THE GAMBIA: VOTING RECORD IN THE 60TH UNGA

C O N F I D E N T I A L BANJUL 000021

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/11/2016
TAGS: ECON PHUM PINR PINS PREL GA
SUBJECT: THE GAMBIA: VOTING RECORD IN THE 60TH UNGA

REF: 05 USUN NEW YORK 2853

Classified By: Ambassador Joseph Stafford, reason 1.4 (b and d)

U.S. AND GAMBIAN VOTING RECORDS
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1. (C) Ambassador raised the GOTG's voting record in the 60th
UNGA in separate meetings with Foreign Affairs Permanent
Secretary Ebou Taal (deputy formin equivalent) and visiting

SIPDIS
Gambian PermRep Crispin Grey-Johnson. Reviewing the
respective U.S. and Gambian voting records on the nine key
issues identified in reftel, Ambassador expressed surprise
and disappointment that the GOTG had voted against the U.S.
on eight of the nine issues. He asserted that the GOTG's
voting record was not consistent with the overall positive
tenor of our bilateral relationship, noting that only
Zimbabwe, with which our relationship was far less positive,
had voted against us more often. Ambassador urged that, in
future voting, the GOTG, like many of our other African
friends, look for ways to abstain or be absent, if unable to
vote with us.

GAMBIAN RESPONSE
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2. (C) PermSec Taal indicated that he was also surprised at
the GOTG's wide divergence with the U.S. in UN voting and
undertook to raise our demarche with the Formin on latter's
return from overseas trip. As for Grey-Johnson, he was
predictably defensive, saying the Gambian delegation "was
compelled" to vote in accordance with "consensus positions"
of the African Group and citing opposition within the Group
to country-specific human rights resolutions in particular.
He went on to mention pressure on Middle East issues from
fellow members of the OIC. Ambassador responded that the
other African states faced similar pressures but nonetheless
many of them found ways to be helpful on issues of high
priority to the U.S. by abstaining or being absent when
unable to vote with us. Grey-Johnson indicated that he had
gotten the point, saying he would "look at how we can be more
supportive" in future UN voting.

COMMENT
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3. (C) We are grateful to USUN for providing reftel breakdown
of African countries' voting records, as we were able to draw
from it to impress upon the Gambians that we notice their
votes and that they are a factor in our overall bilateral
relationship. In response to our demarches on UN issues,
GOTG officials typically give assurances of their intention
to be helpful, but our sense is that PermRep Grey-Johnson
receives little guidance from Banjul on specific votes. END
COMMENT.
STAFFORD