CHR-61 CUBA AND BELARUS RESOLUTIONS: GOE

C O N F I D E N T I A L CAIRO 002893 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/14/2015 TAGS: PREL PHUM EG PDEM CHR SUBJECT: CHR-61 CUBA AND BELARUS RESOLUTIONS: GOE NON-COMMITTAL ON ITS VOTING PLANS REF: A. STATE 42847 (NOTAL) ¶B. STATE 44494 (NOTAL) ¶C. STATE 63981 (NOTAL) Classified by Acting DCM Michael Corbin for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d). ¶1. (C) Responding to Ref B demarche request on the UNCHR-61 Belarus resolution, Post coordinated with the Dutch Embassy (representing the current EU President Luxembourg in Egypt) on our request for GOE support ahead of the expected April 14 vote. According to MFA Office of Human Rights Affairs Director Ihab Gamaleddine, the GOE was well aware of the USG and European position on the resolution but that a decision had not yet been made by the Foreign Minister on voting instructions. ¶2. (C) Drawing from reftel demarches, ECPO MinCouns and Poloff made numerous calls to senior staff within the MFA to press for Egyptian support on our Cuba resolution. Neither senior staff within the multilateral division nor on the Minister's personal staff were able to share with us a definitive GOE position, suggesting that the decision had not yet been taken by the Minister. As of mid-afternoon April 14, instructions had yet to be forwarded to the Egyptian mission in Geneva, they asserted. We understand from one Cabinet staff member that the Egyptian mission in Washington had reported the content of the April 13 meeting between Assistant Secretary Welch and Ambassador Fahmy in which A/S Welch pressed for Egypt's support on the resolutions. Despite our interventions, post believes Egypt is unlikely to join us against Arab and Africian group majority positions on either of the two resolutions. Visit Embassy Cairo's Classified Website: http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/nea/cairo You can also access this site through the State Department's Classified SIPRNET website. GRAY