ELECTIONS IN UN GENERAL ASSEMBLY: U.S. ELECTED TO

UNCLAS USUN NEW YORK 001024 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: AORC KUNR PREL UNGA UNGA SUBJECT: ELECTIONS IN UN GENERAL ASSEMBLY: U.S. ELECTED TO COMMISSION ON INTERNATIONAL TRADE LAW AND THE GOVERNING COUNCIL OF THE UN ENVIRONMENT PROGRAM ¶1. SUMMARY: The United Nations General Assembly held elections on November 3, 2009 to fill vacancies in subsidiary organs of the Assembly and other UN administrative and budgetary bodies: the Committee for Program and Coordination, the UN Commission on International Trade Law (U.S. was re-elected),the Governing Council of the United Nations Environment Program (U.S. was re-elected),the Committee on Conferences, and the Joint Inspection Unit. Iran took the floor on two occasions to report that they opposed the Israeli candidate, although the elections had been conducted by consensus acclamation (no ballot). The UN press release can be found at http://www.un.org/News/Press/docs/2009/ga1088 1.doc.htm. END SUMMARY ¶2. SIX ELECTED TO COMMITTEE FOR PROGRAM AND COORDINATION: The assembly elected by consensus acclimation Comoros, Haiti, Israel, Namibia, the Russian Federation, and Venezuela for three-year terms (2010-2012) to the Committee for Program and Coordination. The six countries has been endorsed by their respective regional groups. ¶3. UNITED STATES RE-ELECTED TO THE UN COMMISSION ON INTERNATIONAL TRADE LAW (UNCITRAL): The Assembly elected the following 30 countries for six-year terms (2010-2016) to the UN Commission on International Trade Law (UNCITRAL) by consensus acclamation: Algeria, Argentina, Australia, Austria, Belarus, Brazil, Colombia, Czech Republic, Fiji, Gabon, India, Iran, Israel, Italy, Jordan, Kenya, Mauritius, Nigeria, Pakistan, Philippines, Poland, Spain, Thailand, Turkey, Uganda, Ukraine, United States and Venezuela. The candidates had been endorsed by their regional groups. ¶4. UNITED STATES RE-ELECTED TO THE GOVERNING COUNCIL OF THE UN ENVIRONMENT PROGRAM (UNEP): The Assembly elected the following 29 countries for four-year terms (2010-2013) to the Governing Council of the UN Environment Program (UNEP): Australia, Antigua, Barbuda, Argentina, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, Central African Republic, China, Czech Republic, France, Gabon, Germany, Indonesia, Japan, Kenya, Lesotho, Malaysia, Mauritania, Mozambique, Pakistan, Republic of Korea, Romania, Russian Federation, Switzerland, Trinidad and Tobago, United Republic of Tanzania, the United States, Uruguay and Zambia. The candidates had been endorsed by their regional groups. Hungary was elected without a vote to complete a term (vice Belarus) based on a WEOG sub-regional rotational agreement. ¶5. THREE COUNTRIES ELECTED TO COMMITTEE ON COQERENCES: The Assembly elected Cote d,Ivoire, Germany, and Syria for three-year terms (2010-2012) to the Committee on Conferences by consensus acclamation. Four vacancies remain for the African States, Eastern European States, and Latin American and Caribbean States groups and will be decided upon additional consultation between the regional groups and the President of the General Assembly. The candidates had been endorsed by their regional groups. ¶6. TURKEY AND FRANCE ELECTED TO JOINT INSPECTION UNIT: Elections were held to elect two members from the Western European and Others Group for five-year terms (2011-2014) to the Joint Inspections Unit. Turkey, France, and Spain ran for two vacancies. 186 valid ballots were cast with zero abstentions: Turkey received 146 votes, France received 117, and Spain received 101. ¶7. IRAN CLARIFIES THAT VOTES FOR ISRAEL WERE NEGATIVE: Iran requested the floor following the elections for the Committee for Program and Coordination and the Commission on International Trade Law stating that its vote for Israel was negative and making no additional comment. (NOTE: Iran,s clarification had no bearing on any vote count since no votes were recorded for these uncontested elections. Iran did not request a vote while the two elections were in progress.) Rice