VZCZCXYZ0001
OO RUEHWEB

DE RUCNDT #0774/01 1021640
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 121640Z APR 06
FM USMISSION USUN NEW YORK
TO SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 8705

UNCLAS USUN NEW YORK 000774 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: UNGA KUNR AORC
SUBJECT: UN CAPITAL MASTER PLAN: STATUS OF FIFTH COMMITTEE 
NEGOTIATIONS 
 
 
¶1.  This is an action request. Please see para. 7. 
 
¶2.  SUMMARY:  Fifth Committee discussions on the Capital 
Master Plan are currently stalled.  The Committee is unable 
to reach consensus on the level of funding needed for ongoing 
work, with the U.S. alone supporting less than the full 
$100.5 million request.  USUN is concerned that agreeing to 
the full amount now would be seen as an endorsement of the 
project prior to a final USG decision.  USUN believes further 
consultations with Members of Congress are necessary before 
agreeing to this funding. In addition, it may be necessary to 
also receive written assurances from the Secretariat as to 
what exactly this resolution would authorize (and not 
authorize) and why this level of funding is required at this 
time. END SUMMARY. 
 
¶2. Fifth Committee discussions on the Capital Master Plan 
during the March resumed session did not lead to the 
endorsement of a strategy or financing plan for the project. 
These issues are now to be discussed in the May resumed 
session.  The Committee is currently debating the level of 
appropriation the General Assembly should approve in order to 
keep the project moving forward.  The Secretariat is 
requesting $100.5 million in order to conclude design work 
and begin procurement of swing space.  USDel has consistently 
stated the USG position that a full appropriation is not 
appropriate at this time, given the fact that there has not 
yet been an endorsement of strategy.  USDel has said that an 
appropriation of $23.5 million, necessary to complete design 
work, would be acceptable. 
 
¶3.  All other delegations are in support of the large 
appropriation of $100.5 million, which they say is needed to 
avoid budget cost increases due to delay, suggesting that it 
is a way of showing commitment to the project.  The Committee 
was unable to reach consensus and so Committee Chairman John 
Ashe (Antigua and Barbuda) has tabled a text that he hoped 
would achieve consensus.  The Chairman's text includes a 
$23.5 million appropriation with $77 million in commitment 
authority.  The Secretariat has indicated that this would be 
sufficient for its purposes, and other delegations have not 
stated a problem with this approach.  This has left the U.S. 
alone in supporting the smaller amount. 
 
¶4.  The Fifth Committee negotiations are now also garnering 
press attention (New York Sun, April 5 and April 7; Reuters, 
April 10) and there is also criticism from other areas.  The 
Department also recently received a question for the record 
from Senator Biden.  The U.S. is being pressured by Member 
States and the Secretariat to agree to the Chairman's text, 
with written assurances from the UN clarifying what is being 
decided in the draft resolution, if necessary. 
 
¶5.  USUN is concerned that, despite written assurances, 
agreement to the appropriation and commitment authority would 
be an implicit agreement to move forward with the project, a 
decision which has not yet been made either by the USG or by 
the UN General Assembly for that matter.  USUN is also 
concerned that, at this time, there have not been sufficient 
consultations with Members of Congress regarding the $100.5 
million or the larger project cost of up to $1.8 billion. 
USUN believes that further consultations with Congress are 
necessary before agreeing to the $100.5 million. 
 
¶6.  In a conversation with Ambassador Wallace, 
Deputy-Secretary-General Mark Malloch Brown indicated that 
the General Assembly must make a decision on a CMP strategy 
during the May resumed session.  He also stated that 
approving $100.5 million now will allow some Member States 
time to budget for their assessment.  A decision to 
appropriate this amount later might mean that some countries 
would have greater difficulty paying their shares. 
 
¶7.  ACTION REQUEST:  USUN requests consultations with key 
Members of Congress and/or staff as soon as possible and will 
discuss with DSG Malloch Brown written assurances.  Para. 8 
includes a draft letter that may provide adequate assurances 
to the USG regarding the resolution.  Pending the outcome of 
discussions, including the concurrence of key Members of 
Congress, USUN recommends that USDel postpone discussion on 
the Chairman's text.  USUN requests guidance on this approach. 
 
¶8.  Begin text: 
 
In response to questions raised concerning the appropriations 
and commitment authority being considered by the Fifth 
Committee with respect to the Capital Master Plan, we are 
providing the following specific clarifications: 
 
 
¶1.    The General Assembly has not yet made a decision as to 
the future of the Capital Master Plan and must still decide 
whether to endorse a strategy and which one to endorse, 
 
¶2.   The work to date and expected under the current request 
is strategy-neutral; it neither endorses nor progresses any 
particular strategy and therefore does not preclude any 
future decision to be made by the General Assembly, 
¶3.  Future appropriations and commitment authority will be 
decided in the context of a General Assembly decision on 
strategy, 
¶4.    The current request for funding is made to abide with 
established UN procurement rules and regulations, 
¶5.    All work is to keep the CMP on the critical path where 
delays will result in an increase in project costs due to 
cost escalations, 
¶6.    The actual liability for procurement by May 2006 is not 
expected to aggregate to much more than $1-2 million of 
actual obligation, 
¶7.    If no strategy is selected during May 2006, it would 
not be prudent to continue either the work started under the 
first $23.5 million or finish the procurement of work 
anticipated by the additional $77 million, 
¶8.   In order to allow some Member States that require it 
time to budget for their share of assessments, it is 
necessary to request this level of funding in advance of, but 
with the expectation of, a future decision by the General 
Assembly. 
 
End text. 
BOLTON