VZCZCXYZ0003
PP RUEHWEB

DE RUCNDT #1124/01 3371443
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 021443Z DEC 08
FM USMISSION USUN NEW YORK
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 5448
INFO RUEHAH/AMEMBASSY ASHGABAT 0067

UNCLAS USUN NEW YORK 001124 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: ECON ETRD SENV PREL PREF UNGA LE IS TX
SUBJECT: UNGA SECOND COMMITTEE ADOPTS 15 RESOLUTIONS, 
INCLUDING ONE ON THE LEBANESE OIL SLICK 
 
REF: A. STATE 125066 
     ¶B. STATE 124609 
 
¶1. SUMMARY: The United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) Second 
Committee (Economic and Financial) adopted 15 resolutions 
during its November 25 and 26 sessions.  Per reftel A, the 
United States called for a vote and voted against the draft 
resolution entitled, "Oil slick on Lebanese shores," which 
was adopted 154-5(U.S.)-3.  The United States joined 
consensus on 14 other resolutions and delivered an 
Explanation of Position (EOP), per reftel B, for the 
resolution on sustainable development for the Caribbean Sea. 
The Second Committee will reconvene the week of December 8 to 
conclude action on its outstanding resolutions for the 63rd 
General Assembly.  END SUMMARY. 
 
LEBANON OIL SLICK RESOLUTION ADOPTED BY VOTE 
-------------------------------------------- 
 
¶2. The UNGA Second Committee considered draft resolution 
A/C.2/63/L.24/Rev.1 entitled, "Oil slick on Lebanese shores" 
under Agenda item 49 during its November 26 session.  Per 
reftel A instructions, the United States called for a vote 
and voted against the resolution, which was adopted by a vote 
of 154-5(U.S.)-3.  France, on behalf of the EU, explained 
that it voted for the resolution based on its support for 
addressing the environmental impacts of the oil slick, but 
cautioned that those activities should not be diluted by 
political agendas.  The EU alluded to its expectation that 
this is the final year for this resolution.  Israel spoke out 
against this "one-sided" resolution and regretted what it 
called a "disturbing increase in the politicization of the 
Second Committee."  Israel further emphasized that the 
resolution ignores the Hizbullah rocket attacks on Israeli 
citizens which prompted its bombing of the El-Jiyeh power 
plant, leading to the oil slick.  Lebanon outlined the 
"colossal" economic and environmental damage resulting from 
the attack and accused Israel of violating international law 
and "shoving the region into a cycle of violence." 
 
SEVEN RESOLUTIONS ADOPTED BY CONSENSUS ON NOV. 25 
--------------------------------------------- ---- 
 
¶3. The Second Committee adopted the following seven 
resolutions by consensus during its November 25 session, all 
of which contained no Program Budget Implications (PBIs): 
 
--A/C.2/63/L.35 entitled, "Report of the twelfth session of 
the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development" 
submitted under Agenda item 47(a). 
--A/C.2/63/L.49 entitled, "International trade and 
development" submitted under Agenda item 47(a). 
--A/C.2/63/L.37 entitled, "Follow-up International Conference 
on Financing for Development to Review the Implementation of 
the Monterrey Consensus" submitted under Agenda item 48. 
--A/C.2/63/L.3/Rev.1/Add.1 entitled, "Reliable and stable 
transit of energy and its role in ensuring sustainable 
development and international cooperation" submitted under 
Agenda item 49. 
--A/C.2/63/L.45 entitled, "Protection of global climate for 
present and future generations" submitted under Agenda item 
49(d). 
--A/C.2/63/L.47 entitled, "Development cooperation with 
middle-income countries" submitted under Agenda item 51(a). 
A/C.2/63/L.46 entitled, "Industrial development cooperation" 
submitted under Agenda item 53(b). 
 
¶4. The United States co-sponsored the resolution on reliable 
and stable transit of energy.  Turkmenistan noted that it 
looks forward to hosting a high-level meeting on this topic 
in 2009, while Tajikistan, Georgia, Russia, Syria, Chile, 
Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan and Russia made interventions to 
express support for this resolution. 
 
SEVEN ADDITIONAL RESOLUTIONS ADOPTED BY CONSENSUS ON NOV. 26 
--------------------------------------------- --------------- 
 
¶5. During its November 26 meeting, the UNGA Second Committee 
adopted seven additional resolutions by consensus, including 
Resolution A/C.2/63/L.44 on sustainable development of Small 
Island Developing States, as orally amended to obviate a 
potential PBI - a concern which delayed consideration of this 
resolution on November 25. The seven resolutions adopted by 
consensus and containing no PBIs were: 
 
--A/C.2/63/L.55 entitled, "Information and communication 
technologies for development" submitted under Agenda item 46. 
--A/C.2/63/L.42 entitled, "Commodities" submitted under 
Agenda item 47(d). 
--A/C.2/63/L.44 entitled, "Follow-up to and implementation of 
the Mauritius Strategy for the Further Implementation of the 
Program of Action for the Sustainable Development of Small 
 
 
Island Developing States" submitted under Agenda item 49(b), 
as orally amended. 
--A/C.2/63/L.52 entitled, "Towards the sustainable 
development of the Caribbean Sea for present and future 
generations" submitted under Agenda item 49(b). 
--A/C.2/63/L.51 entitled, "International Strategy for 
Disaster Reduction" submitted under Agenda item 49(c). 
--A/C.2/63/L.50 entitled, "Natural disasters and 
vulnerability" submitted under Agenda item 49(c). 
--A/C.2/63/L.53 entitled, "Implementation of the United 
Nations Convention to Combat Desertification in Those 
Countries Experiencing Serious Drought and/or 
Desertification, Particularly in Africa" submitted under 
Agenda item 49(e). 
 
¶6. Per reftel B instructions, the United States delivered an 
EOP on resolution A/C.2/63/L.52 on sustainable development of 
the Caribbean Sea.  Turkey and Venezuela spoke to dissociate 
from references in the resolution to the UN Convention on the 
Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), to which they are not Parties. 
 
ADDITIONAL MEETING REQUIRED 
--------------------------- 
 
¶7. The Second Committee did not complete consideration of its 
outstanding resolutions by the end of the November 26 session 
(13 remain to be acted upon), and will therefore reconvene 
during the week of December 8 to conclude its activities for 
the 63rd General Assembly.  The Committee Chair announced 
that it would schedule additional meetings to continue 
negotiations on draft resolutions covering "International 
Migration and Development" and "Globalization and 
Interdependence" before the Committee's final meeting. 
Wolff