VZCZCXYZ0003
RR RUEHWEB

DE RUCNDT #1024 3170008
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 130008Z NOV 09
FM USMISSION USUN NEW YORK
TO SECSTATE WASHDC 7599

UNCLAS USUN NEW YORK 001024 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: AORC KUNR PREL UNGA UNGA
SUBJECT: ELECTIONS IN UN GENERAL ASSEMBLY: U.S. ELECTED TO 
COMMISSION ON INTERNATIONAL TRADE LAW AND THE GOVERNING 
COUNCIL OF THE UN ENVIRONMENT PROGRAM 
 
 ¶1. SUMMARY: The United Nations General Assembly held 
elections on November 3, 2009 to fill vacancies in subsidiary 
organs of the Assembly and other UN administrative and 
budgetary bodies: the Committee for Program and Coordination, 
the UN Commission on International Trade Law (U.S. was 
re-elected), the Governing Council of the United Nations 
Environment Program (U.S. was re-elected), the Committee on 
Conferences, and the Joint Inspection Unit. Iran took the 
floor on two occasions to report that they opposed the 
Israeli candidate, although the elections had been conducted 
by consensus acclamation (no ballot). The UN press release 
can be found at 
http://www.un.org/News/Press/docs/2009/ga1088 1.doc.htm. END 
SUMMARY 
 
¶2. SIX ELECTED TO COMMITTEE FOR PROGRAM AND COORDINATION: The 
assembly elected by consensus acclimation Comoros, Haiti, 
Israel, Namibia, the Russian Federation, and Venezuela for 
three-year terms (2010-2012) to the Committee for Program and 
Coordination. The six countries has been endorsed by their 
respective regional groups. 
 
¶3. UNITED STATES RE-ELECTED TO THE UN COMMISSION ON 
INTERNATIONAL TRADE LAW (UNCITRAL): The Assembly elected the 
following 30 countries for six-year terms (2010-2016) to the 
UN Commission on International Trade Law (UNCITRAL) by 
consensus acclamation: Algeria, Argentina, Australia, 
Austria, Belarus, Brazil, Colombia, Czech Republic, Fiji, 
Gabon, India, Iran, Israel, Italy, Jordan, Kenya, Mauritius, 
Nigeria, Pakistan, Philippines, Poland, Spain, Thailand, 
Turkey, Uganda, Ukraine, United States and Venezuela. The 
candidates had been endorsed by their regional groups. 
 
¶4. UNITED STATES RE-ELECTED TO THE GOVERNING COUNCIL OF THE 
UN ENVIRONMENT PROGRAM (UNEP): The Assembly elected the 
following 29 countries for four-year terms (2010-2013) to the 
Governing Council of the UN Environment Program (UNEP): 
Australia, Antigua, Barbuda, Argentina, Belgium, Brazil, 
Canada, Central African Republic, China, Czech Republic, 
France, Gabon, Germany, Indonesia, Japan, Kenya, Lesotho, 
Malaysia, Mauritania, Mozambique, Pakistan, Republic of 
Korea, Romania, Russian Federation, Switzerland, Trinidad and 
Tobago, United Republic of Tanzania, the United States, 
Uruguay and Zambia. The candidates had been endorsed by their 
regional groups. Hungary was elected without a vote to 
complete a term (vice Belarus) based on a WEOG sub-regional 
rotational agreement. 
 
¶5. THREE COUNTRIES ELECTED TO COMMITTEE ON COQERENCES: The 
Assembly elected Cote d,Ivoire, Germany, and Syria for 
three-year terms (2010-2012) to the Committee on Conferences 
by consensus acclamation. Four vacancies remain for the 
African States, Eastern European States, and Latin American 
and Caribbean States groups and will be decided upon 
additional consultation between the regional groups and the 
President of the General Assembly. The candidates had been 
endorsed by their regional groups. 
 
¶6. TURKEY AND FRANCE ELECTED TO JOINT INSPECTION UNIT: 
Elections were held to elect two members from the Western 
European and Others Group for five-year terms (2011-2014) to 
the Joint Inspections Unit. Turkey, France, and Spain ran for 
two vacancies. 186 valid ballots were cast with zero 
abstentions: Turkey received 146 votes, France received 117, 
and Spain received 101. 
 
¶7. IRAN CLARIFIES THAT VOTES FOR ISRAEL WERE NEGATIVE: Iran 
requested the floor following the elections for the Committee 
for Program and Coordination and the Commission on 
International Trade Law stating that its vote for Israel was 
negative and making no additional comment. (NOTE: Iran,s 
clarification had no bearing on any vote count since no votes 
were recorded for these uncontested elections. Iran did not 
request a vote while the two elections were in progress.) 
Rice