COSTA RICA REAFFIRMS ITS SUPPORT FOR ISRAEL IN THE

UNCLAS SAN JOSE 002475 SIPDIS DEPT FOR WHA/CEN JASON MACK AND IO/UNP RAYMOND HOTZ E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PREL IS CR UNGA SUBJECT: COSTA RICA REAFFIRMS ITS SUPPORT FOR ISRAEL IN THE UNGA REF: A. STATE 188927 ¶B. STATE 188933 Post delivered Reftel talking points on October 14. In a follow-up meeting with the MFA's chief of multilateral policy, Carlos Cordero, Poloff thanked the GOCR for its historic support of Israel, and asked for continued cooperation in both approving International Holocaust Remembrance Day and in rejecting resolutions with an anti-Israeli bias. Cordero explained that Costa Rica has long felt a certain kinship with Israel, given the concurrent timing of Israel's establishment with Costa Rica's revolution in 1948. He emphasized that Costa Rica was one of the very first nations to recognize Israel, and noted that Costa Rica is proud to be a co-sponsor on the Holocaust Remembrance resolution. While Cordero stopped short of promising a "no" vote on all potentially anti-Israel biased measures, given Costa Rica's attempts to maintain cordial relationships with Arab nations, he did promise that Costa Rica would at a minimum continue to abstain on such resolutions. FRISBIE