VZCZCXYZ0003
PP RUEHWEB
DE RUCNDT #1124/01 3371443
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 021443Z DEC 08
FM USMISSION USUN NEW YORK
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 5448
INFO RUEHAH/AMEMBASSY ASHGABAT 0067
UNCLAS USUN NEW YORK 001124
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: ECON ETRD SENV PREL PREF UNGA LE IS TX
SUBJECT: UNGA SECOND COMMITTEE ADOPTS 15 RESOLUTIONS,
INCLUDING ONE ON THE LEBANESE OIL SLICK
REF: A. STATE 125066
B. STATE 124609
1. SUMMARY: The United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) Second
Committee (Economic and Financial) adopted 15 resolutions
during its November 25 and 26 sessions. Per reftel A, the
United States called for a vote and voted against the draft
resolution entitled, "Oil slick on Lebanese shores," which
was adopted 154-5(U.S.)-3. The United States joined
consensus on 14 other resolutions and delivered an
Explanation of Position (EOP), per reftel B, for the
resolution on sustainable development for the Caribbean Sea.
The Second Committee will reconvene the week of December 8 to
conclude action on its outstanding resolutions for the 63rd
General Assembly. END SUMMARY.
LEBANON OIL SLICK RESOLUTION ADOPTED BY VOTE
--------------------------------------------
2. The UNGA Second Committee considered draft resolution
A/C.2/63/L.24/Rev.1 entitled, "Oil slick on Lebanese shores"
under Agenda item 49 during its November 26 session. Per
reftel A instructions, the United States called for a vote
and voted against the resolution, which was adopted by a vote
of 154-5(U.S.)-3. France, on behalf of the EU, explained
that it voted for the resolution based on its support for
addressing the environmental impacts of the oil slick, but
cautioned that those activities should not be diluted by
political agendas. The EU alluded to its expectation that
this is the final year for this resolution. Israel spoke out
against this "one-sided" resolution and regretted what it
called a "disturbing increase in the politicization of the
Second Committee." Israel further emphasized that the
resolution ignores the Hizbullah rocket attacks on Israeli
citizens which prompted its bombing of the El-Jiyeh power
plant, leading to the oil slick. Lebanon outlined the
"colossal" economic and environmental damage resulting from
the attack and accused Israel of violating international law
and "shoving the region into a cycle of violence."
SEVEN RESOLUTIONS ADOPTED BY CONSENSUS ON NOV. 25
--------------------------------------------- ----
3. The Second Committee adopted the following seven
resolutions by consensus during its November 25 session, all
of which contained no Program Budget Implications (PBIs):
--A/C.2/63/L.35 entitled, "Report of the twelfth session of
the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development"
submitted under Agenda item 47(a).
--A/C.2/63/L.49 entitled, "International trade and
development" submitted under Agenda item 47(a).
--A/C.2/63/L.37 entitled, "Follow-up International Conference
on Financing for Development to Review the Implementation of
the Monterrey Consensus" submitted under Agenda item 48.
--A/C.2/63/L.3/Rev.1/Add.1 entitled, "Reliable and stable
transit of energy and its role in ensuring sustainable
development and international cooperation" submitted under
Agenda item 49.
--A/C.2/63/L.45 entitled, "Protection of global climate for
present and future generations" submitted under Agenda item
49(d).
--A/C.2/63/L.47 entitled, "Development cooperation with
middle-income countries" submitted under Agenda item 51(a).
A/C.2/63/L.46 entitled, "Industrial development cooperation"
submitted under Agenda item 53(b).
4. The United States co-sponsored the resolution on reliable
and stable transit of energy. Turkmenistan noted that it
looks forward to hosting a high-level meeting on this topic
in 2009, while Tajikistan, Georgia, Russia, Syria, Chile,
Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan and Russia made interventions to
express support for this resolution.
SEVEN ADDITIONAL RESOLUTIONS ADOPTED BY CONSENSUS ON NOV. 26
--------------------------------------------- ---------------
5. During its November 26 meeting, the UNGA Second Committee
adopted seven additional resolutions by consensus, including
Resolution A/C.2/63/L.44 on sustainable development of Small
Island Developing States, as orally amended to obviate a
potential PBI - a concern which delayed consideration of this
resolution on November 25. The seven resolutions adopted by
consensus and containing no PBIs were:
--A/C.2/63/L.55 entitled, "Information and communication
technologies for development" submitted under Agenda item 46.
--A/C.2/63/L.42 entitled, "Commodities" submitted under
Agenda item 47(d).
--A/C.2/63/L.44 entitled, "Follow-up to and implementation of
the Mauritius Strategy for the Further Implementation of the
Program of Action for the Sustainable Development of Small
Island Developing States" submitted under Agenda item 49(b),
as orally amended.
--A/C.2/63/L.52 entitled, "Towards the sustainable
development of the Caribbean Sea for present and future
generations" submitted under Agenda item 49(b).
--A/C.2/63/L.51 entitled, "International Strategy for
Disaster Reduction" submitted under Agenda item 49(c).
--A/C.2/63/L.50 entitled, "Natural disasters and
vulnerability" submitted under Agenda item 49(c).
--A/C.2/63/L.53 entitled, "Implementation of the United
Nations Convention to Combat Desertification in Those
Countries Experiencing Serious Drought and/or
Desertification, Particularly in Africa" submitted under
Agenda item 49(e).
6. Per reftel B instructions, the United States delivered an
EOP on resolution A/C.2/63/L.52 on sustainable development of
the Caribbean Sea. Turkey and Venezuela spoke to dissociate
from references in the resolution to the UN Convention on the
Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), to which they are not Parties.
ADDITIONAL MEETING REQUIRED
---------------------------
7. The Second Committee did not complete consideration of its
outstanding resolutions by the end of the November 26 session
(13 remain to be acted upon), and will therefore reconvene
during the week of December 8 to conclude its activities for
the 63rd General Assembly. The Committee Chair announced
that it would schedule additional meetings to continue
negotiations on draft resolutions covering "International
Migration and Development" and "Globalization and
Interdependence" before the Committee's final meeting.
Wolff