US embassy cable - 02ROME5134

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 ROME 005134 
 
SIPDIS 
 
                       UNCLASSIFIED 
 
PAGE 03        ROME  05134  01 OF 03  220746Z 
FROM U.S. MISSION TO UN AGENCIES IN ROME 
 
STATE FOR IO/EDA AND IO/S 
USDA FOR FAS/HUGHES AND REICH 
USDA FOR APHIS/GREIFER 
 
PARIS FOR UNESCO, VIENNA FOR UNVIE 
 
E.O. 12958:  N/A 
TAGS: AORC, KUNR, FAO, KUNRAORC, FAO, KUNRAORC, FAO 
SUBJECT: GENEVA GROUP DISCUSSES TERM LIMITS 
 
REF: STATE 201776 
 
1.   SUMMARY:  THE GENEVA GROUP DISCUSSED TERM LIMITS ON 
OCTOBER 16.  GERMANY HAS REQUESTED THAT THE ISSUE BE 
INCLUDED IN THE AGENDA OF THE FAO COUNCIL WHICH MEETS 
OCTOBER 28 TO NOVEMBER 2.  ACCORDING TO THE GROUNDWORK 
DONE BY DENMARK AS PRESIDENT OF THE EU, THERE IS 
CONSIDERABLE OPPOSITION TO THIS INITIATIVE, ESPECIALLY 
FROM AFRICANS WHO SEE IT AS AN EFFORT TO UNSEAT THE 
CURRENT AFRICAN DG.  MEMBERS APPLAUDED THE US DEMARCHE 
AIMED AT SOFTENING RESISTANCE TO INCLUDING TERM LIMITS ON 
THE AGENDA AND SOME OFFERED TO MAKE SIMILAR DEMARCHES TO 
CAPITALS OF COUNCIL MEMBER COUNTRIES.  THE MOST DESIRABLE 
OUTCOME OF DISCUSSION IN THE FAO COUNCIL WOULD BE 
FORMATION OF AN OPEN ENDED WORKING GROUP TO DISCUSS 
ISSUES RELATED TO TERM LIMITS: HOW MANY TERMS, WHEN 
LIMITS WOULD TAKE EFFECT, AND SHORTENING THE LENGTH OF 
TERMS.  END SUMMARY. 
 
                       UNCLASSIFIED 
 
PAGE 04        ROME  05134  01 OF 03  220746Z 
2.  THE GENEVA GROUP MET OCTOBER 16 TO DISCUSS TERM 
LIMITS AS WELL AS ADMINISTRATIVE ISSUES THAT WILL COME UP 
AT THE FAO COUNCIL MEETING OCTOBER 28 TO NOVEMBER 2.  THE 
EU REPRESENTATIVE (DENMARK'S PERM REP) REPORTED ON 
MEETINGS WITH ALL REGIONAL GROUPS IN FAO CONCERNING THE 
PROPOSAL TO PLACE TERM LIMITS FOR THE DIRECTOR GENERAL ON 
THE COUNCIL AGENDA.  THIS IS NECESSARY TO LAUNCH 
DISCUSSION IN TIME FOR A DECISION BY THE FAO CONFERENCE 
IN 2003.  THE OECD GROUP, INCLUDING EUROPE, NORTH AMERICA 
(US AND CANADA) THE SOUTHWEST PACIFIC (MAINLY AUSTRALIA 
AND NEW ZEALAND) AND FROM ASIA, KOREA AND JAPAN, WERE IN 
FAVOR.  THE LATIN AMERICA GROUP IS "OPEN TO DISCUSSION" 
OF THE MATTER.  (COMMENT:  WE HAVE POINTED OUT TO THEM 
THAT IF THE PRINCIPLE OF GEOGRAPHIC ROTATION IS 
MAINTAINED, LATIN AMERICA WOULD BE IN LINE TO SELECT THE 
NEXT DIRECTOR GENERAL.  END COMMENT.)  MOST OF THE ASIAN 
 
                       UNCLASSIFIED 
 
                           UNCLASSIFIED     PTQ1108 
 
PAGE 01        ROME  05134  02 OF 03  220746Z 
ACTION IO-00 
 
INFO  LOG-00   NP-00    AF-00    AGRE-00  AID-00   AMAD-00  CIAE-00 
      INL-00   WHA-00   EAP-00   EB-00    EUR-00   UTED-00  TEDE-00 
      INR-00   NEA-00   NSAE-00  OES-01   OIC-02   SS-00    TEST-00 
      SA-00    SAS-00     /003W 
                  ------------------FC0CCD  220747Z /38 
R 220700Z OCT 02 
FM AMEMBASSY ROME 
TO SECSTATE WASHDC 6461 
INFO AMEMBASSY BUENOS AIRES 
AMEMBASSY CANBERRA 
AMEMBASSY BRIDGETOWN 
AMEMBASSY LA PAZ 
AMEMBASSY BRASILIA 
AMEMBASSY SOFIA 
AMEMBASSY OUAGADOUGOU 
AMEMBASSY YAOUNDE 
AMEMBASSY SANTIAGO 
AMEMBASSY NICOSIA 
AMEMBASSY CAIRO 
AMEMBASSY PRAGUE 
AMEMBASSY ADDIS ABABA 
AMEMBASSY LIBREVILLE 
AMEMBASSY ACCRA 
AMEMBASSY GUATEMALA 
AMEMBASSY NEW DELHI 
AMEMBASSY NAIROBI 
AMEMBASSY MASERU 
                       UNCLASSIFIED 
 
PAGE 02        ROME  05134  02 OF 03  220746Z 
AMEMBASSY KUALA LUMPUR 
AMEMBASSY NOUAKCHOTT 
AMEMBASSY MEXICO 
AMEMBASSY ISLAMABAD 
AMEMBASSY LIMA 
AMEMBASSY MANILA 
AMEMBASSY DOHA 
AMEMBASSY RIYADH 
AMEMBASSY DAKAR 
AMEMBASSY COLOMBO 
AMEMBASSY DAMASCUS 
AMEMBASSY DAR ES SALAAM 
AMEMBASSY BANGKOK 
AMEMBASSY TUNIS 
AMEMBASSY HARARE 
USEU BRUSSELS 2865 
AMEMBASSY COPENHAGEN 
AMEMBASSY LISBON 
AMEMBASSY BERLIN 
AMEMBASSY PARIS 
AMEMBASSY REYKJAVIK 
AMEMBASSY OTTAWA 
USMISSION UNVIE VIENNA 
USMISSION USUN NEW YORK 
USMISSION GENEVA 
AMEMBASSY TOKYO 
AMEMBASSY SEOUL 
USINT HAVANA 
 
UNCLAS SECTION 02 OF 03 ROME 005134 
 
SIPDIS 
 
                       UNCLASSIFIED 
 
PAGE 03        ROME  05134  02 OF 03  220746Z 
FROM U.S. MISSION TO UN AGENCIES IN ROME 
 
STATE FOR IO/EDA AND IO/S 
USDA FOR FAS/HUGHES AND REICH 
USDA FOR APHIS/GREIFER 
 
PARIS FOR UNESCO, VIENNA FOR UNVIE 
 
E.O. 12958:  N/A 
TAGS: AORC, FAO, KUNR 
SUBJECT: GENEVA GROUP DISCUSSES TERM LIMITS 
 
REGIONAL GROUP (80 PERCENT), AND THE MIDDLE EASTERN GROUP 
FAVOR DISCUSSION OF TERM LIMITS.  HOWEVER THE AFRICA 
GROUP IS DIVIDED. 
 
3.  THE AFRICANS ARE CONCERNED THAT THIS REFORM 
INITIATIVE IS AIMED AT UNSEATING THE CURRENT DG, JACQUES 
DIOUF OF SENEGAL.  THEY MAY ALSO FEAR THAT A NEW DIRECTOR 
GENERAL WOULD NOT CONTINUE TO SKEW THE PROGRAM EMPHASIS 
OF FAO IN FAVOR OF AFRICA.  (THIS BIAS IS NOT WITHOUT 
MERIT SINCE AFRICA NEEDS THE MOST HELP, BUT THERE ARE 
MANY POOR FARMERS IN RURAL AREAS ESPECIALLY OF OTHER 
REGIONS WHO RECEIVE VERY LITTLE ASSISTANCE.)  UGANDA, 
SUPPORTED BY MAURITANIA, NIGERIA AND ERITREA THOUGHT THAT 
TERM LIMITS WOULD BE POSITIVE FOR INSTITUTIONAL 
DEVELOPMENT.  MALI WAS THE MOST VOCAL OPPONENT.  HE SAID 
THE ISSUE WOULD TAKE THE COUNCIL'S TIME AND ATTENTION 
AWAY FROM MORE IMPORTANT ISSUES LIKE FOLLOW-UP TO THE 
WORLD FOOD SUMMIT: FIVE YEARS LATER AND THE MEDIUM TERM 
PLAN.  ZIMBABWE SAID THE AFRICAN GROUP DID NOT WANT TO 
                       UNCLASSIFIED 
 
PAGE 04        ROME  05134  02 OF 03  220746Z 
"ABANDON" THE DG.  SHE ASKED FOR A WRITTEN EXPLANATION OF 
THE REASONS FOR ABOLISHING TERM LIMITS IN 1977 (WE 
UNDERSTAND THAT THEN DG SAOURMA WANTED TO SERVE NOT TWO, 
BUT THREE TERMS FOR A TOTAL OF 18 YEARS SO HE ENGINEERED 
A CHANGE IN THE BASIC TEXTS OF THE FAO) AS WELL AS A 
REPLY TO THE QUESTION, "WHY NOW?"  MANY IN THE AFRICA 
GROUP THOUGHT IT PREMATURE TO DISCUSS THE MATTER SINCE IT 
WOULD NOT COME UP UNTIL 2011 WHEN THE DG'S THIRD TERM, IF 
HE CHOOSES TO SERVE AND IS ELECTED, WOULD EXPIRE.  THE EU 
IS PREPARING A REPLY. 
 
4.  MEMBERS OF THE GENEVA GROUP WERE INDIGNANT THAT THE 
FAO MEMBERSHIP MIGHT NOT EVEN PERMIT DISCUSSION OF TERM 
LIMITS, WHICH IS ALL THAT IS AT STAKE AT PRESENT, AND 
MIGHT VOTE AGAINST INCLUSION IN THE COUNCIL'S AGENDA. 
THE US DEMARCHE TO CAPITALS OF COUNTRIES WHICH ARE 
 
                       UNCLASSIFIED 
 
                           UNCLASSIFIED     PTQ1109 
 
PAGE 01        ROME  05134  03 OF 03  220747Z 
ACTION IO-00 
 
INFO  LOG-00   NP-00    AF-00    AGRE-00  AID-00   AMAD-00  CIAE-00 
      INL-00   WHA-00   EAP-00   EB-00    EUR-00   UTED-00  TEDE-00 
      INR-00   NEA-00   NSAE-00  OES-01   OIC-02   SS-00    TEST-00 
      SA-00    SAS-00     /003W 
                  ------------------FC0CD6  220747Z /38 
R 220700Z OCT 02 
FM AMEMBASSY ROME 
TO SECSTATE WASHDC 6462 
INFO AMEMBASSY BUENOS AIRES 
AMEMBASSY CANBERRA 
AMEMBASSY BRIDGETOWN 
AMEMBASSY LA PAZ 
AMEMBASSY BRASILIA 
AMEMBASSY SOFIA 
AMEMBASSY OUAGADOUGOU 
AMEMBASSY YAOUNDE 
AMEMBASSY SANTIAGO 
AMEMBASSY NICOSIA 
AMEMBASSY CAIRO 
AMEMBASSY PRAGUE 
AMEMBASSY ADDIS ABABA 
AMEMBASSY LIBREVILLE 
AMEMBASSY ACCRA 
AMEMBASSY GUATEMALA 
AMEMBASSY NEW DELHI 
AMEMBASSY NAIROBI 
AMEMBASSY MASERU 
                       UNCLASSIFIED 
 
PAGE 02        ROME  05134  03 OF 03  220747Z 
AMEMBASSY KUALA LUMPUR 
AMEMBASSY NOUAKCHOTT 
AMEMBASSY MEXICO 
AMEMBASSY ISLAMABAD 
AMEMBASSY LIMA 
AMEMBASSY MANILA 
AMEMBASSY DOHA 
AMEMBASSY RIYADH 
AMEMBASSY DAKAR 
AMEMBASSY COLOMBO 
AMEMBASSY DAMASCUS 
AMEMBASSY DAR ES SALAAM 
AMEMBASSY BANGKOK 
AMEMBASSY TUNIS 
AMEMBASSY HARARE 
USEU BRUSSELS 2866 
AMEMBASSY COPENHAGEN 
AMEMBASSY LISBON 
AMEMBASSY BERLIN 
AMEMBASSY PARIS 
AMEMBASSY REYKJAVIK 
AMEMBASSY OTTAWA 
USMISSION UNVIE VIENNA 
USMISSION USUN NEW YORK 
USMISSION GENEVA 
AMEMBASSY TOKYO 
AMEMBASSY SEOUL 
USINT HAVANA 
 
UNCLAS SECTION 03 OF 03 ROME 005134 
 
SIPDIS 
 
                       UNCLASSIFIED 
 
PAGE 03        ROME  05134  03 OF 03  220747Z 
FROM U.S. MISSION TO UN AGENCIES IN ROME 
 
STATE FOR IO/EDA AND IO/S 
USDA FOR FAS/HUGHES AND REICH 
USDA FOR APHIS/GREIFER 
 
PARIS FOR UNESCO, VIENNA FOR UNVIE 
 
E.O. 12958:  N/A 
TAGS: AORC, FAO, KUNR 
SUBJECT: GENEVA GROUP DISCUSSES TERM LIMITS 
 
MEMBERS OF THE FAO COUNCIL, WAS RECEIVED FAVORABLY. 
CANADA AND AUSTRALIA ANNOUNCED THEY WOULD REQUEST THEIR 
OWN CAPITALS TO MAKE SIMILAR DEMARCHES.  THE EU HAS 
ALREADY PROVIDED BACKGROUND MATERIAL TO RELEVANT CAPITALS 
BUT PROMISED TO CONSIDER A MORE ACTIVE STANCE.  FRANCE, 
WHICH WAS LESS THAN ENTHUSIASTIC ABOUT THE INITIATIVE IN 
LIGHT OF FRANCE'S SPECIAL RELATIONSHIP WITH WEST AFRICA 
AND ESPECIALLY SENEGAL, GRUMBLED THAT THE ISSUE WAS TOO 
COMPLEX TO DECIDE QUICKLY.  HE POINTED OUT THAT BEYOND 
ISSUES OF WHEN TERM LIMITS WOULD TAKE EFFECT (AND WHETHER 
THE CURRENT DG WOULD BE GRANDFATHERED) THERE WERE ISSUES 
OF THE NUMBER OF TERMS (WE PROPOSED TWO) AND THE LENGTH 
OF TERMS (NOW SIX INSTEAD OF THE RECOMMENDED FOUR YEARS). 
THERE WAS SOME DISCUSSION OF WHAT TO DO IF A VOTE WERE 
CALLED?  CAUCUS?  OR WALK OUT IN PROTEST IF WE LOSE AS WE 
DID IN 1999?  THE GROUP DECIDED TO RECOMMEND FORMATION OF 
AN OPEN ENDED  WORKING GROUP TO LOOK AT THE VARIOUS 
ISSUES RAISED BY FRANCE.  THAT WOULD BE THE BEST OUTCOME 
TO AVOID CONFRONTATION WITH THE G-77 AND KEEP THE ISSUE 
                       UNCLASSIFIED 
 
PAGE 04        ROME  05134  03 OF 03  220747Z 
OF TERM LIMITS ALIVE. 
HALL 
 
                       UNCLASSIFIED 
 
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 2002ROME05134 - Classification: UNCLASSIFIED