VZCZCXYZ0020
PP RUEHWEB

DE RUCNDT #0941/01 3042240
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
P 312240Z OCT 07
FM USMISSION USUN NEW YORK
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 2938
INFO RUCNOAS/OASGA COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
RUEHUB/USINT HAVANA PRIORITY 0216

C O N F I D E N T I A L USUN NEW YORK 000941 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/08/2017 
TAGS: PREL PGOV UNGA
SUBJECT: UNGA PRESIDENCY 2008: THWARTING GRULAC CONSENUS 
FOR NICARAGUAN CANDIDATE 
 
Classified By: CLASSIFIED BY U.S. DEPUTY PERMANENT REPRESENTATIVE ALEJA 
NDRO WOLFF 
 
¶1. (U) This is an action request.  See paras 2 & 7. 
 
¶2. (C) Summary.  Many GRULAC permreps remain uneasy about the 
prospects of Nicaragua emerging as the GRULAC candidate for 
(and likely occupant of) the 2008 UNGA Presidency (PGA), but 
are reluctant to take action to identify an alternative. 
Based upon the gracious withdrawal of the Dominican Republic 
from the race against winner Costa Rica for a non-permanent 
seat on the Security Council, USUN had discreetly floated the 
idea of someone proposing a Dominican Republic candidate for 
UNGA President in 2008 as a consolation prize.  The 
Dominicans were interested but no one stepped forward.  Latin 
permreps acknowledge they have a problem but do not know how 
to fix it.  USUN understands that foreign ministers in the 
region are now monitoring the issue and the launch of another 
candidate will require their input.  Nicaragua and its allies 
are pressing for a decision soon.  Foreign Ministers will 
gather in Santiago for the Ibero-American Summit in early 
November, and the issue will likely be on the mind of many. 
USUN believes the summit may be one of the last opportunities 
to launch an alternative candidate and seeks Department 
advice on how to lower Nicaragua's odds. End Summary. 
 
¶3. (C) USUN has been quietly consulting with like-minded 
Latin delegations about the prospects of Nicaragua putting up 
suspended priest and former Nicaraguan Foreign Minister, 
Miguel Descoto, as a candidate for the President of the UN 
General Assembly in 2008.  (Note: the PGA rotates annually 
among the regional groups.  It will be GRULAC's turn for the 
next General Assembly session which begins in September 2008. 
 While the election is not until the Spring, the regional 
group in question tries to reach consensus on its candidate 
as soon as possible, and then lobbies other regional groups 
in the run up to the election.  The UNGA has not had 
contested votes for the PGA; the regional candidate generally 
has a lock on the position.  End Note).  The country that 
announces first often has an edge in the race.  The GON has 
taken the initiative, already circulated Descoto's C.V. among 
GRULAC members, and is trying to secure consensus for him as 
the Central American candidate.  While most of the other 
Central American states are unenthusiastic about Descoto, 
they are reluctant to oppose him, in the name of regional 
solidarity. 
 
¶4. (C) During the contested race between Costa Rica and the 
Dominican Republic for one of the non-permanent (GRULAC) 
seats on the UN Security Council, USUN had floated the idea 
that the loser seek the UNGA Presidency as a consolation 
prize.  Several Latin delegations warmed to the idea but no 
one came forward to propose the Dominican Republic when it 
lost.  Following the election, other Latin permreps suggested 
that the Dominican Republic had a brief window to take 
advantage of the good will and standing they attained by 
graciously withdrawing from race after the second round of 
voting.  Two weeks have passed and no one has moved.  The DR 
appears willing to consider the UNGA Presidency but only if 
proposed by another member state.  Other delegations are 
reluctant to propose the DR, as the one that does would be 
labeled the spoiler, and incur the wrath of Venezuelan, 
Cuban, and Bolivian delegations.  As one GRULAC perm rep put 
it, "we might as well run ourselves." 
 
¶5. (C) Close collaborator Peruvian PermRep Voto-Bernales 
admitted to Ambassador Wolcott on October 17 that he and 
other like-minded GRULAC permreps do not know what to do or 
how to proceed to engineer an alternative to Nicaragua.  They 
acknowledge that Nicaragua's vitriolic and anti-U.S. speech 
during the UNGA General Debate makes the GON unsuitable to 
lead the UNGA.  Voto-Bernales knows of at least six or seven 
GRULAC countries which would automatically support the DR if 
they announced.  He insisted that "the big guys" -- Brazil 
and Mexico -- will not do anything since the UNGA Presidency 
is not a priority for them.  (Note: Canadian Mission 
diplomats dispute that analysis and believe Brazil would be 
key to shifting GRULAC toward another candidate. End Note) 
The Peruvian also suggested that Caribbean states would 
likely endorse the DR, but remained unsure how to motivate 
them to move against Venezuela and Cuba.  He also concluded 
that whichever country joined the race would likely be 
defeated by Nicaragua, but the challenge would bring down 
Nicaragua's candidacy in the process, leaving open the 
chances for a third candidate. 
 
¶6. (C) Nicaragua's supporters are pressing for a GRULAC 
decision soon.  Colombian Permrep Blum told Ambassador Godard 
on October 27 that she was sure Descoto's candidacy would get 
raised at the monthly GRULAC meeting on October 29 (it did 
not), but she and several others were prepared to block 
 
 
consensus, claiming no instructions.  (Note: Apparently, 
because of the press of UNGA resolutions coming up for 
action, the GRULAC put off discussion on the 2008 UNGA 
presidency until November.  The GRULAC coordinator for 
November is Saint Kitts and Nevis.) 
 
COMMENT AND ACTION REQUEST 
-------------------------- 
 
¶7. (C) USUN remains concerned that GRULAC inaction will lead 
to a Descoto-endorsed candidacy by default.  Voto-Bernales 
suggested that launching an alternative in New York will now 
be more difficult.  Foreign Ministers have become interested 
and will need to be involved.  The upcoming Ibero-American 
Summit in early November in Santiago will bring these 
ministers together.  While mindful of our need to stay behind 
the scenes, USUN believes the summit may be one of the last 
targets of opportunity to launch the DR's candidacy for the 
UNGA presidency or another alternative to Nicaragua and 
requests that the Department pulse capitals to determine our 
best next steps.  Spain and Portugal, who will be in 
Santiago, may also be helpful. 
Khalilzad