GUATEMALA SUPPORTS CUBA RESOLUTION AT OAS

C O N F I D E N T I A L GUATEMALA 001032 SIPDIS WHA/USOAS BRUCE FRIEDMAN E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/20/2013 TAGS: PGOV PREL PHUM GT OAS SUBJECT: GUATEMALA SUPPORTS CUBA RESOLUTION AT OAS REF: STATE 9937 Classified By: Ambassador John Hamilton for reasons 1.5 (b) and (d). (C) In the absence of Foreign Minister Gutierrez, Embassy raised reftel points with Director General for Multilateral Affairs, Giovanni Castillo on April 21, 2003. Castillo agreed that the OAS Permanent Council is an appropriate venue for a human rights resolution on Cuba. Castillo cautioned that he could not speak officially without reviewing the actual text, but then assured us that Guatemala would support an OAS resolution along the lines proposed in reftel. Castillo said that Nicaraguan and Costa Rican co-sponsorship would reinforce Guatemala's support for the resolution and speculated that El Salvador and Honduras would be almost certain to support it as well. Castillo emphasized that under those circumstances it would be "impossible" for Guatemala to oppose the resolution. HAMILTON