US embassy cable - 05PARIS2483

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 PARIS 002483 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPT FOR PRM/ANE-ROBERT WARD 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/11/2015 
TAGS: PREF, KPAL, PREL, FR, EUN 
SUBJECT: GOF WEIGHING RESPONSE TO UNRWA EMERGENCY APPEAL, 
BUT CONTRIBUTION LIKELY TO BE MODEST 
 
REF: STATE 65023 
 
Classified By: Political Minister-Counselor Josiah Rosenblatt, reasons 
1.4 (b) and (d). 
 
1. (U) This message contains an action request for Washington 
in para 4. 
 
2. (C) We discussed reftel talking points on the 2005 UNRWA 
emergency appeal with MFA action officer for UN/Middle East 
issues Alice Guitton April 12, urging a sizable French 
contribution to help alleviate Palestinian refugees' 
difficult humanitarian situation.  Guitton stressed that the 
GoF fully shared U.S. concerns on increased poverty among 
Palestinians, and commended the U.S. effort to broaden the 
international donor base to UNRWA, particularly among GCC 
countries.   At the same time, while the GoF had not made a 
final decision on contributing to the 2005 emergency appeal, 
Guitton suggested that a sizable GoF contribution was 
unlikely.  She stressed that the GoF contribution to the 
UNRWA regular budget had nearly doubled since 2004, with 
France contributing 5 million euros so far in 2005 to the 
regular budget, compared to 3 million euros in 2004.  The 
2005 French regular budget contribution would likely increase 
beyond 5 million euros, with an expected project addressing 
Palestinian children's health.  According to Guitton, it was 
unrealistic to expect that the French contribution to the 
UNRWA emergency appeal would be comparable to the regular 
budget contribution, particularly in a year in which the 
French regular budget contribution had increased 
considerably.  Guitton also stressed that France contributed 
a significant percentage of the European Commission regular 
budget contribution to UNRWA, which she said was comparable 
to that of the U.S. in 2004. 
 
3. (C) Guitton noted further that UNRWA emergency appeals 
often came late in the GoF budgetary planning cycle and past 
the point at which GoF funds for the UN had already been 
exhausted, limiting the GoF's ability to respond.  The GoF 
faced a similar situation in 2004, when its contributions to 
the UNRWA emergency appeal for that year were limited to 
about 450,000 euros.  For this reason, the GoF had appealed 
to UNRWA to implement reforms which would minimize the 
shortfalls in the regular budget, better mobilize donors, and 
improve its mid-term and long-range planning capacity, to 
lessen reliance on emergency appeals. 
 
4. (C) In closing, Guitton asked whether the U.S. had taken a 
position on candidates for the next UNRWA Commissioner 
General (ComGen), expressing hope that SYG Annan would make a 
decision soon.  Guitton clarified that the GoF wanted to see 
a European candidate take the position, but had not endorsed 
a particular person.  She added that the naming of a new 
ComGen would be important to maintaining momentum on 
reforming UNRWA and would alleviate Palestinian concerns on 
the direction of the organization.  At the same time, she 
conceded, SYG Annan's intentions were unclear as was the 
number of potential candidates.  Guitton clarified that the 
GoF did not have a candidate for the slot, as it already had 
enough contenders in other UN positions.  Action request: 
please provide guidance on U.S. views on candidates for UNRWA 
DG, or indicate whether the U.S. has a preference for a 
particular candidate or nationality.  End action request. 
 
LEACH