DEMARCHE ON UNGA EMERGENCY SPECIAL SESSION

UNCLAS MEXICO 006531 SIPDIS INFO USMISSION USUN NEW YORK PRIORITY AMEMBASSY TEL AVIV NSC WASHDC SENSITIVE SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PREL UNGA MX IS SUBJECT: DEMARCHE ON UNGA EMERGENCY SPECIAL SESSION REF: A) SECSTATE 188244 B) MEXICO 3069 ¶1. (SBU) On November 16, poloff passed ref A talking points to Minister Dolores Jimenez, Deputy Director General for UN Affairs at the Secretariat for Foreign Relations (SRE). Post notes that historically, Mexico has proven a fairly reliable vote against Israel in UN bodies, and we do not expect any response we receive from the GOM to this demarche to be favorable. ¶2. (SBU) Comment: In a May 2006 campaign appearance before Mexico's Jewish community (ref B),then-candidate Calderon lamented that there had been "a terrible deficiency" in Mexico's Middle East policy, epitomized by the GOM's history of reflexively supporting anti-Israel resolutions in international fora. He pledged that if he were elected, the GOM would no longer maintain an a priori position on Middle East-related resolutions and would consider each one on its own merits. It remains to be seen whether, once Calderon assumes office, he is able to overcome the SRE's entrenched bias in favor of the Arabs, and implement a more independent policy on these issues. Visit Mexico City's Classified Web Site at http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/wha/mexicocity GARZA