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