MOZAMBIQUE: MDA ADDITIONAL GENEVA PROTOCOL

UNCLAS MAPUTO 001521 SIPDIS SIPDIS STATE AF/S - HTREGER E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: AORC ICRC PHUM PREL IS MZ SUBJECT: MOZAMBIQUE: MDA ADDITIONAL GENEVA PROTOCOL DEMARCHE RESPONSE REF: A. STATE 206948 ¶B. MAPUTO 01060 ¶1. On November 17 poloff delivered ref A talking points to Faruque Faquira, Head of Department, Directorate for International Organizations and Conferences, Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Faquira said the GRM had recently received the Swiss Government's note on this issue and indicated that Mozambique's position of supporting a diplomatic conference had not changed (ref B). Faquira, however, was unable to confirm whether the GRM would support the adoption of a Third Additional Protocol to the Geneva Conventions, though he implied that Mozambique did support the universality of the Red Cross/Red Cresent Movement. Faquira promised to relay the USG message to his counterpart in Geneva. ¶2. Despite Mozambique's apparent support for the conference and perhaps even the Protocol itself, it is highly unlikely that the GRM will take an active role at the upcoming conference. The GRM has openly admitted that it does not have sufficient staff to focus on this issue at present. End Comment. Dudley