The European Union opposed the Southern African Development Community’s nomination of Zimbabwe’s Environment Minister Francis Nhema to chair the United Nations Commission on Sustainable Development five years ago.
According to the Netherlands’s head of political and legal UN affairs Peter van der Vliet, the Netherlands was going to do everything to stop the nomination.
Germany had lobbied 30 governments to oppose the nomination. The Netherlands therefore welcomed the cooperation of the United States.
Full cable:
Viewing cable 07THEHAGUE897, NETHERLANDS OPPOSES ZIMBABWE’S BID FOR CSD 16 CHAIR
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Reference ID |
Created |
Released |
Classification |
Origin |
VZCZCXRO2677
PP RUEHPA
DE RUEHTC #0897 1311441
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 111441Z MAY 07
FM AMEMBASSY THE HAGUE
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 9141
INFO RUCNMEM/EU MEMBER STATES COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
RUEHBK/AMEMBASSY BANGKOK PRIORITY 2730
RUEHJL/AMEMBASSY BANJUL PRIORITY 0075
RUEHBW/AMEMBASSY BELGRADE PRIORITY 0669
RUEHBY/AMEMBASSY CANBERRA PRIORITY 2651
RUEHRY/AMEMBASSY CONAKRY PRIORITY 0032
RUEHDK/AMEMBASSY DAKAR PRIORITY 0087
RUEHDR/AMEMBASSY DAR ES SALAAM PRIORITY 0454
RUEHDJ/AMEMBASSY DJIBOUTI PRIORITY 0018
RUEHGT/AMEMBASSY GUATEMALA PRIORITY 0588
RUEHSB/AMEMBASSY HARARE PRIORITY 0069
RUEHJA/AMEMBASSY JAKARTA PRIORITY 0218
RUEHKU/AMEMBASSY KUWAIT PRIORITY 0234
RUEHPE/AMEMBASSY LIMA PRIORITY 0828
RUEHLS/AMEMBASSY LUSAKA PRIORITY 0111
RUEHMK/AMEMBASSY MANAMA PRIORITY 0225
RUEHMO/AMEMBASSY MOSCOW PRIORITY 1716
RUEHNE/AMEMBASSY NEW DELHI PRIORITY 0579
RUEHOT/AMEMBASSY OTTAWA PRIORITY 5142
RUEHPU/AMEMBASSY PORT AU PRINCE PRIORITY 0109
RUEHPA/AMEMBASSY PRAIA PRIORITY 0009
RUEHSA/AMEMBASSY PRETORIA PRIORITY 0361
RUEHRH/AMEMBASSY RIYADH PRIORITY 0353
RUEHSJ/AMEMBASSY SAN JOSE PRIORITY 0207
RUEHSG/AMEMBASSY SANTIAGO PRIORITY 0164
RUEHUL/AMEMBASSY SEOUL PRIORITY 1366
RUEHGP/AMEMBASSY SINGAPORE PRIORITY 1239
RUEHTV/AMEMBASSY TEL AVIV PRIORITY 2877
RUEHKO/AMEMBASSY TOKYO PRIORITY 1756
RUEHTU/AMEMBASSY TUNIS PRIORITY 0284
RUEHYD/AMEMBASSY YAOUNDE PRIORITY 0022
RUEHVB/AMEMBASSY ZAGREB PRIORITY 1894
RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK PRIORITY 4272
RUEHBS/USEU BRUSSELS PRIORITY 0478
UNCLAS THE HAGUE 000897
SIPDIS
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
STATE FOR EUR/UBI (RREITER), IO/EDA (JTUMINARO)
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: SENV EAID UNCSD AORC PREL NL
SUBJECT: NETHERLANDS OPPOSES ZIMBABWE’S BID FOR CSD 16 CHAIR
REF: STATE 58046
THIS MESSAGE IS SENSITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFIED. PLEASE HANDLE
ACCORDINGLY.
¶1. (SBU) The GONL supports the EU’s position opposing a
Zimbabwean Chair for the UN Commission on Sustainable
Development (CSD). Econoff delivered reftel points May 3,
and followed up May 10 with Peter van der Vliet, Head of
Political and Legal UN Affairs at the Ministry of Foreign
Affairs. Van der Vliet told Econoff the EU is doing “all it
can” and that the Germans had demarched 30 capitals promoting
the EU position. So far, van der Vliet said, only Singapore
was willing to “distance itself” from the South Africa
Development Community’s nomination of Zimbabwean Environment
Minister Francis Nhema for CSD Chair.
¶2. (SBU) Van der Vliet said the EU “would not hesitate” to
request a vote and subsequently oppose Zimbabwe. He welcomed
cooperation with the U.S. and possible consultations in New
York. “We are like minded,” he said, adding that the EU and
U.S. should discuss what a possible Zimbabwean Chair would
mean for their participation in CSD 16. Van der Vliet warned
against a boycott of the CSD. He said this precedent would
encourage others to suggest objectionable candidates to
“spoil” progress and participation in the Committee.
ARNALL
(22 VIEWS)
