GUATEMALAN RESPONSE TO BLOCKING ARAB EFFORTS AT UN

C O N F I D E N T I A L GUATEMALA 000786

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/25/2013
TAGS: PARM PREL IZ GT UNSC
SUBJECT: GUATEMALAN RESPONSE TO BLOCKING ARAB EFFORTS AT UN
ON IRAQ

REF: STATE 76597

Classified By: PolCouns David Lindwall for reason 1.5 (b) and (d).


1. (C) In the absence from the country of President Portillo,
and the absence from the office of Foreign Minister Gutierrez
(due to illness),the Ambassador spoke with Vice Foreign
Minister Jorge Perez on March 25 and relayed reftel request
that the GOG oppose any effort to convoke a special General
Assembly session on Iraq. Perez said he was not familiar
with the issue but promised to raise it immediately with
Foreign Minister Gutierrez. He promised to inform us of the
GOG's views as soon as he was able to get a response from the
Minister. At COB he called to say that the GOG would oppose
a special session of the UNGA, and that if there were a
special open session of the UNSC, Guatemala would speak in
support of the U.S.


2. (C) On a parallel track, PolOff spoke with Marco Tulio
Chicas, Deputy Director of Multilateral Affairs at the MFA on
March 25 and conveyed the same points. Chicas promised to
advise the Minister and Guatemala's permanent mission at the
UN.
HAMILTON