Cablegate: Unga: Syg Holds Dialogue with Ambassadors On G-20

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P 121558Z NOV 08
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E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREL EFIN KPKO KUNR KPAL PWBG UNGA IS CG SU
BG, IN, NP, RP
SUBJECT: UNGA: SYG HOLDS DIALOGUE WITH AMBASSADORS ON G-20
SUMMIT, MIDDLE EAST AND DRC

1. SUMMARY: United Nations Secretary General (SYG) Ban
Ki-moon briefed UN General Assembly (UNGA) Members on the
latest developments in the Middle East peace process, the
Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), his recent visit to Asia
and other pressing issues in a November 10 meeting. On the
financial crisis, he agreed to relay Members' concerns about
its potential impacts during the upcoming G-20 Summit in
Washington. Ban also discussed UNAMID force deployments, the
November 12-13 UN Interfaith Dialogue and he pledged to
continue to make UN operations more efficient. END SUMMARY.

G-20 SUMMIT ON THE FINANCIAL CRISIS
-----------------------------------

2. At a November 10 briefing with UNGA Ambassadors, the
Secretary General welcomed his invitation to attend the
November 15 Summit of G-20 leaders in Washington. He
characterized the Summit as a positive first step that would
bridge into the Financing for Development Review Conference
in Doha at the end of the month. Ban noted President Bush's
statement that the G-20 leaders will review the crisis'
impacts on emerging markets and least developed countries,
and he agreed to relay GA Members' messages on the challenges
they are facing and their appeal that donors fulfill their
official development assistance (ODA) pledges. To succeed,
the Summit should address the systemic roots of the crisis;
examine its complex interactions with climate change and the
food and fuel crises; and begin the process of institutional
reform to create a "more inclusive" multilateral financial
architecture, Ban continued. In the ensuing discussion,
several delegates remarked positively on Ban's attendance at
the Summit, but argued that it should be addressed in a "more
global" forum such as the "G-192" (i.e., the General
Assembly).

MIDDLE EAST - READOUT OF THE NOV. 9 QUARTET MEETING
--------------------------------------------- ------

3. The Secretary General attended the November 9 Quartet
meeting in Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt, where Palestinian
President Mahmoud Abbas and Israeli Foreign Minister Tzipi
Livni reported that an agreement by the end of the year, as
called for at Annapolis, was unlikely. Nevertheless, Ban
called the meeting a "landmark" as it was the first time
senior leaders from both sides briefed the Quartet on the
status of ongoing bilateral negotiations. He was encouraged
that both sides reported substantial and positive progress in
their negotiations, and Ban reiterated his commitment to
achieving an end to occupation and the establishment of two
states living together in peace. Several UN Delegates (i.e.,
Egypt, Sudan and Libya) questioned Ban whether "real"
progress has been made and decried the "confidential nature"
of the bilateral discussions. They noted the UN's role in
maintaining momentum in the coming months as Israel prepares
to hold elections and during the United States' political
transition.

DRC - SYG HEARTENED BY THE NOV. 7 NAIROBI MEETING
--------------------------------------------- ----

4. At a November 7 emergency summit of regional Heads of
State in Nairobi, which the Secretary General attended,
leaders renewed their call for a cease-fire in eastern DRC
and voiced support for a mechanism chaired by Kenyan
President Kibaki to reach a political solution to the
conflict. Characterizing the meeting as "frank and open,"
Ban stated that he was encouraged by the outcome. Delegates,
primarily from the region, called on MONUC forces to
establish peace and stop the "genocide and humanitarian
crimes" perpetrated by armed groups in the DRC's North Kivu
province. Ban described MONUC forces as "overstretched," and
stressed that lasting peace will only come through a
political solution. The DRC Ambassador appealed for
international assistance for the Congolese population in
North Kivu affected by the fighting. Rwanda's Ambassador
Nsengemana asserted that peace would not be possible with
ex-FAR and Interahamwe "genocidal" forces still in the
region. Nsengemana also accused UN Assistant Secretary
General for Peacekeeping Operations Edmund Mulet of

disseminating "false rumors" that Rwandan forces are present
in DRC to "pillage resources."

DARFUR - UPDATE ON UNAMID DEPLOYMENTS
-------------------------------------

5. The African Union chief negotiator continues to develop a
framework agreement for a political solution to the conflict
in Darfur, the Secretary General reported. He added that the
UN plans to deploy between 14,000 and 16,000 UNAMID forces
(60% of its total commitment) by the end of the year, and
expects that figure to rise to 80-85 percent of the total
commitment by March, 2009. He remarked, however, that
UNAMID's success will depend on the cooperation and support
of the Government of Sudan. Sudan's Ambassador hoped "the UN
would be part of the solution and not part of the problem"
and sought its backing for a "homegrown" peace initiative
(NFI) concluded over the November 5-6 weekend.

TRIP TO ASIA
------------

6. On a recent trip to Asia, Ban attended the second Global
Forum on Migration and Development in Manila, where attendees
focused on harnessing the benefits of migration to meet
development goals. While at the Forum, members commented on
the impact of the financial crisis on migrant workers and the
lower expected remittances due to the economic downturn. In
India, the Secretary General met with NGO leaders to discuss
climate change. He also reviewed first-hand the progress of
Nepal's democratization, calling for that country's General
Assembly to begin its work without delay and to complete the
drafting of its new constitution. While in Bangladesh, Ban
visited several microfinance projects and delivered the
message that the UN expects free and credible parliamentary
elections there next month.

INTERFAITH DIALOGUE
-------------------

7. Ban welcomed the Saudi initiative to convene a November
12-13 Interfaith Dialogue at the UN. He expressed the
expectation that the meeting would promote the values common
to all religions in order to fight extremism and hatred.

UN BUDGET AND MANAGEMENT REFORM
-------------------------------

8. In the face of the ongoing financial, food, and fuel
crises, and the impact of climate change, the SYG observed
that there are a number of emerging issues requiring UN
budget and human resources. He pledged his personal
assistance, and that of the Secretariat, to provide resources
in a better, more effective manner.
Khalilzad

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