AMB. RICE ADDRESSES UN SMALL STATES FORUM

UNCLAS USUN NEW YORK 000633

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREL AORC PGOV KUNR UNGA SN
SUBJECT: AMB. RICE ADDRESSES UN SMALL STATES FORUM


1. Summary - At the June 23 Forum of Small States (FOSS) held
within Singapore's Mission to the United Nations, Ambassador
Rice delivered remarks and participated in a discussion on
development, security, democracy, climate change, the
financial crisis, and the role of the United Nations in
helping address global issues. - End Summary


2. In his capacity as head of the Forum on Small States,
Singapore's Ambassador to the UN Vanu Gopala Menon opened the
session, saying that now, more than ever, small countries and
small economies needed to make their voices heard. Echoing
one of the UN's guiding principles of sovereign equality for
all members, Ambassador Menon said that every country needed
be given consideration, particularly in a time of crisis.


3. Ambassador Rice spoke next, emphasizing the central role
that small states play in the UN system. Ambassador Rice
emphasized the diverse nature of FOSS member states - a group
that includes both Finland and Haiti, Barbados and Kyrgyzstan
- calling upon each state to shape a UN system that more
readily bridged North/South divides, and more effectively cut
across regional groups and interests.


4. In closing, Ambassador Rice stated that the United States
had a unique ability, and sometimes a unique responsibility,
to help address some of the challenges that confront all
nations, and reiterated that the U.S. remained committed to
defending the right of all countries - large and small - to
express their opinions and advance their legitimate interests.


5. Following Ambassador Rice's comments a number of Permanent
Representatives and forum participants spoke. Ambassador
Martin Palous, the Permanent Representative of the Czech
Republic, responded to the broad call for UN reform,
stressing the need for an organization capable of responding
to the challenges of our time. He noted that in the past the
United States had often remained on the sidelines of UN
debate, but was now thankfully an active participant.


6. Ambassador Paul Kavanagh from Ireland followed-up on
Ambassador Palous' statement, saying that the UN now enjoyed
a tremendous opportunity to get back to the center of the
global debate. He stressed that "now is not the time to ask
the Americans what they are going to do, rather now is the
time for (small) states to muster the courage and imagination
to see what (they) are going to do".


7. Before passing the floor back to the Permanent
Representatives, Ambassador Menon interjected, complementing
Ambassador Rice and the U.S. Mission on their "even-keeled"
handling of the contentious Economic and Financial Crisis
Conference negotiations.


8. Ambassador Rice thanked Ambassador Menon and complemented
all delegations on the hard work they had put into
negotiations. Ambassador Rice also noted the valuable
operational insight contained in the Small States Forum, and
encouraged representatives to act as force multipliers,
making manifest the values championed by the United Nations
not only within the Institution itself, but throughout the
United States and elsewhere.


9. Ambassador Federico Alberto Cuello Camilo from the
Dominican Republic closed the forum, agreeing with the
suggestion that a responsible, efficient and effective UN was
the very best form of institutional advocacy. Lastly,
Ambassador Camilo said that the United Nations did not need
new bodies or new mechanisms as some delegations had
suggested; rather member-states needed to use the system that
currently existed more effectively.
RICE