GUATEMALA NOT LIKELY TO ASSIST ON IRAQ RESOLUTION

C O N F I D E N T I A L GUATEMALA 000648

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/11/2013
TAGS: PREL IZ GT UNSC
SUBJECT: GUATEMALA NOT LIKELY TO ASSIST ON IRAQ RESOLUTION

REF: A. STATE 63629

B. GUATEMALA 370

Classified By: Rob Copley for reasons 1.5 (b) and (d).


1. (C) Although the GOG has informally indicated support for
Iraq's unconditional need to comply with UNSCR 1441, it has
remained non-committal on US/UK/Spanish resolution on Iraq.
Were we to press Guatemala we believe it might play an
unhelpful role. We therefore did not urge GOG participation
in the Security Council session mentioned in Ref A.


2. (C) Ambassador Hamilton discussed Secretary Powell's UNSC
presentation of the case against Iraq with then-Acting
President Reyes on February 6 (Ref B). In that meeting Reyes
chose not comment substantively on the GOG's position on
Iraq. The DCM twice raised the issue of Iraqi non-compliance
with Foreign Minister Edgar Gutierrez after the February 7
and 14 presentations by Secretary Powell to the U.N. Security
Council. On both occasions Gutierrez expressed appreciation
for translated transcripts of the Secretary's presentations
but studiously avoided any comment as to GOG policy towards
Iraq.
HAMILTON