PRESIDENT MEJIA AND FOREIGN MINISTER RESPOND TO

C O N F I D E N T I A L SANTO DOMINGO 006538 SIPDIS DEPT FOR WHA/CAR (MCISAAC) AND IO E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/13/2008 TAGS: PREL DR SUBJECT: PRESIDENT MEJIA AND FOREIGN MINISTER RESPOND TO U.S. URGINGS ON ANTI-ISRAEL RESOLUTIONS IN UNGA REF: A. USUN NY 02824 ¶B. STATE 312874 ¶C. STATE 305553 Classified By: DCM Lisa Kubiske, Reasons 1.4 (b) and (d). ¶1. (C) Charge delivered reftel B demarche to GODR Foreign Minister Francisco Guerrero Prats on November 12. Ambassador Hertell placed a follow-up call to the Foreign Minister on November 13, to emphasize the importance of the UNGA votes. Guerrero Prats said that normally the Dominican Republic would vote with the Rio Group, in these cases against the US positions. However, in regard to the two votes on the floor today, the Dominican PermRep had been instructed to abstain. The abstention would align the Dominican Republic with the Central American countries. Guerrero Prats stated that he felt these abstentions should garner some good will from the USG. ¶2. (C) Ambassador Hertell also spoke with President Hipolito Mejia on November 13, raising reftel B points. President Mejia said he understood why the votes are important to the US and that he would immediately call one of his UN advisors regarding the matter. NOTE: The conversation between Mejia and the Ambassador took place after the scheduled start of 22nd meeting of the UN Fourth Committee. Therefore, even if Mejia decided to instruct the GODR PermRep to vote with the US, it is not clear that the new instructions could have been delivered to the PermRep in a timely manner. End Note. HERTELL