VZCZCXRO8212
PP RUEHAP RUEHDT RUEHGR RUEHKN RUEHKR RUEHMJ RUEHMR RUEHPA RUEHPB
DE RUEHC #9764/01 2572015
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 142001Z SEP 07
FM SECSTATE WASHDC
TO COMMUNITY OF DEMOCRACIES COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
RUEHLB/AMEMBASSY BEIRUT PRIORITY 6713
RUEHMV/AMEMBASSY MONROVIA PRIORITY 1639
RUEHPU/AMEMBASSY PORT AU PRINCE PRIORITY 4937
RUEHYN/AMEMBASSY SANAA PRIORITY 5459
INFO RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK PRIORITY 8732
RUEHGV/USMISSION GENEVA PRIORITY 7996
XMT AMEMBASSY ABUJA
AMEMBASSY BANGKOK
AMEMBASSY CARACAS
AMEMBASSY DHAKA
AMEMBASSY MOSCOW
AMEMBASSY ABUJA
AMEMBASSY BANGKOK
AMEMBASSY CARACAS
AMEMBASSY DHAKA
AMEMBASSY MOSCOW

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 STATE 129764 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: KDEM PHUM PREL UNGA PGOV
SUBJECT: U.S. PRIORITIES FOR THE COMMUNITY OF DEMOCRACIES 
 
 
¶1. This is an action request.  Please see paragraphs 3 - 5. 
 
BACKGROUND 
---------- 
 
¶2. (U) On October 1, 2007, on the margins of this year,s UN 
General Assembly (UNGA), Mali, the Chair the Community of 
Democracies (CD), will host a short meeting of Ministers that 
will set the stage for its biennial Ministerial in Bamako, 
Mali from November 15-17 2007.  The 2007 ministerial,s theme 
is democracy and development. During the meeting in New York 
the U.S. will convey its priorities for the Bamako 
Ministerial and will ask other participants for their support. 
 
OBJECTIVES 
---------- 
 
¶3.  (U) Action requested to all CD participants. 
 
--Note that we are looking forward to seeing their Minister 
at the CD meeting hosted by Mali to be held on the margins of 
the UN General Assembly, October 1, 2007, at 2:30 PM. 
 
-- Express support for Mali, as Chair, in its efforts to 
organize a high-profile and successful Ministerial that will 
highlight the connections between democracy and development, 
and strengthen cooperation between CD countries. 
Participants should emphasize importance of carrying out 
sustainable development policies while actively promoting all 
civil and political rights. 
 
-- Request all 126 CD participants to approach Mali and offer 
political and logistical support in preparation for the 
Bamako Ministerial.  By supporting Mali, we are supporting 
Africa,s leadership on global democracy and human rights 
promotion. 
 
-- Urge countries to expressly support the establishment of 
the newly created CD Secretariat that will be unveiled during 
the Bamako Ministerial and will be hosted by Poland in 
Warsaw.  Prior to the Ministerial in Bamako, at the UNGA, 
Mali will re-circulate the secretariat structure, mission, 
and mandate.  The proposed secretariat has a limited mandate 
and small size (5-6 people); it will be supported by 
voluntary contributions.  The U.S. believes that this small 
secretariat will assist the CD in meeting its objectives and 
 
SIPDIS 
help in coordinating democracy promotion initiatives.  The 
Foreign Minister of Poland has offered to provide a site and 
detail three Polish diplomats.  Participants are urged to 
endorse it and to make mention of it during their ministers' 
statements. 
 
-- Encourage all CD participants to express support and to 
actively participate in one or more of the four CD working 
groups including: civil society; democracy and development; 
regional and interregional cooperation; and threats to 
democracy.  During the meeting the ministers will receive a 
report of working group activities including potential 
projects.  Examples of CD working group initiatives include 
the OAS-AU meeting on sharing of democracy experiences and 
the development of a handbook for diplomats on engagement 
with civil society.  Participants should consider supporting 
specific projects 
as appropriate. 
 
-- Recognize the indispensable role of NGOs and other civil 
society organizations in the development and success of free 
societies and their vital function in ensuring accountable 
and democratic governments.  Urge that countries express 
support for NGOs and mention restrictive NGO laws as one of 
the biggest challenges facing democracy today in many 
countries. 
 
STATE 00129764  002 OF 003 
 
 
 
-- Contribute actively to the building of a global democracy 
network that has a strong connection to the CD.  For example, 
through the regional and interregional cooperation working 
group, initiatives such as the OAS-AU Democracy Bridge could 
be highlighted. 
 
-- To strengthen the UN Democracy Fund (UNDEF), urge all CD 
participants to announce a contribution during the UNGA CD 
Ministerial.  (Background:  Australia, Bulgaria, Chile, 
Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, France, 
Georgia, Germany, Hungary, India, Ireland, Israel, Italy, 
Japan, Lithuania, Mongolia, Peru, Poland, Portugal, Qatar, 
Republic of Korea, Senegal, Slovenia, Spain, Sri Lanka, 
Sweden, United Kingdom have made contributions or pledged to 
do so.) 
 
(Continued UNDEF Background:  The UNDEF is the only voluntary 
UN Fund whose sole purpose is democracy promotion.  The CD 
could serve as an important alliance of democracies that 
strives to ensure that the UNDEF fulfills the role for which 
it was created.  To date the UNDEF has received close to 
seventy million US Dollars in pledges and donations from 32 
member states, and approved for funding 125 projects 
throughout the world aimed at strengthening democratic 
institutions and pro-democracy civil society.  In Africa, 
UNDEF funds a project for civic education, electoral support, 
and political parties.  In the Asia/Pacific region, UNDEF 
finances a project to develop practical tools for judicial 
reform in accordance with human rights norms.  In Latin 
America, there are several projects aimed at strengthening 
democratic institutions.  There are also projects for the 
Arab and Muslim world focused on increasing civil society 
input into the decision-making process.  A list of projects 
by country can be found at www.un.org/democracyfund.) 
 
-- Other initiatives which support the CD,s fundamental 
mission to build a global democracy network include the 
Partnership for Democratic Governance and the Asia-Pacific 
Democracy Partnership, recently announced by President Bush 
at the APEC Summit in Sydney. 
 
-- Encourage all CD participants to use the UN Democracy 
Caucus in New York, Geneva, and other cities that host UN 
meetings.  The Caucus is not intended to supplant 
long-standing regional or other groupings, but rather to 
provide an added mechanism for like-minded democratic nations 
to cooperate. 
 
If Asked about USG Representation at UNGA Ministerial. 
 
-- Secretary Rice is scheduled to attend part of the 
ministerial.  Under Secretary for Democracy and Global 
Affairs Paula Dobriansky will also participate. 
 
¶4. (SBU) Action requested to Paris. 
 
-- We urge that you consider providing Mali financial, 
logistical, and political support for the Ministerial 
conference.  The US hopes that France will play a larger role 
in CD.  The CD is an important forum for democracy promotion 
cooperation.  The US believes that democracies have a special 
responsibility to help others aspiring to obtain the same 
rights and freedoms.  French support for the CD would benefit 
CD participants and supporter broader transatlantic 
cooperation. 
 
¶5. (SBU) Action requested to Tokyo, Ottawa, and Gabarone. 
 
-- Inquire of host governments whether they would be 
interested in taking a larger role in the CD, even perhaps 
chairing it at some point in the future, especially after 
Portugal ends its chairmanship in 2011.  Future CD chairs 
will be decided during the Bamako ministerial.  (BACKGROUND: 
Though none of these countries are in the 16-member CD 
Convening Group, a mechanism to make them co-convenors would 
 
STATE 00129764  003 OF 003 
 
 
have to be established if they choose to chair the CD at some 
future date.) 
 
REPORTING DEADLINE 
------------------ 
 
¶6. (U) Posts should report results of efforts by cable to 
Joaquin Ferrao in G and to Gianni Paz in DRL/MLGA by 
September 24. 
RICE