TURKEY WILL SUPPORT UNGA RESOLUTION ON UZBEKISTAN

C O N F I D E N T I A L ANKARA 006445 SIPDIS SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/18/2016 TAGS: PHUM PREL UNGA UZ BM BO IR KN TU SUBJECT: TURKEY WILL SUPPORT UNGA RESOLUTION ON UZBEKISTAN AND ABSTAIN ON IRAN REF: A. ANKARA 6423 ¶B. STATE 182267 ¶C. STATE 184178 ¶D. ANKARA 6377 Classified By: Political Counselor Janice G. Weiner for Reasons 1.4 (b, d) ¶1. (C) Summary: Turkey has decided to support the resolution on Uzbekistan's human rights record at the UNGA Third Committee. It will oppose any related no action motions. It plans to abstain from the vote on Iran's human rights record. End summary. ¶2. (C) Following up on points delivered previously (ref A), MFA Central Asia First Secretary Mahmut Sezgin told us Turkey will support the resolution on Uzbekistan and oppose any no action motions. According to press reporting, Uzbekistan is retaliating by refusing to participate in the Eighth Summit Meeting of Heads of State of Turkic-Speaking Countries on November 18 in Antalya. ¶3. (C) MFA South Asia First Secretary Aziz Sevi reminded post of Turkey's position on Iran resolutions before the 2005 and 2004 UNGA Third Committees, and indicated their position would remain the same (abstention from both the resolution vote and the no action vote). Aziz said the GOT took note of the USG position. Visit Ankara's Classified Web Site at http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/eur/ankara/ WILSON