AMBASSADOR RAISES NAM STATEMENT ON IRAN STATEMENT,

C O N F I D E N T I A L KINGSTON 001117

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

DEPARTMENT FOR WHA/CAR (BENT),IO

E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/07/2016
TAGS: PGOV PREL UNSC AORC IAEA KNNP IR JM
SUBJECT: AMBASSADOR RAISES NAM STATEMENT ON IRAN STATEMENT,
GUATEMALA UNSC CANDIDACY, WITH FOREIGN MINISTER HYLTON

REF: A. KINGSTON 1097


B. STATE 86256

C. KINGSTON 1064

D. STATE 89325

Classified By: Ambassador Brenda LaGrange Johnson. Reasons 1.4(b) and
(d).

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SUMMARY
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1. (C) On June 5, the Ambassador called on Foreign Minister
Anthony Hylton to follow up on Guatemala's candidacy for a
UNSC seat (Ref A),and to express disappointment with the
recent NAM statement on Iran (Ref C). On Guatemala/UNSC,
Hylton denied that Jamaica or CARICOM had yet decided how to
vote, although Guatemala's territorial dispute with Belize
"poses a particular hurdle" to supporting Guatemala's
candidacy. On Iran/NAM, Hylton professed that he had worked
"doggedly" behind the scenes in Malaysia to effect a balanced
statement, that the final text was considerably improved from
drafts, and that in the end, he decided not to issue a
statement like Singapore. Hylton had nothing to say about
Iran's history of deception of IAEA inspectors, or of
Tehran's belligerent remarks about Israel, but he opined that
USG policy toward Israel under the NPT is "inconsistent." End
Summary.

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GUATEMALA/UNSC CANDIDACY
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2. (C) Following up on her May 30 meeting with the Prime
Minister (Ref A),the Ambassador met with Foreign Minister
Anthony Hylton on June 5 to press the GOJ to support
Guatemala's candidacy for a non-permanent seat on the UN
Security Council (UNSC). She opened by reminding Hylton that
he had told the Secretary during their April 14 meeting in
Washington that Venezuela should not assume Jamaican support
in such matters. While the USG understands the importance of
sovereignty to the GOJ, she continued, GOJ support on issues
of importance to the USG in multilateral fora is often
lacking.


3. (C) Hylton replied that "Jamaica pursues a mature and
independent foreign policy." He reiterated that the GOV
cannot assume Jamaican support. Jamaica, he said, must look
at the merits of an issue and vote accordingly. "As a small
country, our best interests are served by a quote principled
position unquote, he said. "This is the policy I have
inherited. We have good relations with Venezuela and
excellent ties with the U.S. There are issues on which we'd
like the U.S. support and don't get it." According to
Hylton, Guatemala's territorial dispute with Belize "poses a
particular hurdle" to GOJ support for Guatemala's UNSC
candidacy. He described Belize as "extremely concerned by
the clear and present danger to Belize" posed by Guatemala.
He stated that neither Jamaica nor CARICOM had decided how
they would vote. The Ambassador noted that there had been
progress toward resolution of the dispute. Without
addressing the point, Hylton said that USG engagement would
be helpful to resolving the problem. The Ambassador asked
Hylton to re-confirm his statement that neither Jamaica nor
CARICOM had decided; the Minister did so.

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NAM STATEMENT ON IRAN
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4. (C) The Ambassador next raised the issue of the NAM's
unbalanced statement on Iran (Ref C). Noting that Hylton had
just returned from the NAM Ministerial in Kuala Lumpur, she
told him that "we're unhappy with the text of the statement,"
which, she continued, had not accurately reflected the
situation. Somewhat smugly, Hylton replied, "Despite
extensive U.S. intelligence capabilities - except, as we have
seen, in Iraq - I'm afraid you've heard it wrong from the
NAM." In face, he countered, "Jamaica fought doggedly for a
balanced statement." The final text, he maintained, had
been "toned down" thanks in part to behind-the-scenes
Jamaican intervention. Reminded that Singapore had issued an
Explanation of Vote expressing disappointment at the final
statement, Hylton replied that Jamaica had chosen not to do
so. He expressed concern that oil prices would continue to
rise absent a peaceful resolution to the impasse. The

Foreign Minister further stated that Jamaica has no interest
in acquiring nuclear weapons; accordingly, the GOJ considers
it important that the Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) not be
violated. In that vein, he contended, "the U.S. line is
inconsistent" vis-a-vis Israel and the NPT. He said that
Jamaica and other "friendly" countries would be better able
to press Iran on nuclear issues if the U.S. would press
Israel. P/E Counselor reminded the Minister of the Iranian
president's recent public statement about wiping Israel off
the face of the map, and asked whether Israel was a signatory
to the NPT. Hylton conceded that Israel was not.

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COMMENT
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5. (C) This was a cordial but unsatisfactory meeting. The
importance of Jamaica's sovereignty and the GOJ's "principled
positions" vis-a-vis U.S. positions in foreign policy matters
are hardwired into (and regularly professed with a frequency
that can seem almost robotic by) Hylton, former PM Patterson
and nearly all senior GOJ officials with whom we deal. The
GOJ seems unlikely to support Guatemala's candidacy, and the
border dispute with Belize offers them cover. (Looking
further afield than Guatemala and Venezuela, is there a
potential GRULAC candidate that Jamaica/CARICOM and the USG
could agree to support?)


6. (C) Comment (cont'd): We cannot say from here what Hylton
may or may not have done in Malaysia to effect a more
balanced statement on Iran, but we have seen little
indication of a GOJ willingness to stick its neck out and
adopt a "principled position" if doing so is likely to cause
ripples among NAM states. Hylton may have concluded that
Jamaica has less to worry about by voting against U.S.
positions on key issues than by displeasing the NAM (or
certain members thereof). If so, perhaps we should give him
pause to reconsider that view at an appropriate time.
JOHNSON