VZCZCXYZ0012
PP RUEHWEB

DE RUEHUNV #0465/01 2821058
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 091058Z OCT 09
FM USMISSION UNVIE VIENNA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 0173
INFO RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK 1778

UNCLAS UNVIE VIENNA 000465 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV UN AU KCRM KCOR
 
SUBJECT:  COUNTRIES ADDRESS REVIEW AND TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE TO 
PROMOTE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE UN ORGANIZED CRIME CONVENTION 
 
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SUMMARY 
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¶1. SUMMARY: The UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) hosted two 
intergovernmental meetings from September 30 - October 2 in order to 
advance implementation of the UN Convention against Transnational 
Organized Crime (UNTOC). 
 
¶2.  During the Expert Meeting on Review of Implementation (September 
30), chaired by INL DAS Verville in her capacity as President of the 
Conference of the Parties (COP), participants from 75 countries met 
to begin initial discussions on the development of a review 
mechanism for the UNTOC.  Many states emphasized the importance of 
taking lessons learned from the process underway to reach agreement 
on review mechanism for the UN Convention against Corruption (UNCAC) 
and wanted to await the outcome of the UNCAC third Conference of the 
States Parties (COSP).  The U.S. delegation stressed the unique 
nature of the UNTOC, with its broad scope of application and 
emphasis on international cooperation, which may require a review 
mechanism tailored to it, rather than the automatically transpose 
that under development for the UNCAC. 
 
¶3.  During the Working Group on Technical Assistance (October 1-2), 
participants from over 64 countries agreed on priorities for the 
development of UNODC projects to assist state parties and 
signatories with implementation of the Convention.  The Working 
Group also endorsed two U.S.-driven initiatives, which sought to 
further (1) information gathering on actual use of the Convention 
and (2) the development of a roster of experts to allow UNODC to 
match technical assistance requests with expertise from state 
parties. 
 
¶4.  DAS Verville also hosted a meeting of the UNTOC Bureau, which 
agreed to hold a follow-up Expert Meeting on Review of 
Implementation from January 25-26 and the second Working Group on 
Trafficking in Persons from January 27-29.  END SUMMARY. 
 
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U.S. Delegation 
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¶5. INL DAS Elizabeth Verville led the U.S. delegation, which also 
included: UNVIE John Brandolino, DOJ Thomas Burrows, INL Christine 
Cline and L Virginia Prugh. 
 
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BEGINNING A DIALOGUE TOWARDS 
A REVIEW MECHANISM 
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¶6.  INL DAS Verville served as chairperson for the September 30 
meeting of experts on review of implementation, in her capacity as 
President of the COP.  Experts from 75 countries participated in 
initial discussions on the development of a review mechanism for the 
UNTOC.  Participants generally favored a review mechanism to promote 
and strengthen the implementation of the Convention, while China and 
Russia emphasized the importance of a gradual approach. Many states 
also stressed the importance of taking lessons learned from the 
process underway to reach agreement on review mechanism for the UN 
Convention against Corruption (UNCAC) and wanted to await the 
outcome of the UNCAC third Conference of the States Parties (COSP). 
Member States of the European Union advocated for a decision to be 
taken at the next COP in 2010 to establish an intergovernmental 
working group, with a view to developing terms of reference for a 
review mechanism. 
 
¶7.  The U.S. delegation stressed the unique nature of the UNTOC, 
with its broad scope of application and emphasis on international 
cooperation, which may require a review mechanism tailored to its 
provisions, rather than automatically transposing that under 
development for the UNCAC. Peru, Argentina and, by implication, 
Japan supported this statement. The U.S. delegation also pressed for 
a more complete picture of UNTOC use and any problems encountered. 
In this regard, the U.S. delegation and other participants welcomed 
UNODC's work on a comprehensive software package to facilitate 
information gathering on the normative framework and practical 
application of the UNTOC. 
 
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PRIORITIES FOR TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE 
----------------------------------- 
 
¶8.  During the October 1-2 Working Group on Technical Assistance, 
participants from over 64 countries agreed on priorities for the 
development of UNODC projects to assist state parties and 
signatories with implementation of the Convention.  These included: 
promotion of ratification and accession to the UNTOC; awareness 
raising and capacity building efforts; promotion of international 
cooperation under the UNTOC; strengthening of competent central 
authorities; and development of programs for the protection of 
 
witnesses and victims of international organized crime. 
 
¶9.  The Working Group also endorsed two U.S.-driven initiatives, 
which sought to further (1) information gathering on actual use of 
the Convention and (2) to match technical assistance requests with 
expertise from state parties. To this end, the UNODC will complete 
the comprehensive software package for the UNTOC and supplement it 
with questions on the states' use of the UNTOC and its Protocols. 
UNODC will also invite states to identify individuals and their 
corresponding institutions, with expertise in the implementation of 
the Convention, in order to facilitate the provision of assistance 
to requesting states.  The Working Group also recommended that the 
COP consider the establishment and maintenance of a roster of such 
experts. 
 
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MEETINGS ON TIP AND REVIEW OF 
IMPLEMENTATION SET FOR JANUARY 
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¶10.  INL DAS VERVILLE convened a meeting of the UNTOC Extended 
Bureau, which consisted of the heads of the regional groups in 
addition to those (Argentina, Azerbaijan, Colombia, Egypt, Kenya, 
Malaysia, Norway, Poland and the Philippines) nominated to serve on 
the Bureau.  The Extended Bureau agreed to authorize the Secretariat 
to convene the remaining two days of the expert meeting on review of 
implementation from January 25-26, pending confirmation by 
Conference Services that the costs for such a meeting could be 
absorbed. 
 
¶11.  The Working Group on Trafficking in Persons will immediately 
follow from January 27-29.  In this regard, the Bureau reviewed the 
draft agenda for the TIP Working Group, which incorporated suggested 
topics as provided states parties and signatories.  These topics 
were: (1) definitions of key concepts of the TIP Protocol, (2) good 
practices in discouraging the demand for exploitative services, (3) 
non-punishment and non-prosecution of trafficked persons for 
offenses committed in the process of being trafficked and (4) good 
practices and tools for front line enforcement officers in 
responding to TIP.  DAS Verville asked Bureau members to share the 
proposed agenda with their respective regional groups and come to 
the next Bureau meeting in two weeks time prepared to provide any 
proposed modifications with a view to finalizing the draft agenda. 
 
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COMMENT 
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¶12.  The expert meeting on review of implementation reinforced the 
reluctance of many states to delve deeply into discussions on a 
review mechanism for the UNTOC before the outcome of the UNCAC 
Conference of the States Parties in November.  The January experts 
meeting should prove to be an opportunity for more fulsome 
discussion and to lay the groundwork for next steps in advance of 
UNTOC COP, which is scheduled for October 2010.  At the same time, 
the Working Group on Technical Assistance provided concrete 
recommendations for targeting UNODC assistance projects. The next 
challenge will be to generate donor funding and support to bring 
these recommendations to fruition. While the United States has made 
good on its pledge to provide "soft earmarked" funds for these 
purposes, it will be necessary to work through UNODC's Major Donors 
Group and relevant meetings to encourage other donors to also devote 
resources to UNTOC implementation through UNODC. 
 
PYATT