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DE RUCNDT #2219 3401702
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 061702Z DEC 06
FM USMISSION USUN NEW YORK
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UNCLAS USUN NEW YORK 002219 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: EAID ETRD EFIN SENV UNGA IS LN
SUBJECT: 61ST UNGA: SECOND COMMITTEE ADOPTS FOUR 
RESOLUTIONS: NOVEMBER 22, 2006 
 
REF: STATE 190251 
 
¶1. Summary: On November 22, the UN's Second Committee on 
economic and financial affairs passed four resolutions, 
including one condemning the Israeli destruction of oil tanks 
in Lebanon.  Four countries joined the US to vote No on the 
Lebanese resolution, with the EU members/applicants among the 
138 countries voting Yes.  The Committee passed resolutions 
by consensus on El Nino, capital outflows from developing 
countries (IFS), and the UN Institute for Training and 
Research(UNITAR), all without program budget implications. 
End Summary. 
 
Anti-Israel Resolution on Lebanon 
--------------------------------- 
 
¶2. The Second Committee adopted resolution 
A/61/C.2/L23/rev.1, "oil slick on Lebanese shores," by a vote 
of 138 Yes, 5 No (US), 1 Abstention, and 38 not voting. 
Voting against the resolution, besides the US, were Canada, 
Australia, Palau, and Israel.  In the resolution, the General 
Assembly (GA) expressed deep concern over the destruction by 
the Israeli Air Force of Lebanese oil storage tanks linked to 
an electric power plant.  The GA also called on Israel to 
compensate Lebanon. 
 
¶3. In its Explanation of Position, Israel said the resolution 
was a blatant attempt to politicize an environmental issue 
and to paint Israel as an unjust aggressor.  The resolution 
made no reference to environmental damage in Northern Israel 
caused by Hezbollah rockets. Canada explained its No vote by 
saying that despite its concerns about the oil spill, the GA 
was not an appropriate forum for addressing issues of legal 
liability or compensation. Lebanon closed with a statement in 
which it claimed its real intent was to send Israel a message 
from the international community that the environment could 
not be a target in this conflict, and then attacked Israel 
for turning this resolution into a "political debate." 
 
¶4. USDEL, using reftel EOV, called the resolution, "one-sided 
and unbalanced" because the resolution did not acknowledge 
that Hezbollah had provoked the conflict with its July 12 
incursion into Israel. 
 
Other Resolutions 
----------------- 
 
¶5. The Committee adopted three other resolutions by 
consensus, none of which had program budget implications. 
A/61/C.2/L41, on the international financial system and 
development (IFS), emphasized the importance of financial 
stability for development.  A/61/C.2/L45, a biennial 
resolution, called for international cooperation to reduce 
the impact of the El Nino phenomenon.  A/61/C.2/L38 was on 
the operations of the UN Institute for Training and Research 
(UNITAR). 
BOLTON