US embassy cable - 05BRUSSELS2470

C O N F I D E N T I A L BRUSSELS 002470 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/27/2015 
TAGS: PREL, KUNR, PGOV, AORC, UNSC, EUN, USEU BRUSSELS 
SUBJECT: EU ON U.S. PRIORITIES FOR UN REFORM 
 
REF: STATE 111637 
 
Classified By: USEU POLOFF TODD HUIZINGA, FOR REASONS 1.4 (B) AND (D) 
 
1. (C) SUMMARY: On June 24, we delivered ref (A) demarche to 
Paulo Oliveira, Principal UN Desk Officer at the EU Council 
Secretariat.  Oliveira's preliminary impression was that the 
 
SIPDIS 
U.S. points illustrated continued broad U.S.-EU agreement on 
the importance and main priorities of UN reform.  Oliveira 
highlighted differences and unresolved questions on 
development, the Human Rights Council, the Peacebuilding 
Commission and the International Criminal Court.  END 
SUMMARY. 
 
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DEVELOPMENT: EU STICKS TO ODA TARGET 
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2. (C) On development, Oliveira agreed that the key was good 
governance and economic reform in aid-recipient countries. 
He stressed, however, that the EU remained committed to 
achieving an Official Development Assistance (ODA) level of 
0.7 percent of GDP. 
 
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HRC: HOW TO GET THE RIGHT MEMBERS? 
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3. (C) Oliveira asked whether the U.S. had begun to formulate 
more specific criteria for membership on the proposed Human 
Rights Council.  He said the EU had discussed this 
internally, and was stumped on how to come up with criteria 
that would both reliably exclude the worst human rights 
violators and allow for balanced regional representation. 
 
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ECOSOC ROLE IN PEACEBUILDING COMMISSION 
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4. (C) On the creation of a Peacebuilding Commission (PBC), 
Oliveira said that, in order to get G-77 buy-in, ECOSOC would 
have to have a stronger role than that desired by the U.S. 
He added that the EU believed ECOSOC had an important role to 
play in dealing with the economic and social aspects of 
crises.  Oliveira suggested something close to a 50-50 split 
between UNSC and ECOSOC membership (5 members each) on the 
PBC might end up being a workable compromise. 
 
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U.S. ICC POINT RAISES HACKLES 
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5. (C) Oliveira characterized the U.S. point on the 
International Criminal Court (ICC) as too stark and 
hard-line, and urged the U.S. to further discuss with the EU 
its position on the ICC. 
 
6. (C) On streamlining the UNGA agenda and on budget, 
management and administrative reform, Oliveira did not offer 
specifics but said U.S. and EU thinking largely overlapped. 
Oliveira took points on U.S. priorities for development, 
support for democracy initiatives, and adoption of a 
Comprehensive Convention on Terrorism on board without 
comment. 
 
MCKINLEY 
 
 
 
.