CANADA COSPONSORS HOLOCAUST REMEMBRANCE RESOLUTION

C O N F I D E N T I A L OTTAWA 003230 SIPDIS IO/UNP - HOTZ; WHA/PPC E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/30/2005 TAGS: PREL CA IS UNGA SUBJECT: CANADA COSPONSORS HOLOCAUST REMEMBRANCE RESOLUTION AT UNGA REF: SECSTATE 188927 Classified By: POL M/C Brian Flora. Reasons 1.4 (B) and (D). ¶1. (U) As requested in reftel, poloff met with officials from Foreign Affairs Canada (FAC) on October 28 to discuss Canada's co-sponsorship of the Holocaust Remembrance resolution. Canadian participants included Ann Flanagan Whalen, Deputy Director of the Middle East Division, Wendy Drukier, Deputy Director of the United Nations and Commonwealth Affairs Division. ¶2. (C) Flanagan Whalen stated that GoC co-sponsorship stems from its belief that the resolution provides an appropriate way of commemorating the Holocaust. She agreed that there should be no amendments or changes in resolution's wording. It plans to issue a joint statement next week with Australia and New Zealand to this effect in the hope of encouraging other member states to support the resolution. (Poloff has requested an advance copy and will forward if/when it is received). The GoC believes that there are 91 co-sponsors at the present time, although it will be an "uphill battle," particularly with the African countries like South Africa who have indicated their objection to singling out one particular genocide. Flanagan Whalen said that Iranian President Ahmadinejad's recent remarks about Israel's destruction could play well for influencing moderate Arab countries like Tunisia, Egypt and Jordan to support the resolution in spite of those countries' reluctance in issuing official condemnation of the remarks. ¶3. (U) Flanagan Whalen confirmed that the the resolution is to be actioned on October 31. Visit Canada's Classified Web Site at http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/wha/ottawa WILKINS