C O N F I D E N T I A L CAIRO 006442

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E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/17/2016
TAGS: PREL PGOV UNSC PTER ARABL EG GU VE
SUBJECT: GUATEMALA VS. VENEZUELA: ARAB LEAGUE SECRETARIAT
INSTRUCTS NEW YORK OFFICE TO BE CONSTRUCTIVE


Classified by Minister Counselor for Economic and Political
Affairs William Stewart for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d).


1. (C) The Charge called Arab League (AL) Secretariat Chief
of Staff Hisham Youssef on October 17 to request League
assistance with Guatemala's bid for a UN Security Council
seat, and to complain about public remarks attributed to the
AL's New York representative Yahya Mahmassani's - seemingly
in support of Venezuela's bid. Youssef was unaware of the
reported comments or details of the previous day's balloting,
but promised to check into the matter and respond. Shortly
afterwards, Youssef called the Charge saying he agreed that
Mahmassani's comments were "unhelpful," that he had called
the League's NY office, and had instructed them to "cool it"
regarding public statements on the election.


2. (C) Pressed by the Charge on whether the League
Secretariat would step in to assist Guatemala's candidacy

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given the current stalemate in balloting, Youssef said that
he had also instructed the NY office to be "constructive" and
to help to "find a solution." Post is also in touch with the
Guatemalan Embassy DCM who called poloff on October 17 asking
the U.S. Embassy to weigh in with the Arab League Secretariat
and help sway Arab votes toward Guatemala. The DCM, Jose
Manuel Azurdia Longo, expressed his appreciation for the
Charge's call to Hisham Youssef at the League, and promised
to report the conversation to his ministry. Longo told
poloff that he understood Egypt had voted for Guatemala in
the first ten rounds of balloting, but that many other Arab
states had supported Venezuela.
JONES