Slovenia’s Minister for International Development Ales Verdir told the United States that though Slovenia appreciated the US’s concerns over Zimbabwe’s chairmanship of the United Nations Commission on Sustainable Development it was not going to follow the US lead on the level of participation at the CSD’s 16th meeting.
Slovenia was therefore going to attend the meeting, which was going to be chaired by Zimbabwe’s Environment and Tourism Minister Francis Nhema, at a high level and was going to be represented by its Agriculture Minister, Iztok Jarc.
Verdir said that CSD chairman Francis Nhema had been elected in the National Assembly. It was too early to make the call on his chairmanship and the CSD should not be a victim of the situation in Zimbabwe.
Full cable:
Viewing cable 08LJUBLJANA183, SLOVENIAN AGRICULTURE MINISTER TO ATTEND CSD-16
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|
Reference ID |
Created |
Released |
Classification |
Origin |
VZCZCXYZ0000
RR RUEHWEB
DE RUEHLJ #0183 1131333
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 221333Z APR 08
FM AMEMBASSY LJUBLJANA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 6636
INFO RUEHSB/AMEMBASSY HARARE 0017
RUEHBS/USEU BRUSSELS
RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK 0187
UNCLAS LJUBLJANA 000183
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
FOR IP/EDA REBECCA WEBBER AND OES/ENV KERI HOLLAND
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: SENV AORC PREL EAGR EUN EAID ECON SI
SUBJECT: SLOVENIAN AGRICULTURE MINISTER TO ATTEND CSD-16
MEETING
REF: STATE 40180
¶1. (U) On April 21, Emboffs delivered reftel points to MFA
International Development and Humanitarian Assistance
Minister Plenipotentiary, Ales Verdir, who stated that
although Slovenia appreciates U.S. concerns regarding a
Zimbabwean chair of the UN Commission for Sustainable
Development (CSD), it will not follow the U.S. lead on the
level of participation at the May 5 – 16 CSD meeting. Verdir
noted that the EU shares U.S. concerns with the election
process in Zimbabwe and stated that the GOS wants to
encourage actions that will lead to a democratic end.
However, he said that the EU is a strong supporter of the
CSD, and the outcome of the CSD-16 is very important as it
will form the basis for a resolution to be adopted at the
CSD-17 next year. Therefore, the GOS plans to attend
outreach activities at a high level and will be represented
at the CSD-16 by the Slovenian Agriculture Minister, Iztok
Jarc.
¶2. (U) Verdir added that CSD Chairman Francis Nhema had been
elected in the National Assembly, that it was too early to
make the call on his chairmanship, and that the CSD should
not be a victim of the situation in Zimbabwe. Verdir believed
other EU Member States would plan on sending representatives
to the CSD-16 from the ministerial level as well, noting that
the level of representation by EU members at the EU – Africa
Summit in Lisbon last year had provided clear guidance on the
appropriate level of participation.
COLEMAN
(63 VIEWS)
