ARGENTINA UNDECIDED ON BELARUS BUT WILL SUPPORT

C O N F I D E N T I A L BUENOS AIRES 002570 SIPDIS SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/16/2016 TAGS: PHUM PREL UNHRC SUBJECT: ARGENTINA UNDECIDED ON BELARUS BUT WILL SUPPORT U.S. POSITION ON OTHER UN COUNTRY-SPECIFIC RESOLUTIONS REF: A. STATE 187018 B. STATE 184178 C. STATE 182267 ¶D. STATE 183547 Classified By: AMBASSADOR E. ANTHONY WAYNE FOR REASONS 1.4 (B) AND (D) ¶1. (C) In response to Embassy demarches that relayed points in reftels A-C, Argentina's MFA Deputy Director for International Organizations Ana Berta confirmed on November 16 that the GOA has issued instructions to their mission in New York to vote with the United States on the country-specific resolutions condemning the human rights situation in the DPRK, Burma, Iran, and Uzbekistan. She also confirmed that Buenos Aires has issued instructions to vote against Iran's retaliatory resolution against Canada; however, the GOA has not issued instructions on Belarus yet. Berta stated that the GOA is leaning towards condemning Belarus and voting against the three retaliatory actions against the United States. She explained that the GOA would likly issue instructions on Belarus closer to the date of the actual vote as both the Division for International Organizations and the Division for Human Rights are short-staffed due to the Argentine summer transfer season. WAYNE