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James Watt Esq UKMis New York
HKK 243/9
FGISTRY
30 JUL 1986
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Date 17 July 1986
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15
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@ 2217
Dear Janus,
Acton Taken
R1 PARK 24319
B
UK-JAPANESE TALKS ON UN MATTERS, 30 JUNE
1.
22h
A Japanese team led by Nakahira, Director-General of the Tokyo MFA, was here for consultations on UN matters on 30 June. I should record their comments on the following.
UN FINANCES
2.
Nakahira said that Japanese activity on this issue had grown out of the atmosphere of financial austerity in Tokyo and concern about the lack of accountability in the UN. The Japanese had realistic expectations about the work of the Group of 18. It was easy to agree on principles but the detail would inevitably be contentious. In particular the G77 would not welcome a "sunset" rule. The Japanese thought that 5 years was a suitable length for mandates (but did not demur when we suggested 10 years). The Japanese reaffirmed their commitment to "scrap and build", which would mean that for any new UN activity something financially equivalent would have to go.
3.
When asked whether the Japanese would have difficulty with Krishnan's proposal that the CPC's powers should be enhanced to encompass programme preparation, determination of priorities, etc, Nakahira replied that the fact that representatives on the ACABQ were elected under personal capacity had advantages.
4.
The Japanese said that the US seemed to be speaking with more than one voice. We agreed on the need to get a clear picture of their attitude, particularly on what they were likely to pay this year. We also established that neither the UK nor Japan wished to pay more than their current assessed share of the UN budget.
UNCTAD VII
5. Nakahira suggested that the agenda for UNCTAD VII should be restricted to a small number of directly relevant issues, and that Group B should co-ordinate better in persuading the G77 to adopt a
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