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C O N F I D E N T I A L USUN NEW YORK 001065 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/12/2018 
TAGS: PREL UNSC UNGA KUNR IN BR IT JP GM
SUBJECT: UNSC REFORM: OPEN-ENDED WORKING GROUP MEETS; PGA 
IMPLIES NEGOTIATIONS WILL BE LAUNCHED IN NOVEMBER 
 
REF: A. STATE 119780 
     ¶B. USUN NEW YORK 960 
     ¶C. USUN NEW YORK 927 
     ¶D. USUN NEW YORK 840 
 
Classified By: Ambassador Khalilzad for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d). 
 
¶1.  (SBU) SUMMARY: In the first meeting of the Open-ended 
Working Group (OEWG) during the 63rd UNGA session, the 
President of the General Assembly (PGA) reiterated his 
October 10 letter to the membership about launching 
intergovernmental negotiations November 21, though he had 
previously indicated to a number of delegations that he 
planned to postpone the launch until February, per the 
"spirit" of GA decision 62/557.  The PGA openly criticized 
the Uniting for Consensus bloc for pressuring him to respect 
a gentleman's agreement on a February launch he claimed not 
to know.  As a result, the meeting was polarized between the 
Group of Four supporting the PGA's decision to accelerate the 
negotiations timetable and the Uniting for Consensus bloc's 
defense against the PGA's criticism.  Due to scheduling 
constraints, the afternoon session was postponed until 
November 17 when we hope the PGA will clarify his intentions 
regarding the launch of intergovernmental negotiations.  END 
SUMMARY. 
 
PGA's opening remarks 
polarize subsequent debate 
-------------------------- 
 
¶2.  (SBU) The President of the General Assembly (PGA) Miguel 
d'Escoto Brockmann, speaking at the first meeting of the 
Open-ended Working Group (OEWG) during the 63rd UNGA session 
on November 11, emphasized his number one priority, 
democratization of the United Nations, and said "every 
country counts."  He referenced Nobel Prize-winning Economist 
Joe Stiglitz's remarks two weeks earlier at the PGA's Global 
Financial Crisis Interactive Panel when Stiglitz said, "We 
are now at another Bretton Woods moment."  The PGA described 
the Security Council as largely unchanged from the post-World 
War II period and called for "adapting yesterday's 
multilateral institutions to today's multipolar world." 
 
¶3.  (SBU) While the PGA noted the membership's consensus 
decision in General Assembly decision 62/557 to launch 
intergovernmental negotiations before February 28, 2009, and 
that the OEWG was meeting, per the decision, to begin 
discussions on framework and modalities to prepare and 
facilitate those negotiations (ref D), he also reiterated his 
October 10 letter to the membership (ref C) that he would 
convene an informal plenary of the General Assembly on 
November 21, 2008 to commence intergovernmental negotiations. 
 He then said, "However, I have been under an undue amount of 
pressure from the United (sic) for Consensus Group that has 
accused me of not respecting a gentleman's agreement reached 
on the evening of September 15 to the effect that the 
intergovernmental negotiations in the informal plenary could 
not start until the OEWG finished its work (February 1, 
2009).  Although I was not a party to any such agreement and 
had no way of knowing about it, if it really existed, I want 
to be as reasonable and flexible as possible without, at the 
same time, allowing a very small minority to impose its will 
on the majority." 
 
¶4.  (SBU) Before ending his opening remarks, the PGA 
highlighted the upcoming November 18 plenary debate on 
Security Council reform and the report of the Open-ended 
Working Group from the last session and drew particular 
attention to the report of the Security Council to the 
General Assembly. He then noted his appointment of Afghan 
Perm Rep Zahir Tanin as a Vice Chair of the OEWG. 
 
¶5.  (SBU) The PGA's specific reference to the Uniting for 
Consensus (UFC)'s lobbying efforts to have him return to the 
original timetable anticipated in the September 15, 2008 
compromise effectively polarized the rest of the session. 
Group of Four (G-4) supporters echoed the PGA's comments, and 
UFC members denied exerting pressure.  Of the 23 speakers, at 
least fourteen supported launching intergovernmental 
negotiations in February 2009. 
 
 
¶6.  (C) Comment: The PGA's explanation for his statement was 
that he was furious with Italian Perm Rep Terzi for revealing 
the contents of the deal they struck to cancel the November 
21 session.  Terzi wrote the PGA October 31 to summarize 
their agreement and then disseminated that letter to the 
membership November 6, after meeting with Afghan Perm Rep 
Tanin who referred to plans to still hold the November 21 
meeting.  While Terzi's clumsy tactics subjected his entire 
bloc to the PGA's criticism during the OEWG meeting, the PGA 
did not "rise above" the machinations of the various blocs 
and "bridge the divide."  Instead, the optics were that he 
supported the G-4 camp, much to the delight of the German and 
Indian delegations.  End comment. 
 
U.S. remarks 
------------ 
 
¶7.  (SBU) Ambassador DiCarlo, speaking ninth, made the U.S. 
intervention (drawn from ref A) focusing on the need for all 
member states to concentrate on the work in the OEWG to 
prepare the path forward for intergovernmental negotiations 
in February.  Ambassador DiCarlo noted this period would 
allow delegations to prepare themselves fully for the start 
of negotiations and that there was no reason to rush the 
process.  She also reminded member states that reform of the 
Council must be undertaken as part of an effort whose 
ultimate purpose should be increasing the effectiveness of 
the entire UN system -- including reforms in other areas such 
as GA financing and decision-making. 
 
Other P-5 remarks 
----------------- 
 
¶8.  (SBU) Three other members of the P-5 spoke November 11. 
The French DPR, as a G-4 supporter, stressed that the 
September 15 decision could not be reversed; that the 
necessary parameters are known; and that the OEWG's work 
cannot be a pre-condition for the start of intergovernmental 
negotiations.  The Russian DPR argued in favor of continued 
discussions in the OEWG because if intergovernmental 
negotiations start now, current disagreements among the 
membership will not disappear and will lead to a rapid 
stalemate of the negotiations.  He stressed that time is 
needed to develop mutually acceptable bases and called on the 
Chair to act as an impartial broker between member states. 
He noted that Security Council reform is "first and foremost 
a political question" and that there is a "need to remove the 
dividing lines, not deepen the existing lines."  He said 
Russia is ready to consider any reasonable approach, even a 
transitional approach.  The UK Perm Rep, another supporter of 
the G-4, stressed the importance for the Security Council to 
reflect the realities of the 21st century; urged that there 
be an open and transparent process, given the real chance for 
progress; and agreed that the OEWG should focus on modalities 
and framework but said that the start of intergovernmental 
negotiations do not depend upon such an agreement.  (Note: 
China will speak on November 17.  November 11's afternoon 
session was postponed because both the PGA and Ambassador 
Tanin were unable to chair the meeting due to the PGA's 
preparations for the November 12-13 plenary session on agenda 
item 45 (Culture of Peace) and Tanin's attendance at 
President Karzai's arrival for that plenary.  That afternoon 
session, with 17 speakers currently on the list, has been 
rescheduled for Monday, November 17 at 3 pm.  End note.) 
 
The UFC 
------- 
 
¶9.  (SBU) The Mexican Perm Rep, a UFC member, spoke first and 
stressed Mexico's commitment to Security Council reform and 
to GA decision 62/557, saying that to ignore the decision 
would lead to paralysis.  He proposed a draft schedule of 
work for five meetings of the OEWG before negotiations would 
start in February.  Two meetings would focus on the purposes 
and principles of the negotiations and three meetings on the 
terms of reference for the actual negotiations.  Then a final 
meeting would assist the Chair in preparing the report of the 
OEWG to the informal plenary, due no later than February 1. 
The Italian Perm Rep, in his own remarks later in the 
session, referred specifically to the PGA's own words that 
"every country counts" and stressed that was why there needed 
 
 
to first be a discussion in the OEWG on modalities and 
framework before the launch of negotiations.  He referred to 
the PGA's emphasis in his June acceptance speech on the 
"United" in "United Nations" and the need to respect the 
sovereign equality of all members.  He also noted that the 
UFC represents almost 45 percent of the world's population, 
thereby politely countering the PGA's assertion that the UFC 
is a "very small minority." 
 
¶10.  (SBU) The Costa Rican Perm Rep gave the strongest speech 
in support of the UFC position that Mission officers have 
heard in a long time.  He specifically cited the increased 
level of confrontation amongst the membership as a result of 
the "ambition of a handful of states - that you can count on 
one hand - that wish at any cost to become permanent members 
of the Security Council."  He then referred to the small 
states who "revolve" around those handful of large states and 
questioned the "ephemeral advantage" they would achieve if 
those large states achieved permanent membership.  Speaking 
as a current member of the Security Council, he said that, 
while Costa Rice supports Council reform, it is opposed to 
the presence of more permanent members on the Council since 
it does not believe the Council would be more efficient as a 
result.  In fact, he said, "More permanent members on the 
Council mean that the maxim 'might is right' would be further 
confirmed."  He noted that if reform of the Council is to 
reflect 21st century realities then we must question why 
there are two permanent members and two non-permanent members 
from the WEOG on the Council when the EU is moving towards a 
common foreign policy.  Or, why certain permanent members 
contribute less than half of what certain non-permanent 
members contribute.  He then said that the OEWG should 
acknowledge that Security Council methods have been reformed, 
specifically citing Belgium's Open Debate in the Council in 
August on the subject. 
 
The G-4 
------- 
 
¶11. (SBU) The German Perm Rep spoke first from the G-4 and 
stressed his belief that "delegations here know what happened 
in September" and that Germany is 100 percent behind the PGA. 
 He said that there is no real gain to be achieved from the 
OEWG and the focus should be on the informal plenary and 
intergovernmental negotiations.  He said that format and 
modalities have already been determined by GA decision 62/557 
and the rules of procedure of the GA.  The Japanese Perm Rep 
welcomed the PGA's initiative to organize an informal plenary 
and commence negotiations on November 21 but said that Japan 
is prepared to participate constructively and demonstrate 
flexibility in the process of negotiations and looks to the 
PGA for his continuous guidance in leading the negotiations. 
 
¶12. (SBU) The Brazilian Perm Rep argued against extensive 
discussions in the OEWG and suggested that after a first 
round of substantive negotiations in the informal plenary on 
November 21, the Chair should draft an options paper over the 
holiday period to which the member states could then react in 
the next meeting of the informal plenary in 2009.  The Indian 
Perm Rep said there was no "gentleman's agreement" or 
sequence to GA decision 62/557 and, ignoring the existence of 
paragraph (c) in GA decision 62/557, said that the only role 
for the OEWG comes after intergovernmental negotiations begin 
and only if an issue needs to be referred to the OEWG.  He 
termed the OEWG "singularly ineffective" and said that after 
15 years no one can accuse them of rushing the process. 
(Note: The Argentine Perm Rep, a UFC member countered the 
Indian Perm Rep in his remarks, saying that waiting 75 days 
to start negotiations is very reasonable.  End note.) 
 
Other delegations 
----------------- 
 
¶13.  (SBU) Mauritius, usually a stalwart supporter of India 
on Security Council reform, spoke on behalf of the African 
Group and argued for the Ezulwini Consensus: not less than 
two permanent seats for Africa on the Council with a veto and 
not less than five non-permanent seats, and that African 
states should be responsible for selecting those African 
members of the Council.  He said, "Africa is running late to 
take its rightful place on the Security Council."  While the 
 
 
Egyptian Perm Rep did associate himself with the Mauritian 
Perm Rep's remarks, he also stressed the sequence of the 
"spirit" of Decision 62/557.  He noted that it made sense for 
negotiations to not commence until after the Chair's report 
on the work of the OEWG to the informal plenary.  The 
Portuguese Perm Rep, who was a Vice Chair during the last 
session and generally regarded as a G-4 supporter, also 
reminded the Working Group of the September 15 compromise and 
said, "Without the sequential package, we would not have 
reached a compromise." 
 
Comment 
------- 
 
¶14.  (C) We plan to approach the PGA to seek a clarification 
of his intentions for November 21.  He did not clarify the 
situation in his opening remarks November 11 and left the 
membership confused about his ultimate intentions and 
questioning his ability to be a force to rally together the 
membership.  Ambassador Tanin privately told Ambassador 
DiCarlo November 13 that the PGA will not hold the November 
21 meeting and that Tanin is recommending a series of OEWG 
meetings before launching intergovernmental negotiations in 
January or February.  End comment. 
Khalilzad