GUATEMALA CONSULTING INTERNALLY ON LIBYAN CHAIR OF

C O N F I D E N T I A L GUATEMALA 000082

SIPDIS

DEPARTMENT FOR WHA/CEN, DRL, AND IO

E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/09/2013
TAGS: PHUM LY GT UNCHR
SUBJECT: GUATEMALA CONSULTING INTERNALLY ON LIBYAN CHAIR OF
59TH CHR; SENDING NEW AMBASSADOR TO GENEVA

REF: SECSTATE 5849

Classified By: Ambassador John Hamilton for reason 1.5 (b).

Libya as Chair of UNCHR
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1. (C) Embassy raised reftel points with the MFA Director for
Multilateral Affairs Sylvia Corado on January 9. Corado
expressed her personal dismay with Libya chairing the UNCHR,
but said that the GOG had not decided how it would respond to
this unprecedented situation. Corado noted that Foreign
Minister Gutierrez had only been in office ten days and had
not been able to focus much on multilateral issues due to
"growing problems in the bilateral relationship with the U.S.
and the EU." Further complicating the matter is the fact
that Guatemala is currently without an Ambassador in Geneva
(see below). Given the importance of the issue, Corado said
that Foreign Minister Gutierrez would want to formulate
Guatemala's position himself and that he would probably
consult President Portillo before making any final decisions.
She promised to apprise him of our concerns. Although time
is short, Corado was confident that Gutierrez would formalize
Guatemala's position well in advance of the election in
Geneva on January 20.

New Guatemalan Ambassador to Geneva
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2. (U) Foreign Minister Gutierrez has named Ronalth Ivan
OCHAETA Argueta, a personal friend who has served for the
last six months as Director of the OAS office in Lima, Peru,
as Guatemala's new Ambassador to Geneva. According to the
Foreign Ministry, Gutierrez made the decision to nominate
Ochaeta on January 7. Ochaeta is expected to take up his
duties as early as mid-January. Ochaeta's diplomatic career
began in March of 2000 when he was named Ambassador to the
OAS by President Portillo. His connection to Gutierrez stems
from their work together as Human Rights leaders. Ochaeta
and Gutierrez worked together on the REMHI report under the
Auspices of the Catholic Church. Ochaeta worked for the
ArchBishop's Office for Human Rights (ODHA) for six years.
Ochaeta is a lawyer, 38 years old and married (NFI). He
holds a Master's Degree in International Law. We have not
heard why the GOG decided not to send Ambassador Rivera
(formerly the GOG Ambassador in Washington) to Geneva as
earlier announced.
Hamilton