DEMARCHE DELIVERED: OPPOSING ANTI-ISRAEL BIAS

C O N F I D E N T I A L YEREVAN 001845 SIPDIS DEPT FOR IO/UNP RAYMOND HOTZ, EUR/CACEN E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/14/2014 TAGS: PREL IS AM UNGA SUBJECT: DEMARCHE DELIVERED: OPPOSING ANTI-ISRAEL BIAS REF: STATE 188933 Classified By: DCM A.F.Godfrey for reasons 1.4 (b,d). (C) We delivered demarche talking points on opposing anti-Israel bias at the UN to MFA International Organizations Department Chief Valery Mkrtumyan and Human Rights Acting Department Chief Tigran Samvelian on October 12 per reftel instructions. During a discussion of Armenia's voting record on the issue, Mkrtumyan disagreed with our assessment that Armenia's "yes" votes could be understood as out of synch with USG goals at UNGA. He suggested that the USG should consider Armenia's abstention vote last year as a sign of solidarity with Washington's UNGA goals. Mkrtumyan repeated the MFA's traditional talking point on this issue, stating that Armenia's geographic position "in the Middle Eastern neighborhood" and the need to maintain political alliances with a wide range of nations made this a sensitive subject for the MFA. Mkrtumyan promised to relay our demarche points to Armenia's PermRep in New York but would not commit to any modification in Armenia's position during this UNGA. Comment: The Armenians are generally receptive to our points on UN reform. Couching this issue in terms of updating or eliminating UN structures with outdated mandates may be our best course of action if we are to get the MFA to vote with us this year. EVANS