Washington recognizes the
difficulties we face in passing a forward-leaning NS
resolution this year and appreciates UNVIE reporting and
recommendations in this regard (reviewed in ref A).
Washington is also sensitive to last year's struggle on this
issue and wishes to avoid an acrimonious debate given the
challenges we face on Middle East issues.

U.S. POSITION: USDEL is authorized to use proposals in ref A
and those provided the French informally to seek consensus
agreement on a resolution that at a minimum contains
elements, updated as appropriate, contained in last year's
resolution. UNVIE should seek further guidance from
Washington if this minimum goal cannot be attained.


18. AGENDA ITEM 17 - STRENGTHENING OF THE AGENCY'S TECHNICAL
COOPERATION ACTIVITIES

ISSUE: The Committee of the Whole (COW) of the GC will serve
as the forum to allow the Director General (DG) to report on
the implementation of last year's General Conference
Resolution on this agenda item, (GC(51)/RES/13). A
resolution similar to GC(51)/RES/13 will likely be proposed
in the COW.

U.S. POSITION: USDEL is authorized to advocate the posture
contained in the U.S. position paper (ref C),modified as
USDEL views appropriate, on strengthening Technical
Cooperation activities.


19. AGENDA ITEM 18 - STRENGTHENING THE AGENCY'S ACTIVITIES
RELATED TO NUCLEAR SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY AND APPLICATIONS

ISSUE: This item is included in the provisional agenda
pursuant to resolutions GC(51)/RES/14 and GC((52)/RES/12. It
is expected that the GC will have before it reports on a
number of issues, including developments in items under
GC(51)/RES/14.A and B; GC(52)/RES/12.A and B; and the
Nuclear Technology Review.

U.S. POSITION: USDEL is authorized to advocate the posture
contained in the U.S. position paper (ref C),modified as the
USDEL views appropriate, on nuclear applications.


20. AGENDA ITEM 19 - STRENGTHENING THE EFFECTIVENESS AND
IMPROVING THE EFFICIENCY OF THE SAFEGUARDS SYSTEM AND
APPLICATION OF THE MODEL ADDITIONAL PROTOCOL

ISSUE: The GC will address issues arising during the
negotiation and adoption of a resolution on strengthening
effectiveness and improving efficiency of the safeguards
system and application of the Model Additional Protocol.

U.S. POSITION: USDEL is authorized to advocate the posture
contained in the U.S. position paper (ref C),modified as the
USDEL views appropriate, on strengthening the safeguards
system and application of the Model Additional Protocol.


21. AGENDA ITEM 20 - IMPLEMENTATION OF THE NPT SAFEGUARDS
AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE AGENCY AND THE DEMOCRATIC PEOPLE'S
REPUBLIC OF KOREA (DPRK)

ISSUE: The Board will send to the GC, in document
GOV/2009/45, a report from the DG on verification and
monitoring in the Democratic People,s Republic of Korea.
The report will cover developments since the September 2008
session of the GC on the implementation of the ad hoc
monitoring and verification arrangement in the DPRK,
including the DPRK,s notification on April 14, 2009, of its
decision to cease all cooperation with the IAEA, request IAEA
inspectors to remove containment and
surveillance equipment from the facilities at Yongbyon, and
require the inspectors to leave the DPRK.

U.S. POSITION: The United States will not accept North Korea
as a nuclear weapon state and remains committed to the
September 2005 Joint Statement, the core objective of which
is the verifiable denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula in
a peaceful manner. The United States wants North Korea to
return to the Six-Party Talks and honor its commitments to
abandon all nuclear weapons and existing nuclear programs and
return to the NPT and IAEA safeguards. The United States
remains open to engaging North Korea, including bilaterally
on the basis of the 2005 Joint Statement and in support of
the Six-Party Talks. North Korea must commit to irreversible
steps leading to complete and verifiable denuclearization.
The United States believes that the IAEA has an important
role to play in that process.


22. AGENDA ITEM 21 - Application of IAEA safeguards in the
Middle East.

ISSUE and U.S. POSITION: Instructions will be sent septel.


23. AGENDA ITEM 22 - Amendment to Article VI of the Statute

ISSUE: The 1999 General Conference approved this amendment to
Article VI of the Agency,s statute, the purpose of which is
to expand Board membership from 35 to a total of 43 Member
States to provide a "more democratic representation" of the
Board. The Secretariat informs Member States in document
GC(53)/10 of progress on the amendment's ratification. Thus
far, 48 states have ratified, out of a total of 100 required
for entry into force. The United States has not ratified
this amendment.

U.S. POSITION: USDEL should join consensus in taking note of
these ratifications.


24. AGENDA ITEM 23 - ELECTIONS TO THE AGENCY'S STAFF PENSION
COMMITTEE

ISSUE: The Conference will likely be called upon to elect
representatives from Member States to approve the election of
one alternate member to serve on the Agency,s Staff Pension
Committee.

U.S. POSITION: USDEL should join consensus and advocate the
posture contained in the U.S. position paper (ref C),
modified as USDEL views appropriate, on elections to the
Agency,s Staff Pension Committee.


25. AGENDA ITEM 24 - Personnel

(a) Staffing of the Agency,s Secretariat

ISSUE: Resolution GC(49)/RES/16A requires the Director
General to report on a biennial basis the progress made in
insuring the Agency is well represented by its Member States
and provide in writing the status of the efforts made to
achieve that representation.

U.S. POSITION: USDEL may join consensus in taking note of
the information contained in this report. USDEL should note
that the forecasted separations over the next seven years
could become problematic and prevent the IAEA from
effectively and efficiently accomplishing its stated goals.
USDEL should inquire as to what organizational measures are
being pursued to address this issue.

(b) Women in the Secretariat

ISSUE: Resolution GC(49)/RES/16B requires the Director
General to report on a biennial basis the progress made in
rectifying the gender imbalance and improving the
representation of women in the Secretariat in the
Professional and higher categories. This agenda item was
last discussed in 2007 during the September Board of
Governors meeting.

U.S. POSITION: USDEL should join consensus in taking note of
the information contained in this report; however, USDEL
should require that the Secretariat include a section in
future reports on specific IAEA initiatives and efforts
actively to recruit women to rectify the gender imbalance and
improve the representation of women in the Secretariat in the
Professional and higher categories.


26. AGENDA ITEM 25 - EXAMINATION OF DELEGATE,S CREDENTIALS

ISSUE: Whether to endorse the General Committee,s report to
the General Conference on delegates, credentials, with
particular attention to possible political bias regarding
Israel,s credentials.

U.S. POSITION: USDEL, working with the WEOG and other
like-minded states, will have to ensure that an equitable
deal is worked with regard to the Arab League challenge and
the Israeli rebuttal, as in the past. USDEL should carefully
monitor the work of the General Committee regarding
credentials to ensure that Israel,s credentials are dealt
with as in prior years, as outlined in Ref A. Similarly,
USDEL should forestall any attempt to modify agreed language
on the floor of the GC Plenary.


27. AGENDA ITEM 23 - REPORT ON CONTRIBUTIONS PLEDGED TO THE
TECHNICAL COOPERATION FUND (TCF) FOR 2010

ISSUE: It is expected that pledges of contributions to the
TCF for 2010 will be obtained during the GC and that the GC
President will communicate a report thereon to the Conference.

U.S. POSITION: No USDEL action is required. The United
States never makes a TCF pledge at the GC because Congress
has not yet appropriated the funds for the following year.
CLINTON