ECUADOR WILL ABSTAIN ON GUANTANAMO RESOLUTION

UNCLAS QUITO 000866

SIPDIS

SENSITIVE

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PHUM EC UNHRC EUN
SUBJECT: ECUADOR WILL ABSTAIN ON GUANTANAMO RESOLUTION

REF: SECSTATE 69823


1. (SBU) On April 19, PolOff conveyed reftel pertinent to
Carmen Larrea in the MFA's Human Rights Office and requested
the GOE oppose Cuba's resolution on Guantanamo. Larrea
thanked us for sharing the draft resolution, and said the GOE
will follow its well-established position of abstaining on
all matters related to Cuba. PolOff emphasized that the
resolution is clearly a retaliatory act; Larrea did not offer
any procedural suggestions to block the measure.


2. (SBU) The DCM followed up on the issue with the FM's
advisor Jose Nunez. Nunez said the GOE will abstain and
emphasized that the decision is firm. Acting on a request
from the US Mission in Geneva, the DCM also raised a USG
concern about the Like-Minded Group resolution on human
rights and mentioned the Latin American's group opposition to
the matter. Nunez promised to review the resolution and get
back to us.
KENNEY