DEMARCHE DELIVERED: FOLLOWUP ON UN ISSUES

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 MASERU 000554

SIPDIS

FOR AF/S, IO/UNP - RAYMOND HOTZ

PARIS FOR UNESCO

E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/28/2015
TAGS: PREL IS LT UNGA UNESCO
SUBJECT: DEMARCHE DELIVERED: FOLLOWUP ON UN ISSUES

REF: (A) MASERU 536 (B) MASERU 534 (C) STATE 188927 (D) MASERU 532 (E)
MASERU
506

CLASSIFIED BY: JUNE CARTER PERRY, AMBASSADOR, EXEC, STATE.
REASON: 1.4 (b),(d)

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SUMMARY
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1. (C) Minister of Local Government Dr. Pontso Sekatle
requested Ambassador meet with her on October 25 to follow up on
UN issues which had been previously discussed (see reftels).
Specifically, Sekatle wanted the Ambassador to know that as
Acting Foreign Minister (during FOMIN Moleleki's travels to
Japan and India) she had discussed the issues of the Holocaust,
the Iraqi Tribunal and UNESCO with Lesotho's Prime Minister
Mosisili. Sekatle and Moleleki appear to have similar positions
and an inclination to support U.S. multilateral positions but
for internal political sensitivities.

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HOLOCAUST REMEMBRANCE AND IRAQI TRIBUNAL
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2. (SBU) Concerning the Iraqi Tribunal, Dr. Sekatle relayed the
Government of Lesotho's full support and affirmed its validity
and importance at this time. She also stated that there was
support for the Holocaust Remembrance as requested reftel.
During October 28 discussion upon FOMIN Moleleki's return,
Ambassador raised co-sponsorship of the holocaust resolution,
indicating that Minister Sekatle had given assurances of the
Government of Lesotho's support during Moleleki's absence. The
Foreign Minister did not disagree with Dr. Sekatle's
characterization, but he also did not state clearly that Lesotho
would be a co-sponsor. He did emphasize that the Government of
Lesotho fully supported the principle behind the resolution, and
the UN's designating an International Day of Commemoration in
memory of the victims of the Holocaust.

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UNESCO CULTURAL DIVERSITY CONVENTION
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3. (C) As reported reftel (D) October 7, FOMIN Moleleki sent
instructions to Ambassador Kikine, who covers Paris and Berlin,
to support the U.S. position on cultural diversity during the
UNESCO meeting in Paris. During Moleleki's trip to Asia,
Acting Foreign Minister Sekatle informed Ambassador that she
would follow up on the instructions to Lesotho's delegation in
Paris. On October 25, then-Acting Foreign Minister Sekatle told
the Ambassador that she wanted to explain that there had been a
breakdown in communications between Maseru and Lesotho's
delegation in Paris. Sekatle recounted the situation as one in
which the instructions had gone from a lower level official
within the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to offer a statement in
support of the U.S. position, but it did not reach the Minister
of Education, whom Sekatle said was the delegate on the floor.


4. (C) Upon his return, FOMIN Moleleki advised Ambassador on
October 28 that the scenario had evolved somewhat differently.
He recalled that he had given the instructions during his
October 7 meeting in the Ambassador's presence to the MFA
Officer-in-Charge of International Organizations to relay to
Ambassador Kikine. Acccording to Moleleki, Kikine did as he was
instructed concerning the vote on the convention, but Minister
of Education Tsekoa (former Minister of Foreign Affairs) had
refused to accept direction from the current Minister of Foreign
Affairs. Moleleki apologized profusely for the internal
conflict which had, in his view, thwarted the attempt to
demonstrate support for the stated U.S. position. This
situation appears to be a more complex one than articulated by
Minister Sekatle. Moleleki implied that he would provide a
fuller read out of the internal dynamics after a thorough
examination of the sequence of events.

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COMMENT
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5. (C) There seems to be a consistency between the Minister of
Foreign Affairs and the Minister of Local Government in their
desire to support the U.S. on a number of fronts in multilateral
fora. However, both the mechanics of communication from the
capital to Ambassadors and/or delegation representatives appear
flawed and is complicated by personal conflict between the
younger set of political leaders represented by both Moleleki

MASERU 00000554 002 OF 002


and Sekatle and the older generation of leadership represented
by Minister Tsekoa. It should be remembered that Moleleki
unseated Tsekoa during the government cabinet reshuffle about
one year ago. While optimally one would wish to see objective
analysis and coherence of multilateral positions between GOL
entities, it is difficult at best for this government to
separate personal dynamics -- and perhaps adverse interactions
-- from purely beneficial statecraft. End Comment.