GUATEMALA ON UNGA HUMAN RIGHTS RESOLUTIONS

C O N F I D E N T I A L GUATEMALA 002941

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/18/2014
TAGS: PHUM PREL GT UNGA
SUBJECT: GUATEMALA ON UNGA HUMAN RIGHTS RESOLUTIONS

REF: (A) TRIVELLI-HAMILTON E-MAIL (B) STATE 243652

(C) GUATEMALA 2819

Classified By: DCM Bruce Wharton for reasons 1.5 (b) & (d).


1. (C) Poloff spoke to Luis Carranza, Deputy Director for UN
Affairs in the Guatemalan MFA, about Guatemala's abstention
on the Iran resolution at the UNGA and support for the
remaining country resolutions. According to Carranza,
following our reftel meeting with him where he had indicated
support for all the resolutions including the one on Iran,
Vice Minister Carlos Ramiro Martinez reviewed the draft Iran
resolution and expressed doubts about its failure to
acknowledge some positive developments in Iran. Martinez met
with the Canadians, who also failed to persuade him. He then
gave the instruction to abstain.


2. (C) Carranza said the GOG still planned to vote in favor
of the resolutions on Belarus, Zimbabwe, Congo, and Sudan.
The MFA issued instructions to that effect to its people in
New York. Carranza said he understood that the text of the
resolution on Sudan was still being negotiated in New York,
thus suggesting that GOG support for that resolution might be
contingent on the outcome of those deliberations. Poloff
stressed to Carranza the importance we placed on the votes
and our interest in the GOG's positions.


3. (C) Acting FM Marta Altolaguirre subsequently confirmed to
polcouns that the MFA had instructed its New York mission to
vote "yes" on these resolutions.


HAMILTON