VZCZCXYZ0015
PP RUEHWEB
DE RUCNDT #0873/01 2731633
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 291633Z SEP 08
FM USMISSION USUN NEW YORK
TO SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 5010
UNCLAS USUN NEW YORK 000873
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV PREL ECON UNGA AORL MW HA NH BY BG NP
UK, JM, BT, BU, WS, BF, VC, AU, NU
SUBJECT: UN GENERAL DEBATE CONTINUES: UK, PALESTINE AND
OTHERS
REF: USUN NEW YORK 831
1. SUMMARY: On the morning of September 26, the UNGA General
Debate continued to address the global financial crisis,
climate change, natural disasters, and restarting the Doha
round of trade talks. The following heads of state spoke:
Montenegro, Haiti, Vanuatu. Heads of Government and
high-level representatives from Burundi, Bangladesh, Nepal,
the United Kingdom, Jamaica, Bhutan, Bulgaria, Samoa, the
Bahamas, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Palestine,
Austria, and Nicaragua also spoke. All statements are
available at www.un.org/ga/63/generaldebate. END SUMMARY.
PALESTINE, OTHERS CALL FOR A "TWO-STATE SOLUTION"
--------------------------------------------- ----
2. Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas urged a two-state
solution, using the 1967 borders. He lamented that Palestine
had not reached an agreement with Israel that would end
"Israeli Occupation," particularly in Eastern Jerusalem. He
questioned whether peace was possible without complete
restoration of Arab territories. Abbas thanked President Bush
and the Secretary for their role in advancing negotiations.
Abbas frequently reproached the condition of Palestinians in
jails, in the Gaza strip, and in refugee camps. Throughout
the morning, several leaders reiterated (in the case of
Jamaica, nearly verbatim), UK Prime Minister Brown's call for
a two-state solution that guarantees the security of Israel
and gives the Palestinians viable statehood.
COUNTRIES JOIN UK'S CALL FOR COLLECTIVE RESPONSE
TO FINANCIAL CRISIS
--------------------------------------------- ---
3. The United Kingdom called on nations to jointly address
the "twin shocks" of rising commodity prices and a global
credit crunch, adding that we must all resist the urge
towards isolationism. The United States deserves the support
of the rest of the world as it develops concrete measures to
stabilize its financial markets, he continued. A revitalized
global financial system should be based on the principles of
transparency, sound banking regulations, responsibility,
integrity and a global supervisory mechanism to oversee
global capital exchanges - proposals which Jamaica, Burundi
and others echoed.
REFORMING THE UN FOR GLOBAL PEACE
---------------------------------
4. Most speakers called for the reform and democratization of
the United Nations in order to more efficiently deal with
global security concerns. Vanuatu advocated for Japan and
India to be granted permanent seats on the Security Council.
Montenegro and Samoa welcomed the upcoming intergovernmental
negotiations on Security Council reform, and Haiti lauded
General Assembly President D'Escoto's call for a high-level
dialogue on democratizing the United Nations (reftel).
Meanwhile, Austria asserted its readiness to serve on the UN
Security Council. Bulgaria noted the need for intensive
partnership between the United Nations and regional
organizations, particularly in light of situations in the
Balkans and recent aggression in Georgia.
CLIMATE CHANGE AND THE MILLENNIUM DEVELOPMENT GOALS
--------------------------------------------- ------
5. Most countries placed Millennium Development Goals (MDGs)
in the context of global trends and the food, energy,
financial, and climate crises. The island nations of Haiti,
Jamaica, the Bahamas, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Samoa
and Vanuatu discussed the need to address climate change
since rising ocean levels and increased tropical storms can
destroy progress toward the MDGs. These nations also called
attention to the Pacific Island nations' proposal to address
climate change in the UNSC; Austria also voiced support.
Speakers repeated calls for developed nations to meet their
pledge of providing 0.7 percent of GDP for development
assistance.
TRADE AS A MECHANISM TO BOOST DEVELOPMENT
-----------------------------------------
6. Using similar language, countries on both sides of the
North-South trade divide called for an immediate and
successful conclusion to the Doha round of World Trade
Organization trade talks. The UK called for an end to
protectionism and trade-distorting subsidies costing
developing countries billions of U.S. dollars each year in
agricultural Qme. Vanuatu thanked the United States for
its development assistance; while Haiti asserted that the
internationaQmmunity must breaQe "paradigm of charity"
and agree instead upon fair and transparent trade
liberalization policies. The Bahamas and St. Vincent and the
Grenadines also called for equality in global markets.
Jamaica noted its disappointment that the Doha round has
failed to create a fair, equitable system and called on all
parties to return to negotiations.
Khalilzad