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UNCLAS USUN NEW YORK 002246 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: ECON EAID EFIN ETRD TSPL SENV UNGA
SUBJECT: UN SECOND COMMITTEE CONCLUDES WORK, ADOPTS ELEVEN 
RESOLUTIONS ON DECEMBER 8 
 
REF: A. STATE 196546 (NOTAL) 
 
     ¶B. STATE 196992 (NOTAL) 
 
¶1. Summary: Concluding its work for 2006, the United Nations 
General Assembly Second Committee on economic and financial 
affairs adopted ten resolutions and one decision by consensus 
and voted (at EU insistence) on a resolution on global 
climate change during action on December 8.  UN Under 
Secretary General Jose Ocampo and the Second Committee Chair 
 
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gave closing remarks in which they thanked delegates for 
passing more than 40 resolutions, while hoping that next year 
the Committee might restore the tradition of consensus on 
such contentious issues as trade and climate change.  The 
Second Committee resolutions and reports will be acted upon 
by the UNGA in plenary session on December 20.  End Summary. 
 
No Consensus on Climate Change 
------------------------------ 
 
¶2. The most contentious resolution of the day was on global 
climate change, A/C.2/61/L24/Rev.1, primarily over the fact 
that the Group of 77 countries (G77) refused to entertain a 
cluster of EU amendments.  After Japan and the U.S. voted 
against an operative paragraph (OP 10) with potential future 
program budget implications (it was adopted 108-2), the EU 
then called for a vote on the entire resolution, which passed 
114 (US) - 0, with 49 Abstentions and 29 not voting.  The 
abstentions came primarily from the EU and CANZ (Canada, 
Australia, and New Zealand). 
 
¶3. The representative of Japan explained his vote against OP 
10, saying that the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change 
(UNFCCC) was an independent body with its own budget and 
secretariat, thus the UN should not be asked to shoulder its 
 
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expenses, as OP 10 implied it could. 
 
¶4. Explaining why the Group of 77 countries (G77) had pulled 
the plug on further negotiations on the resolution and 
instead re-introduced its original text with a few 
modifications, the South African delegate said, "Attempts 
were made to break up the G77 by a group of states."  She 
added, "The G77 has shown extreme flexibility, and it is 
unimaginable that anyone could vote against such a 
resolution, or even abstain, on such an issue that affects 
the whole planet."  The G77's remarks were directed at the 
EU, which nevertheless announced it could not support the 
resolution in the face of the G77's unwillingness to engage 
further in negotiations.  CANZ likewise announced its 
decision to abstain on procedural, rather than substantive, 
grounds.  (Comment: One EU delegate told us they would have a 
simple task explaining their abstentions in capitals by 
noting the resolution was "acceptable to the U.S."  End 
Comment.) 
 
Globalization and Interdependence 
--------------------------------- 
 
¶5. A/C.2/61/L.69, the role of the United Nations in promoting 
development in the context of globalization and 
interdependence, was approved by consensus, but with several 
Explanations of Position (EOPs).  Speaking for the EU, the 
Finnish representative stressed that next year's discussion 
on globalization should encompass both benefits and 
challenges alike, rather than singling out a specific theme. 
She also said that future reports by the Secretary General 
should avoid espousing theories that took multilateral rules 
as inimical to development.  USDEL (ref A) called for this 
issue to be addressed biennially, rather than annually, and 
noted that since "all resolutions in the Second Committee 
address specific aspects of globalization," a themed 
globalization resolution was "redundant."  South Africa, 
speaking for the G77, responded with the oft-heard refrain 
that good governance and sound economic policies in 
developing countries were contingent on what took place at 
the international level. 
 
Caribbean Sea Resolution 
------------------------ 
 
¶6. While the U.S. joined consensus on A/C.2/61/L.67, 
Sustainable Development in the Caribbean Sea, USDEL (ref B) 
highlighted two aspects of the text in an EOP.  First, USDEL 
questioned the new formulation "special area in the context 
of sustainable development," since "special area" is a term 
with particular legal implications.  Second, regarding OP5, 
"accidental release of hazardous waste" is only a violation 
of international rules when such rules provide. 
 
Cote d'Ivoire Resolution Withdrawn 
 
 
---------------------------------- 
 
¶7. Resolution A/C.2/61/L.43, special economic assistance to 
Cote d'Ivoire, was withdrawn without action.  On behalf of 
the African Group, the Niger representative said that the 
Group had wanted to bring the dumpers of toxic waste in Cote 
d'Ivoire to justice, but that during negotiations some 
delegates had "emptied the document of any sense," 
particularly regarding legal provisions.  The resolution had 
been tabled after relevant deadlines had passed, was handled 
in an exceptionally unorthodox manner, and had a text that 
was deemed so deeply flawed by such a wide array of 
delegations that negotiations proved fruitless. 
 
 
Consensus on Eight More Resolutions 
----------------------------------- 
 
¶8. The Committee adopted by consensus eight other resolutions 
and one document: 
 
A/C.2/61/L.68 Report of the Governing Council of the UN 
Environment Program 
A/C.2/61/L.66 UN Decade for the Eradication of Poverty 
A/C.2/61/L.60 Implementation of Agenda 21 
A/C.2/61/L.29/Rev.1 International Year of Biodiversity, 2010 
A/C.2/61/L.55 Combating desertification 
A/C.2/61/L.61 Convention on biological diversity 
A/C.2/61/L.62 Landlocked developing countries 
A/C.2/61/L.65 Industrial Development Cooperation 
A/C.2/61/L.59 (document) Draft Program of Work for the 62nd 
Session of the General Assembly 
 
U/S Ocampo and Chair Give Closing Remarks 
----------------------------------------- 
 
¶9. UN Under Secretary General for Economic and Social Affairs 
Jose Ocampo said in his concluding remarks that the more than 
40 resolutions adopted this year by the Committee constituted 
a significant contribution to the Millennium Development 
Goals.  He noted that no consensus had been reached on trade 
or climate change, and said that this reflected a growing 
gap, particularly in the field of trade.  Ocampo stressed the 
need to conclude the WTO Doha round both soon and 
successfully. 
 
¶10.  The Chair of the Second Committee (the Estonian 
PermRep), summing up the Committee's work this year, pointed 
out that this had been the third year running in which no 
consensus had been reached on trade resolutions.  She 
exhorted the delegates to not let such a practice become the 
norm, particularly since Second Committee was traditionally a 
"consensus Committee."  She also remarked that at a meeting 
of the bureaus of the Second and Third Committees, it was 
felt that many agenda items cut across both Committees -- 
particularly those to do with the advancement of women, the 
eradication of poverty, and the role of the private sector in 
helping to achieve international development.  She said that 
joint informal events might be considered next year to foster 
mutual understanding of both Committees.  The U.S. and other 
delegations made concluding remarks expressing appreciation 
to the Bureau and Secretariat for helping the Second 
Committee conclude its work within the appointed timeframe -- 
a rarity in recent years. 
 
¶11. The report of the Second Committee, containing all of the 
resolutions it approved this session, will be acted upon by 
the UNGA in its plenary session on the afternoon of December 
¶20.  The Department's assistance throughout the three-month 
work cycle of the Second Committee is highly appreciated. 
WOLFF