CANADA: SUPPORTING ISRAEL'S MEMBERSHIP IN

UNCLAS OTTAWA 002995 SIPDIS SENSITIVE E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: AORC KIPR IS CA UNEP WIPO ILO SUBJECT: CANADA: SUPPORTING ISRAEL'S MEMBERSHIP IN CONSULTATIVE GROUPS AT SELECTED UN AGENCIES REF: STATE 235219 ¶1. Poloff delivered the demarche (per reftel) on support for Israel's full, active membership in both Group B at the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO),and the Industrial Market Economy Countries (IMEC) at the International Labor Organization (ILO),to Peter Taylor, Deputy Director of the United Nations and Commonwealth Affairs Division at Foreign Affairs Canada (FAC),on November 3. ¶2. Regarding WIPO, Taylor indicated that the Government of Canada (GOC) had not yet been approached by Israel on the question of membership. Although FAC considered our demarche as prima facie evidence that Israel was in fact seeking full membership in Group B, he said the GOC would defer consideration of a decision until a request for support was made by Israel. ¶3. Concerning membership in the ILO IMEC, Taylor informed poloff that Israel had already approached the GOC in support of their membership bid. However, Taylor advised that Canada could not take a "forward position," emphasizing that the GOC, as current chair of the IMET, should remain neutral on this issue. Visit Canada's Classified Web Site at http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/wha/ottawa CELLUCCI