UNODC:Costa Welcomes Renewed Focus on Multilateral

UNCLAS UNVIE VIENNA 000033 SENSITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFIED SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: SNAR KCRM UN PGOV PREL AF KWMN PHUM SMIG SUBJECT: UNODC:Costa Welcomes Renewed Focus on Multilateral Diplomacy, Urges More Analysis of Organized Crime. REF: STATE 07023 ¶1. (SBU) In a candid January 27 review of upcoming priorities, UNODC Executive Director Antonio Costa described for Ambassador his interest in finding ways to better address the "transmission belt" of organized crime and smuggling that moves illegal drugs from producers to the markets. Costa explained that UNODC has a good understanding of the drug addiction side of the equation, and has greatly strengthened its programs on the cultivation side -- but the area of drug trafficking and related organized crime is much more problematic. We have good treaties, Costa continued, but implementation and monitoring are lagging. There is, he argued, an "unexplained economy" worth billions that still needs to be broken. ¶2. (SBU) Costa was very enthusiastic about the new US Administration's approach to multilateral diplomacy, noting that SG Ban Ki-Moon had been "overwhelmed" by the positive signals from his initial discussions with the Secretary and President regarding UN issues. Responding to the Ambassador's highlighting of Secretary Clinton's confirmation comments on human trafficking, Costa noted he had reviewed the Questions For the Record and welcomed the continued US focus on this scourge. Decrying the "knowledge crisis" regarding international human trafficking, Costa handed over an advance copy of the new UNODC human trafficking report. ¶3. (SBU) Costa also used this discussion to flag the ongoing problem of insufficient resources for UNODC's General Purpose Fund. Noting ample project specific funding, Costa explained that he may have to eliminate between "15 and 20" positions this year because of insufficient resources to oversee these slots on the UNODC management side. ¶4. (SBU) In a private pull aside, Ambassador expressed US support for the candidacy of John Sandage (reftel) to be the head of UNODC's Treaty and Legal division. Costa welcomed this signal, and noted his own enthusiasm for Sandage's work. SCHULTE