KEEPING THE IRAQ ISSUE IN THE SECURITY COUNCIL

UNCLAS GUATEMALA 000758 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PREL PHUM IZ GT UNSC HNCHR SUBJECT: KEEPING THE IRAQ ISSUE IN THE SECURITY COUNCIL REF: STATE 74254 ¶1. In the absence of the Director General for Multilateral Affairs, PolOff discussed reftel points with his assistant, Sylvia Corado on March 21. Corado said the MFA had anticipated our position on this issue and agreed that the UN Charter gives responsibility for international peace and security to the UNSC. She was noncommittal, however, to our points that other UN bodies such as the General Assembly or Commission on Human Rights would be inappropriate fora for discussions on Iraq. Corado said the Foreign Minister and his Vice Ministers were consulting on our points, but discussions were going slower than she would like due to the Foreign Minister's travels. Corado added that input from the Guatemalan PermRep in New York would probably be decisive. Corado could not comment on whether Guatemala would try to influence the NAM to prevent efforts to introduce the Iraq issue, but said she did not think the US had much to worry about from the NAM. ¶2. FonMin Gutierrez has just returned from abroad and Ambassador will endeavor to reach him. HAMILTON