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Viewing cable 08USUNNEWYORK1172, UNGA SECOND COMMITTEE CONCLUDES WORK BY ADOPTING

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Reference ID Created Released Classification Origin
08USUNNEWYORK1172 2008-12-15 23:12 2011-08-24 01:00 UNCLASSIFIED USUN New York
VZCZCXYZ0001
PP RUEHWEB

DE RUCNDT #1172/01 3502312
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 152312Z DEC 08
FM USMISSION USUN NEW YORK
TO SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 5522
UNCLAS USUN NEW YORK 001172 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: ECON SENV EFIN UNGA CU
SUBJECT: UNGA SECOND COMMITTEE CONCLUDES WORK BY ADOPTING 
15 RESOLUTIONS 
 
REF: STATE 129979 
 
1. SUMMARY: The UN General Assembly (UNGA) Second Committee 
concluded its work by adopting 15 draft resolutions - 14 by 
consensus and one by vote -  on December 11.  As instructed, 
the United States called for a vote and voted against the 
resolution entitled, "Toward a New International Economic 
Order."  The resolution, a Cuban-led initiative reviving the 
34-year-old Declaration on a New International Economic 
Order, passed 115-1(U.S.)-49, after which the United States 
delivered reftel Explanation of Vote (EOV).  Despite not 
voting against the resolution, Canada, Australia, France (on 
behalf of the EU), Chile, Peru and Colombia asserted that it 
includes elements that are not appropriate to today's 
economic situation and which threaten to detract from ongoing 
multilateral efforts to address the global financial crisis. 
END SUMMARY. 
 
WRAPPING UP ITS WORK BEFORE THE HOLIDAYS 
---------------------------------------- 
 
2. The UNGA Second Committee (Economic and Financial) adopted 
14 resolutions by consensus and approved one by vote during 
its final meeting of the 63rd General Assembly on December 
11.  The Secretariat issued statements to clarify that three 
resolutions calling for future meetings and conferences 
contain no current Program Budget Implications (PBIs), but 
future implications could arise once the details of those 
meetings have been agreed.  In addition to reftel EOV, the 
United States delivered Explanations of Position (EOP) on 
draft resolutions covering Implementation of Agenda 21, the 
Second UN Decade for the Eradication of Poverty, and the Role 
of Microcredit and Microfinance.  U.S. statements are 
available at www.usunnewyork.usmission.gov/press release.php. 
 All decisions and resolutions adopted in the Second 
Committee this session will undergo final action in the 
General Assembly during the week of December 15. 
 
1974 OR 2008? NEW INTERNATIONAL ECONOMIC ORDER DRAFT APPROVED 
--------------------------------------------- ---------------- 
 
3. As instructed in reftel, the United States called for a 
vote and voted against the draft resolution A/C.2/63/L.34 
entitled, "Towards a New International Economic Order," 
submitted under Agenda item 51(a).  The resolution, a 
Cuban-led redux of the 1974 Declaration on the Establishment 
of a New International Economic Order, passed by a vote of 
115-1(U.S.)-49.  Ambassador T. Vance McMahan delivered reftel 
EOV, expressing regret that this resolution was approved 
despite failing to contribute constructively to the numerous 
multilateral efforts underway to address the financial and 
economic crisis. 
 
4. Canada, Australia and France (on behalf of the EU) 
abstained during the vote, but each delivered a statement 
critical of the resolution.  Canada echoed the U.S. position 
that the resolution does not support ongoing multilateral 
efforts to address the global financial crisis.  It cautioned 
that the resolution threatens to dilute the progress achieved 
at the recent Doha Financing for Development (FfD) Conference 
by sending conflicting signals to the UN Secretariat and the 
international community.  France called the resolution's 
references to the 1974 Declaration on the Establishment of a 
New International Economic Order "irrelevant and outdated," 
and argued that the resolution could marginalize other, 
productive UN efforts to respond to the current economic 
situation. 
 
5. Chile, Peru and Colombia explained that they voted for the 
resolution "because they are G77 members," but questioned the 
appropriateness of references to the 1974 Declaration in the 
context of today's crisis.  The Chilean Delegate hinted at 
frustration over the G77's decision not to adopt 
(unspecified) amendments it offered during informal 
consultations, and stressed that the FfD Conference outcome 
document should form the framework for the UN's response to 
the crisis.  Colombia went further by disassociating itself 
from references to the old Declaration and affirmed only its 
agreement "to the general principles of the resolution." 
 
6. Russia and Mexico, on the other hand, welcomed the 
resolution's contribution to the GA's work to address the 
crisis.  Cuba, as the resolution's sponsor and main driving 
force, insisted that the fundamental principles of the 1974 
Declaration remain "more relevant today than ever before," 
because "the world has become more chaotic, unfair and 
unequal."  Cuba referenced the U.S. EOV when railing against 
the "senseless theory of market prominence defended by 
ideologues," in its statement, and suggested that "even those 
ideologues now recognize the need for deep, radical reform of 
its economic model and institutions." 
 
FOURTEEN RESOLUTIONS ADOPTED BY CONSENSUS 
 
 
----------------------------------------- 
 
7. The Second Committee approved the following 14 draft 
resolutions by consensus after the Secretariat clarified that 
there are no current PBIs for the resolutions on Least 
Developed Countries, International Migration, and Combating 
Corruption, although future implications could arise once the 
modalities and logistics have been decided for meetings 
contained in these resolutions.  All other drafts contained 
no PBIs. 
 
--A/C.2/63/L.62 entitled, "Implementation of Agenda 21, the 
Program for the Further Implementation of Agenda 21 and the 
outcomes of the World Summit on Sustainable Development," 
submitted under Agenda item 49(a). 
--A/C.2/63/L.61 entitled, "Convention on Biological 
Diversity," submitted under Agenda item 49(f). 
--A/C.2/63/L.54 entitled, "Report of the Governing Council of 
the United Nations Environment Program on its tenth special 
session," submitted under Agenda item 49(g). 
--A/C.2/63/L.64 entitled, "Implementation of the Outcome of 
the United Nations Conference on Human Settlements (Habitat 
II) and Strengthening of the United Nations Human Settlements 
Program (UN-Habitat)," submitted under Agenda item 50. 
--A/C.2/63/L.66 entitled, "Role of the United Nations in 
Promoting Development in the Context of Globalization and 
Interdependence," submitted under Agenda item 51(a). 
--A/C.2/63/L.67 entitled, "International Migration and 
Development," submitted under Agenda item 51(b). 
--A/C.2/63/L.60 entitled, "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 51(d). 
--A/C.2/63/L.57 entitled, "Implementation of the Brussels 
Program of Action for the Least Developed Countries for the 
Decade 2001-2010," submitted under Agenda item 52(a). 
--A/C.2/63/L.59 entitled, "Groups of Countries in Special 
Situations: Specific Actions Related to the Particular Needs 
and Problems of Landlocked Developing Countries: Outcome of 
the International Ministerial Conference of Landlocked and 
Transit Developing Countries and Donor Countries and 
International Financial and Development Institutions on 
Transit Transport Cooperation," submitted under Agenda item 
52(b). 
--A/C.2/63/L.58 entitled, "Second United Nations Decade for 
the Eradication of Poverty (2008-2017)," submitted under 
Agenda item 53(a). 
--A/C.2/63/L.56 entitled, "Role of Microcredit and 
Microfinance in the Eradication of Poverty," submitted under 
Agenda item 53(a). 
--A/C.2/63/L.48 entitled, "Operational Activities for 
Development," submitted under Agenda item 54. 
--A/C.2/63/L.63 entitled, "High-level United Nations 
Conference on South-South Cooperation," submitted under 
Agenda item 54. 
--A/C.2/63/L.68 entitled, "Draft Program of Work of the 
Second Committee for the Sixty-Fourth Session of the General 
Assembly. 
 
US STATEMENTS ON SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT, 
POVERTY, AND MICROFINANCE 
----------------------------------------- 
 
8. Following adoption of the resolution on Implementation of 
Agenda 21, the United States, Canada and Australia delivered 
EOPs expressing reservations about holding a 2012 high-level 
event on sustainable development, as originally proposed in 
the resolution, in order to avoid disrupting the ongoing work 
of the Commission on Sustainable Development and to prevent 
overcrowding an already busy UN calendar.  The United States 
delivered an EOP on the Second UN Decade for the Eradication 
of Poverty to underscore the need for coherence and close 
coordination among UN agencies and funds in the fight against 
poverty.  On Microfinance and Microcredit, the United States 
welcomed policy reforms by countries to level the playing 
field for small enterprises and noting that it looks forward 
to continued international cooperation in this field. 
Khalilzad