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