US embassy cable - 05HANOI1176

UNCLAS HANOI 001176 
 
SIPDIS 
 
 
STATE FOR EAP/BCLTV AND IO/P 
 
SENSITIVE 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREL, IT, VM, UNSC 
SUBJECT: ITALIAN UNSC ENLARGEMENT PROPOSAL 
 
 
1. This is an action request.  See paragraph 9. 
 
2. (SBU) Summary: The Italian Ambassador to Vietnam called 
together diplomats from 20 other countries to describe the 
two plans for United Nations Security Council (UNSC) 
enlargement espoused by the "Coffee Club."   He also noted 
that Italy had proposed yet another version for discussion 
on May 2 in New York.  He called for a joint demarche to 
sway Vietnam from its current support of the enlargement 
plan endorsed by United Nations (UN) Secretary General Kofi 
Annan.  End Summary. 
 
3. (SBU) On May 18 Italian Ambassador to Vietnam Alfredo 
Matacotta Cordella hosted representatives of 20 other United 
Nations member countries to describe proposals of the 
"Coffee Club" on Security Council Enlargement. Other 
attendees represented Algeria, Argentina, Australia, 
Austria, Bulgaria, Canada, China, Finland, the Republic of 
Korea, New Zealand, Pakistan, Philippines, Romania, the 
Russian Federation, Singapore, Spain, Sweden, Thailand, 
Ukraine and the United States, which ECON/C represented. 
 
4. (SBU) Ambassador Cordella began by stating that Rome had 
instructed him to call the meeting to present its views on 
the various models for UNSC enlargement currently under 
discussion.  He noted that the model espoused by UN 
Secretary General Kofi Annan would create six new permanent 
 
SIPDIS 
members of the security council: Japan, Germany, India, 
Brazil and two others.  Cordella called this option 
undemocratic and criticized the creation of three classes of 
members, permanent members with vetoes, permanent members 
without vetoes and ordinary members. 
 
5. (SBU) The "Coffee Club" of 15 was currently considering 
two models, called the "blue" and "green" models, which 
would create 10 additional Security Council members to be 
distributed regionally.  While none of these additional 
members would be permanent, they would be allowed to serve 
more than one term, Cordella noted.  He added that the 
newest development was a proposal of yet another regional 
model by Italy's permanent representative to the United 
Nations in a May 2 speech in New York.  He provided a copy 
of the speech and the newest proposal (faxed back to 
EAP/BCLTV).  He remarked that Italy supports a permanent 
seat for a representative from the European Union, but has 
not been able to convince either France or Britain to cede 
its seat. 
 
6. (SBU) The Italian Ambassador explained that the reason 
for the meeting in Hanoi was to convince Vietnam to shift 
its current position from support of the Kofi Annan model to 
one of those proposed by the "Coffee Club."  He concluded by 
asking all attendees to check with their capitals to 
determine whether they could join a joint demarche to urge 
Vietnam to shift its position.  He asked for replies by the 
end of May, but noted that the Embassy of Italy would meet 
with the Foreign Ministry later that day to describe the 
various models. 
 
7. (SBU) In the brief discussion that followed, Spain's 
Ambassador expressed support for the Italian idea of a joint 
demarche.  Algeria's Ambassador said that he shared the 
Italian view, but would need to check with his capital. 
Finally, Italy's Ambassador acknowledged unabashedly that 
the purpose of the intense Italian engagement on this issue 
was to prevent Japan and Germany from getting permanent 
seats on the Security Council. 
 
8. (SBU) After the meeting, the Australian and Canadian 
representatives privately expressed skepticism to ECON/C 
about the various models presented as well as the Italian 
proposal for a joint demarche. 
 
9. Post requests guidance on how to respond to the Italian 
proposal. 
 
BOARDMAN 
 
 
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