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RUEHBY/AMEMBASSY CANBERRA PRIORITY 1768
RUEHDO/AMEMBASSY DOHA PRIORITY 0229
RUEHIL/AMEMBASSY ISLAMABAD PRIORITY 1721
RUEHLI/AMEMBASSY LISBON PRIORITY 0550
RUEHBS/USEU BRUSSELS PRIORITY
RUEHGV/USMISSION GENEVA PRIORITY 2971
RUEHUNV/USMISSION UNVIE VIENNA PRIORITY 0711

UNCLAS USUN NEW YORK 001164 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: EFIN ECIN EAID AORC KWMN SOCI PREL UNGA LE
SUBJECT: UNGA SECOND COMMITTEE: INTERNATIONAL TRADE, 
LEBANON OIL SLICK, FINANCING FOR DEVELOPMENT AND OTHER 
ACTIONS 
 
REF: A. STATE 164428 
     ¶B. STATE 164396 
     ¶C. STATE 164427 
     ¶D. STATE 164421 
     ¶E. STATE 164390 
 
¶1.  Summary.  The United Nations General Assembly's Second 
Committee adopted fourteen resolutions by consensus during 
its December 7 session.  In accordance with Ref A and Ref B, 
the U.S. called for a vote and gave an Explanation of Vote 
(EOV) on the international trade and Lebanon oil slick draft 
resolutions.  The U.S. joined consensus and delivered 
Explanations of Position (EOPs) for draft resolutions on 
external debt, financing for development, globalization, 
combating corruption, and women in development.  The 
Committee also adopted by consensus draft resolutions on 
sustainable mountain development, science and technology for 
development, the UN Conference on the Least Developed 
Countries, the UN Decade for the Eradication of Poverty, 
human resources development, South-South cooperation for 
development and the UN Institute for Training and Research. 
U.S. statements can be found under the December 7 Press 
Releases on the USUN website, http://www.un.int/usa.  End 
summary. 
 
International Trade and Development 
----------------------------------- 
 
¶2.  The Committee first considered draft resolution 
A/C.2/62/L.10 entitled "International trade and development," 
submitted under Agenda item 52(a).  In accordance with Ref A, 
the U.S. called for a vote on the resolution as a whole. 
With a vote of 109-47(U.S.)-5, the resolution was adopted. 
The U.S. delivered the EOV included in reftel.  In a notable 
change from previous years, European Union and several other 
like-minded states voted no instead of abstaining (last year 
the U.S. cast the only "no" vote).  On behalf of the EU, 
Portugal gave an EOV on its vote against the resolution, 
stating that the resolution was imbalanced, did not take into 
account recent progress in the Doha round of trade 
negotiations, and called for a fresh text to be introduced 
next year in order to reach consensus.  The EU also expressed 
its firm opposition to operative paragraph 25 requesting the 
UN Secretary-General to transmit the resolution to the WTO to 
be circulated as an official WTO document.  Australia echoed 
these sentiments in a statement also on behalf of Canada and 
New Zealand (CANZ).  Switzerland and Japan also called for a 
more consensual outcome in the future. 
 
Lebanon Oil Slick 
----------------- 
 
¶3.  The Committee then considered draft resolution 
A/C.2/62/L.21/Rev.1 entitled "Oil slick on Lebanon shores" 
submitted under Agenda item 54 (a).  In accordance with Ref 
B, the U.S. called for a vote on the resolution, as did 
Israel.  With a vote of 153-7(U.S.)-2, the resolution was 
adopted.  In its EOV, Israel noted the disturbing increase in 
the politicization of the Committee's work distracts it from 
more substantive issues and criticized the resolution's 
one-sided nature and "stunning" omission of key aspects of 
the issue.  In its EOV, Lebanon thanked delegations for their 
support, provided a litany of the "catastrophic" 
environmental effects of this oil slick, and stated that 
Israeli action was a "blatent violation of international 
law." 
 
Resolution With U.S. EOPs 
------------------------- 
 
¶4.  The Committee adopted by consensus several resolutions 
for which the United States joined consensus and delivered an 
Explanation of Position (EOP).  For draft resolution 
A/C.2/62/L.57, "External debt crisis and development," 
submitted under Agenda item 52(c), the U.S. delivered an EOP 
per Ref C.  For draft resolution A/C.2/62/L.59, "Follow-up to 
and implementation of the outcome of the International 
Conference on Financing for Development (FFD)," submitted 
under Agenda item 53, Pakistan, on behalf of the G-77, stated 
in its EOP that the FFD follow-up Conference in Doha in 2008 
should be a Summit, attended at the highest possible 
political level.  On behalf of the EU, Portugal noted in its 
EOP that the outcome of the Doha FFD Conference should be a 
 
 
 
short, political statement and that each country will take a 
sovereign position on how best to represent itself at the 
Conference.  The U.S. delivered a brief, congratulatory 
statement after the vote.  (Note.  See septel for further 
detail on FFD deliberations. End note). 
 
¶5.  For draft resolution A/C.2/62/L.61, "Preventing and 
combating corrupt practices and transfer of assets of illicit 
origin and returning such assets, in particular to the 
countries of origin, consistent with the United Nations 
Convention against Corruption," submitted under Agenda item 
56(c), the U.S. delivered an EOP per Ref D.  Canada delivered 
a similar EOP stressing that because the UN Convention 
Against Corruption is the most important instrument to fight 
corruption, the need for the UNGA to address this topic is 
diminishing and therefore the 63rd UNGA session should 
biennialize consideration of this Agenda item.  For draft 
resolution A/C.2/62/L.60, "Globalization and 
interdependence," submitted under Agenda item 56(a), the U.S. 
delivered an EOP questioning the need for this resolution. 
For draft resolution A/C.2/62/L.50, "Women in development," 
submitted under Agenda item 58(b), the U.S. delivered EOP per 
Ref E. 
 
Other Action 
------------ 
 
¶6.  The Committee further adopted by consensus the following 
draft resolutions: 
 
--A/C.2/62/L.18/Rev.1 entitled, "Sustainable mountain 
development," submitted under Agenda item 54(h). 
--A/C.2/62/L.52 entitled, "Science and technology for 
development," submitted under Agenda item 56(b). 
--A/C.2/62/L.58 entitled, "Third United Nations Conference on 
the Least Developed Countries," submitted under Agenda item 
57(a). 
--A/C.2/62/L.55 entitled, "Implementation of the first United 
Nations Decade for the Eradication of Poverty (1997-2006)," 
submitted under Agenda item 58(a). 
--A/C.2/62/L.51 entitled, "Human resources development" 
submitted under Agenda item 58(c). 
--A/C.2/62/L.54 entitled, "South-South cooperation for 
development" submitted under Agenda item 59(c). 
--A/C.2/62/L.53 entitled, "Training and research: United 
Nations Institute for Training and Research," submitted under 
Agenda item 60. 
Khalilzad