(C) APPOINTMENT OF NEW UN SPECIAL ENVOY FOR THE

C O N F I D E N T I A L TEL AVIV 000959

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/17/2010
TAGS: IS KPAL PREL GOI EXTERNAL
SUBJECT: (C) APPOINTMENT OF NEW UN SPECIAL ENVOY FOR THE
MIDDLE EAST: SERRY LOBBYING ISRAEL AND PALESTINIANS


Classified By: Ambassador Daniel C. Kurtzer for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d)


1. (C) Dutch NATO Permanent Representative Robert Serry
told the Ambassador February 17 that he is meeting with
Israeli and Palestinian Authority officials to lobby for his
candidacy to become the new UN Special Coordinator for the
Middle East. Serry said that the Palestinian leadership had
expressed strong support for his candidacy and told him that
they favored him over Canada's Jill Sinclair. He said the
Palestinians were expected to convey their support for his
candidacy to UN Secretary General Annan.


2. (C) Serry said that he will tell Israeli officials, with
whom he is meeting later today, that he brings extensive
experience and personal integrity to the job. He believes
the Israelis are comfortable with his candidacy, but he does
not know where he stands in their ranking order of potential
successors to Terje Larsen.


3. (C) Serry expects to be in New York in the next few
weeks, and the Dutch PermRep to the UN has told him that he
is trying to arrange an introductory call on Annan. Serry
said he remains ready to come to Washington to meet with USG
officials, but has understood that it may be best not to do
so. He said he remains very interested in the position and
believes that he would work well with the US in the Quartet
to advance the prospects for Middle East peace.

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KURTZER