Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
06BANDARSERIBEGAWAN583
2006-11-15 06:03:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Bandar Seri Begawan
Cable title:
BRUNEI LIKELY TO JOIN NAM ON UN HR RESOLUTIONS
how-toVZCZCXRO9053 PP RUEHCHI RUEHDT RUEHHM DE RUEHBD #0583 3190603 ZNY CCCCC ZZH P 150603Z NOV 06 FM AMEMBASSY BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 3618 INFO RUEHZS/ASSOCIATION OF SOUTHEAST ASIAN NATIONS PRIORITY RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK PRIORITY
C O N F I D E N T I A L BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN 000583
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
DEPARTMENT FOR IO/UNP AND EAP/MTS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/15/2016
TAGS: PHUM PREL BX
SUBJECT: BRUNEI LIKELY TO JOIN NAM ON UN HR RESOLUTIONS
REF: A. SECSTATE 187018
B. STATE 184178
C. STATE 182267
D. STATE 184156
Classified By: CDA Justin Friedman, reasons 1.4 (b) & (d)
C O N F I D E N T I A L BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN 000583
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
DEPARTMENT FOR IO/UNP AND EAP/MTS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/15/2016
TAGS: PHUM PREL BX
SUBJECT: BRUNEI LIKELY TO JOIN NAM ON UN HR RESOLUTIONS
REF: A. SECSTATE 187018
B. STATE 184178
C. STATE 182267
D. STATE 184156
Classified By: CDA Justin Friedman, reasons 1.4 (b) & (d)
1. (C) Charge delivered ref B & C demarches on November 9 to
Florence Chong, Assistant Director of the International
Organizations Department at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs
and Trade (MOFAT). Chong explained that Brunei regularly
joins with consensus positions adopted by ASEAN, the OIC and
the NAM. She said that Brunei generally opposes single
country resolutions and votes in favor of no action motions
and would likely stick with NAM positions when these
resolutions come up for vote.
2. (C) On the specific five country resolutions, Chong said
that MOFAT was having difficulty getting draft texts with
sufficient lead time to analyze the content, citing the Iran
resolution in particular. She also said that without a text
on Belarus, it was impossible to provide a response. Charge
pressed that as Belarus was not an ASEAN or OIC country,
Brunei should be able to join us or at least abstain on the
Belarus resolution. Chong countered that as Belarus was a
member of NAM, Brunei would likely follow the NAM position.
3. (C) Chong said that Myanmar had demarched the GoB that it
had not been adequately consulted on the text of this years'
the draft resolution on Burma. She added that last year's
Burma resolution was adopted by consensus - a solution she
hoped could be achieved this year as well.
4. (C) On Uzbekistan, Chong said that a key factor in
Brunei's decision would be how the issue of the death penalty
was treated in the text. Brunei has the death penalty (for
drug trafficking) and would not support language in the
Uzbekistan resolution taking a position on Uzbekistan's use
of the death penalty. Chong did not offer any comments on
the DPRK resolution.
5. (C) On November 15, Charge followed up with Chong per ref
A instructions on the importance of voting against the three
anti-U.S. resolutions. Chong again complained of not having
a draft of the text to review. Charge noted the timing of
the coming vote and urged a timely review so that Brunei
could vote against these resolutions.
FRIEDMAN
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
DEPARTMENT FOR IO/UNP AND EAP/MTS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/15/2016
TAGS: PHUM PREL BX
SUBJECT: BRUNEI LIKELY TO JOIN NAM ON UN HR RESOLUTIONS
REF: A. SECSTATE 187018
B. STATE 184178
C. STATE 182267
D. STATE 184156
Classified By: CDA Justin Friedman, reasons 1.4 (b) & (d)
1. (C) Charge delivered ref B & C demarches on November 9 to
Florence Chong, Assistant Director of the International
Organizations Department at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs
and Trade (MOFAT). Chong explained that Brunei regularly
joins with consensus positions adopted by ASEAN, the OIC and
the NAM. She said that Brunei generally opposes single
country resolutions and votes in favor of no action motions
and would likely stick with NAM positions when these
resolutions come up for vote.
2. (C) On the specific five country resolutions, Chong said
that MOFAT was having difficulty getting draft texts with
sufficient lead time to analyze the content, citing the Iran
resolution in particular. She also said that without a text
on Belarus, it was impossible to provide a response. Charge
pressed that as Belarus was not an ASEAN or OIC country,
Brunei should be able to join us or at least abstain on the
Belarus resolution. Chong countered that as Belarus was a
member of NAM, Brunei would likely follow the NAM position.
3. (C) Chong said that Myanmar had demarched the GoB that it
had not been adequately consulted on the text of this years'
the draft resolution on Burma. She added that last year's
Burma resolution was adopted by consensus - a solution she
hoped could be achieved this year as well.
4. (C) On Uzbekistan, Chong said that a key factor in
Brunei's decision would be how the issue of the death penalty
was treated in the text. Brunei has the death penalty (for
drug trafficking) and would not support language in the
Uzbekistan resolution taking a position on Uzbekistan's use
of the death penalty. Chong did not offer any comments on
the DPRK resolution.
5. (C) On November 15, Charge followed up with Chong per ref
A instructions on the importance of voting against the three
anti-U.S. resolutions. Chong again complained of not having
a draft of the text to review. Charge noted the timing of
the coming vote and urged a timely review so that Brunei
could vote against these resolutions.
FRIEDMAN