GUIDANCE DELIVERED ON UNGASS REVIEW NEGOTIATIONS

UNCLAS UNVIE VIENNA 000054 SENSITIVE SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: AORC KCRM PREL SNAR AU UN SUBJECT: GUIDANCE DELIVERED ON UNGASS REVIEW NEGOTIATIONS REF: STATE 10859 ¶1. (U) This is an action request, see para 6. ¶2. (SBU) Per reftel instructions, Charge delivered verbatim reftel points to CND chairperson Namibian Ambassador Selma Ashipala-Musavyi on USG support for needle exchange programs as part of a comprehensive strategy to reduce HIV/AIDS. Per reftel, Charge also explained to Ashipala that the USG would not want to see the term "harm reduction" in the UNGASS review political declaration and related documents. ¶3. (SBU) Ashipala thanked the Charge for the information. She told him that she did not expect to see the "harm reduction" term in either the political declaration or the action plan, because there are other delegations who have a strong position against the term. She proposed to have the chair (Iran) of the UNGASS review action plan resume informal-informal negotiations on this subject. At Counselor's request, Ashipala agreed to have those negotiations resume next Wednesday, February 11. ¶4. (SBU) A number of countries, notably Russia, Japan, Colombia and India, are opposed to "harm reduction," and have spoken up against the term in negotiating sessions. Russia, which rejects all elements of "harm reduction," including needle exchange and substitution treatment, has made forceful interventions against the term. Russia has told us that its opposition would ensure there would be no consensus on "harm reduction." Japan is also against needle exchange. ¶5. (SBU) Mission will meet with these delegations to seek to persuade them to accept the USG position on needle exchange and medication-assisted treatment. ¶6. (U) Action Requested: Mission requests Department guidance on specific language we may seek in the declaration and action plan documents regarding our support for needle exchange and medication-assisted therapy. PYATT