SENEGAL SEEKING UNSC SEAT FOR 2008-2009

C O N F I D E N T I A L DAKAR 000708 SIPDIS SIPDIS SENSITIVE STATE FOR IO/UNP, AF/RSA AND AF/W NSC FOR AF SENIOR DIRECTOR COURVILLE PARIS FOR POL - D'ELIA E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/20/2016 TAGS: PREL AORC UNSC SG SUBJECT: SENEGAL SEEKING UNSC SEAT FOR 2008-2009 Classified By: CDA Robert P. Jackson for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d). ¶1. (U) This is an action message. Please see paragraph 2. ¶2. (SBU) On March 15, the Mission received a diplomatic note dated the previous day from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The note &solicits8 the support of the United States for Senegal for a non-permanent seat on the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) for 2008-2009. The note also recalls that Senegal previously served on the UNSC during 1968 and 1969 and again during 1988 and 1989. Please provide guidance for a response. ¶3. (C) COMMENT: The Department will recall that Senegal has also expressed its interest in a permanent African seat on an expanded UNSC. While relations between Senegal and the United States are excellent, Mission notes that Senegal generally votes with the African Group and in 2004 the voting coincidence with the United States was just 13.3 percent. END COMMENT. JACKSON