VZCZCXRO2054
PP RUEHRN
DE RUEHRN #0004/01 0191642
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P R 191642Z JAN 10
FM USMISSION UN ROME
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 1251
INFO RUEHRC/USDA FAS WASHDC
RUEHC/USAID WASHDC
RHMFIUU/FBI WASHINGTON DC
RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK 0450
RUEHBS/USEU BRUSSELS 0290
RUEHME/AMEMBASSY MEXICO 0020
RUEHRO/AMEMBASSY ROME 0513
RUEHRN/USMISSION UN ROME 1328

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 UN ROME 000004 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
MEXICO CITY FOR AG/ECON/SCIENCE OFFICES, FBI FOR HENSLE 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: FAO UN EAGR EAID PREL PTER
SUBJECT: FAO DEPUTY DIRECTOR GENERAL BRIEFS ON PRIORITY AREAS 
 
¶1.  (U) This message is sensitive but unclassified.  Not for 
dissemination outside the USG. 
 
 
 
Summary 
 
------- 
 
 
 
¶2.  (SBU) The Deputy Director General (DDG) of the UN Food and 
Agriculture Organization (FAO), Jim Butler, told the DCM on 
January 13 that U.S. leadership on global food security had set 
an extremely positive tone with FAO senior staff and other FAO 
Members.  He was very pleased with his own late-December 
meetings in Washington and noted that Director General Diouf 
would visit Washington in mid-March.  Butler confirmed that he 
would continue to exercise overall responsibility for FAO's 
reform plan with the establishment of a second DDG for 
Operations and welcomed Mission's strong commitment to ensuring 
the plan's complete implementation.  Butler also welcomed 
Mission's efforts to promote gender equality within the FAO and 
ensure greater American citizen employment.  However, Butler is 
frustrated over attempts to organize separate conferences on 
biotechnology and "agro-terrorism," and sought Mission help to 
ensure their success.  Butler is currently ruminating over plans 
for his own departure from FAO, and Mission believes explicit 
encouragement for him to serve out his contract (through CY 
2010) is in order.  End summary. 
 
 
 
Washington Meetings 
 
-------------------- 
 
 
 
¶3.  (SBU) During a January 13 meeting with the DCM and Poloff, 
FAO Deputy DG (DDG) Jim Butler characterized his late-December 
meetings in Washington as exceptionally positive and productive. 
 He ascribed the new atmosphere at FAO and among member states 
to strong U.S. leadership in reaching agreement in November on 
FAO's budget for the coming biennium, and, more broadly, to U.S. 
leadership in promoting global food security.  Butler clearly 
understands from his meetings with State/IO that USG support for 
the increased 2010-11 budget should not be interpreted as a 
change in U.S. policy regarding strict budget discipline for UN 
agencies. 
 
 
 
Diouf to Washington 
 
-------------------- 
 
 
 
¶4.  (SBU) Diouf has asked Butler to return to Washington in late 
January or February to lay the groundwork for the DG's March 
22-24 visit.  Butler will seek Mission help to secure 
appropriately senior meetings at State, USAID, Agriculture and 
the White House.  Diouf also intends to visit with Congressional 
leaders, including members of the Black Caucus and the Hunger 
Caucus.  Butler pledged to remain in touch as details of the 
DG's travel plans emerge. 
 
 
 
FAO Reforms, IPA, UNTAI 
 
---------------------- 
 
 
 
¶5.  (SBU) The DCM raised FAO reform, emphasizing that the USG 
would carefully scrutinize the progress made by FAO in 
implementation of its reform plan, the Immediate Plan of Action 
(IPA), which is fully funded from the regular budget in the 
current biennium.  Butler replied that he would continue to 
exercise overall oversight of the  IPA reform portfolio, but 
noted that many of the crucial reform areas, including human 
resources, would be  under the purview of new DDG for 
 
UN ROME 00000004  002 OF 003 
 
 
Operations, He Chang Shui, who starts work this month.  Butler 
characterized Mr. He as a "consummate professional" who is 
personally committed to the reform process.  FAO staff, he said, 
were working on an internal document tallying progress on 
implementation of 14 key reform projects under the IPA and 
offered to share the  report, once completed, with the Mission. 
Stressing the urgency and importance of meaningful FAO reform, 
the DCM highlighted the USG's UN Transparency and Accountability 
Report, and recalled the eight key areas where the Mission would 
direct particular attention in coming months (Comment:  Septel 
discusses in detail the status of FAO/UNTAI issues and Mission's 
efforts to promote improved results.  End Comment). 
 
 
 
Hiring American Citizens, More Women 
 
---------------------------------- 
 
 
 
¶6.  (SBU) The DCM told Butler that the Mission would continue to 
insist that FAO hire qualified American citizens as Americans 
continue to be under-represented in the organization, and would 
also press FAO to hire more women of all nationalities to senior 
professional ranks, as FAO's performance in that area was 
noticeably weak.  Butler welcomed the initiatives and encouraged 
the USG to press these issues in future meetings throughout the 
organization.  On hiring Americans, Butler said an 
"anti-American" bias among some senior staff serving the 
Director General may be partly responsible for the situation and 
encouraged the Mission to continue to strongly advocate for 
qualified American candidates, early in the hiring process and 
especially for more senior positions. 
 
 
 
Biotech Conference 
 
------------------- 
 
 
 
¶7.  (SBU) Butler noted that planning for a March 
"bio-technology" conference in Mexico was proceeding slowly, and 
was a source of personal "frustration," as support from all 
quarters was not forthcoming.  Butler said he would press for 
Mexico to be more proactive in encouraging participation.  FAO 
staff, he said, would brief Member representatives "next week" 
on conference planning efforts.  While noting the delicate 
"political balance" associated with the substance of the 
conference, Butler welcomed additional U.S. efforts to ensure a 
successful conference, including demarches in capitals to 
encourage strong support and attendance. 
 
 
 
Ag Terror Conference 
 
--------------------- 
 
 
 
¶8.  (SBU) Butler said that the FBI was pressing FAO to organize 
a conference on "bio-terrorism" to highlight issues where member 
states can tighten controls on chemicals and biological agents. 
He encouraged his FBI interlocutors to work through USUN Rome on 
next steps, and Mission will follow up.  The Director General, 
however, had cautioned Butler to step back from Conference 
planning, lest his interest/nationality be too closely 
identified with support for U.S. government policy.  Butler said 
he agreed and had established a working group within FAO to 
organize the conference. 
 
 
 
Comment 
 
--------- 
 
 
 
¶9.  (SBU) Butler was in very good spirits, but is not certain at 
this point how much longer he will remain in his current 
 
UN ROME 00000004  003 OF 003 
 
 
position.  His  contract runs through the end of 2010, and he 
said he would be happy to serve out that contract - if the USG 
desired.  However, he has some other options available and may 
leave earlier.  If he were to leave before the end of the year, 
he believes the DG would not replace him but rather have someone 
serve in his position on an acting basis until the next DG 
appoints new senior leadership after his/her election in June 
¶2011.  Mission believes Butler should be encouraged to serve out 
his full contract through CY 2010. 
COUSIN