Cablegate: Nz On Un Reform and the Budget Cap

VZCZCXYZ0000
OO RUEHWEB

DE RUEHWL #0489 1790650
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
O 280650Z JUN 06
FM AMEMBASSY WELLINGTON
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 2954
INFO RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK IMMEDIATE 0060

C O N F I D E N T I A L WELLINGTON 000489

SIPDIS

SIPDIS
NOFORN

STATE FOR EAP/FO, EAP/ANP, AND IO/UNP

E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/28/2016
TAGS: PREL PGOV UNGA NZ
SUBJECT: NZ ON UN REFORM AND THE BUDGET CAP

REF: STATE 105146

Classified By: Political-Economic Counselor Katherine Hadda,
for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d)

1. (C) On June 27, the DCM discussed reftel draft reform
resolution with Joan Mosley, Director of the UN Division at
the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade. Mosley said she
had already received and studied carefully the
US-Australia-Japan paper. GNZ agrees completely with the
paper's intent, she said, but wonders whether tabling it as a
resolution was not a "high-risk" strategy that might "scare
the G-77." Mosley said the Kiwi delegation in New York had
told her there would be a JUSKCANZ meeting the morning of
June 27 New York time to discuss the paper. The delegation
also reported that the President of the General Assembly
would be calling the main players together to see what could
be done to get buy-in for as much of the reform package as
possible by June 30.

2. (C) The DCM stressed to Mosley that the Congress would
soon be going home to begin serious campaigning for the
November elections, and would need to see some evidence of
political will in New York for reform. If the General
Assembly were to adjourn with a higher budget cap and no
movement toward even modest reform, pressure within the
Congress to cut US contributions to the UN budget could be
overwhelming.

3. (C) MFAT's Americas Division also called us on the 27th
to say that A/S Hill had phoned Deputy Foreign Secretary John
McKinnon about the draft reform resolution.
McCormick

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