VZCZCXYZ0011
PP RUEHWEB

DE RUCNDT #0561/01 0811918
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 221918Z MAR 06
FM USMISSION USUN NEW YORK
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 8401
INFO RUEHXX/GENEVA IO MISSIONS COLLECTIVE PRIORITY

UNCLAS USUN NEW YORK 000561 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: AORC KUNR UNGA
SUBJECT: UN MANAGEMENT REFORM: JUSCANZ CONTINUE 
CONSULTATIONS ON WAYS FORWARD - MANDATE REVIEW ALSO 
CONSIDERED 
 
REF: A. A. USUN 442 
     ¶B. B. USUN 461 
     ¶C. C. USUN 481 
     ¶D. D. USUN 527 
 
¶1.  SUMMARY:  Representatives of Japan, Canada, Australia, 
New Zealand, and the U.S. (JUSCANZ) met March 17 to continue 
their discussions on the Secretary-General's management 
reform ("rules and regulations") report (A/60/692); except 
for Canada, the countries were representated at the Deputy 
Permanent Representative level.  While the group's March 14 
meeting (reftel D) focused on procedural issues, in this 
meeting the Ambassadors exhanged views on the measures 
themselves.  Among other things, they sought to clarify which 
of the nearly 100 recommendations contained in the 23 
proposals in the 7 "investing" categories could be 
implemented under the SYG's current authority and which would 
require intergovernmantal approval.  In recognition of the UN 
budget spending cap discussions to take place in June, the 
Ambassadors underlined the importance of early agreement 
being reached on priority issues.  They also emphasized the 
importance of the upcoming ACABQ report.  Canada's ACABQ 
representative said that the ACABQ report might help to 
clarify which measures could be implemented without 
intergovernmental decisions.  U.S. Deputy Permanent 
Representative Wolff said the U.S. could not agree to the 
proposal for charging interest on arrears (under proposal 
17). Japanese Ambassador Ozawa said that Japan too could not 
accept the interest proposal and also highlighted his 
country's other "red line":  consolidating separate 
peacekeeping accounts into a single set of accounts and 
reports (proposals 16.2, 16.3 and 17.1) because of the GOJ's 
peacekeeping budget process.  The group also considered the 
next steps in the process, including possibly broadening the 
discussion to include other Geneva Group members and the EU, 
and the possibility of meeting with the Group of 77 and China 
to find out whether some early agreements can be arrived at. 
 
¶2.  Before concluding, the Canadian representative, who has 
been assisting Ambassador Rock in co-chairing the GA working 
group on UN reform, briefed the group on the mandate review. 
She said that co-chairs Rock and Akram had concluded that 
early results from the mandate review would not be possible 
unless there were understandings among member states that: 
(1) savings derived from the elimination of mandates should 
be used to fund activities in the same thematic area (e.g., 
development); and (2) certain politically sensitive mandates 
were not included in the early consideration.  The group 
agreed to meet again during the week of March 20.  END 
SUMMARY. 
 
¶3.  Continuing their consideration of the management reform 
report, the Ambassadors exchanged preliminary views on which 
proposals might fall under the purview of the 
Secretary-General, as follows; 
 
SIPDIS 
 
-- "Investing in Leadership" - category 2: 
Proposal 5 - redefine the role of the Deputy SYG; 6 - regroup 
25 departments and entites reporting to the SYG; 7 - build a 
cadre of managers required for modern global operations. 
Comment: it was generally agreed that the SYG should move 
forward with these proposals, although Canada said proposal 7 
might have financial implications. 
 
"Invest in New Ways of Delivering Services" - category 4: 
Proposal 11 - consider all options for alternative service 
delivery; 12 - undertake systematic and detailed cost benefit 
analyses for relocation, outsourcing and/or 
telecommunicating; 13 - take action against staff members 
found to have acted inappropriately; 14 - continue review of 
procurement rules; 15 - incorporate recommendations of 
current review and reflect conclusions of outstanding 
investigations and audit. 
Comments: the group expressed general preliminary agreement. 
 
"Invest in Budget and Finance" - category 5: 
Proposal 16 - implement a strategy-focused budgeting process; 
17 - implement new financial management practices. 
Comments: Japan said that it cannot agree to a consolidation 
of separate peacekeeping accounts into a single set of 
accounts and reports (proposals 16.2, 16.3 and 17.1) because 
of the GOJ's peacekeeping budget process.  It also expressed 
concern at granting the SYG the authority to use savings from 
vacant posts (of up to ten percent of the overall post 
budget) for unplanned activities.  While being generally 
supportive of the proposal, Japan had reservations with 
granting the SYG the full ten per cent authority. 
 
"Invest in Governance" - category 6: 
Proposal 19 - establish an improved, credible reporting 
mechanism. 
 
 
 
Comments: Japan is inclined to support the 4 sub-proposals 
under proposal 19 although more information is needed. 
Canada cautioned that any report consolidation process would 
have to monitored closely (sub-proposals 19.1 and 19.2). 
 
¶4.  Views were also exchanged on the following other 
proposals: 
 
"Invest in People" - category 1: 
Proposal 1 - develop a proactive, targeted and speedy 
recruitment system. 
Comments: Ambassador Wolff noted that while the 8 
sub-proposals might require additional funding, the U.S. is 
generally inclined to support them with the exception of 1.8 
- strictly enforce compliance with gender and geography 
targets - since this implies the application of quotas. 
Ambassador Wolff also commented, in general, that any new 
resource requirements must be funded through savings on other 
programs.  Australia also could not support sub-proposal 1.8 
because of the inference of quotas. 
 
"Invest in People" - category 1: 
Proposal 2 - develop a more integrated approach to mobility; 
3 - nurture talent and foster career development; 4 - modify 
contractual arrangements and harmonize conditions of service. 
Comment: Canada expressed the view that this report does not 
supercede other studies already underway and that with other 
reports still pending, human resources-related measures were 
not ripe for action since several related reports would be 
considered at the 61st GA in the fall. 
 
"Invest in Information and Communications Technology (ICT)" - 
category 3: 
Proposal 8 - give a Chief Information Technology Officer 
sufficient resources and rank to implement a comprehensive 
information management strategy; 9 - initiate an effort to 
align ICT priorities with performance objectives; 10 - 
implement an integrated global information system. 
Comment: all agreed that these measures were important and 
that more information is required.  The U.S. cautioned that 
IT systems sometimes end up costing more than anticipated and 
suggested that it might be advisable to approve the Chief 
Information Technology Officer post as a first step; thus 
enabling him/her to steer the process.  Japan emphasized the 
importance of IT managers fully explaining their proposals 
and being held accountable for their implementation. Canada 
said that the Secretariat clearly was planning to move 
forward with the new information system even before a chief 
information technology officer is appointed. 
 
"Invest in Change" - category 7: 
Proposal 22 - appropriate dedicated resources to ensure 
complete implementation of detailed proposals, including 22.1 
which would provide resources for a change management office 
that would report to the Deputy SYG and would hold heads of 
department accountable for the implementation of reforms. 
Comment: it was generally agreed that such an office, if at 
all necessary, should be formed from within existing 
management.  Ambassador Wolff said that change management 
respoinsibility should fall under the Deputy 
Secretary-General. 
 
SIPDIS 
 
¶5.  Next steps -  as at the March 14 meeting, participants 
underlined the importance of having the General Assembly 
Plenary control the process, including through establishment 
of strict time-lines for other committees to report back. 
The Ambassadors discussed the need for the group to first 
agree on which proposals should be pursued for early 
adoption, after which the group could begin discussions with 
others, including possibly the Geneva Group and the EU.  The 
group also discussed the possibility of meeting with members 
of the Group of 77 and China to find out whether some early 
agreements could be arrived at.  The ACABQ will complete 
consideration of its report by March 24.  It was not clear 
whether the ACABQ report would be issued prior to the 
expected formal introduction of the management reform report 
on March 27.  While the Group of 77 and China has made clear 
its position that the Secretary-General's report and the 
ACABQ report should be introduced in the Fifth Committee, 
Ambassador Wolff said the reports should be introduced in 
Plenary, with Plenary allocating items to the Fifth Committee 
as necessary.  The Ambassadors also discussed the fact that 
the management reform report and the mandate review report 
would be considered on parallel tracks, pretty much 
simultaneously.  Another report fromt he Secretary-General 
describing implementation plans for the management reform 
measures is expected to be issued in May.  Japan reminded the 
group that the Fifth Committee would take up the large and 
complicated issue of peacekeeping financing also during the 
month of May.  The U.S. shared with the group that 
Secretariat planned to issue a report on the spending cap in 
 
SIPDIS 
 
 
 
May;  the report would probably be considered by the Fifth 
Committee as part of the agenda item covering the 2006-2007 
regular budget. 
 
¶6.  Mandate review - Canada reported that the SYG will 
introduce the mandate review report in a formal Plenary 
meeting on the afternoon of March 28 and again emphasized 
that in order for the review process to yield early results, 
it would be necessary for countries to agree that savings 
derived from the elimination of mandates would be used to 
fund activities in the same thematic area (e.g., 
development).  Canada also again emphasized the importance of 
excluding politically sensitive issues (e.g., Palestinian 
mandates) from early consideration.  It was expected that for 
a two-week period following March 28, Member States would 
receive instructions on how to use the mandate review 
database that the Secretariat will make available.  Decisions 
will have to be taken on which mandates would be allocated to 
which bodies for consideration, with each body (GA, SC, 
ECOSOC) deciding on its mandate review process.  Following 
the review process, each body will then submit its report. 
Agreement will then have to be reached on the process for 
consideration of mandates which involve more than one body. 
Japan emphasized that when allocating mandates to ECOSOC for 
review, it would be important for the GA to establish 
specific time-frames for consideration and reporting.  On the 
question of "encroachment", Japan said that the Security 
Council should simply proceed with a review of relevant 
mandates without being asked by the GA, noting that the 
Council could set up a subsidiary body for this purpose. 
BOLTON