CAMBODIAN MFA OFFICIAL ON HR RESOLUTIONS

C O N F I D E N T I A L PHNOM PENH 002048

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

STATE FOR EAP/MLS, IO/UNP; USUN FOR JOAN PLAISTED

E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/17/2016
TAGS: PREL PHUM UNGA CB
SUBJECT: CAMBODIAN MFA OFFICIAL ON HR RESOLUTIONS

REF: A. A) STATE 187018

B. B) PLAISTED 11/14 EMAIL

Classified By: Pol/Econ Chief Margaret McKean; Reason 1.4 (b) (d)


1. (C) On November 16, P/E Chief met with Sun Suon,
Director of the MFA's International Organizations Department
that handles UN affairs, to provide demarche points
concerning the proposed Belarus resolutions (reftel a). Suon
noted that normal practice is for the Cambodian Permrep in
New York to pass copies of "sensitive" resolutions to Phnom
Penh for guidance and instructions. Suon then forwards the
resolutions to FM Hor Namhong for a decision along with a
recommendation. Suon added that he had earlier received the
draft human rights resolutions on Burma and North Korea from
Cambodian Permrep Chem Widya. The others, he noted, had not
been provided to him and therefore the expectation is that
they will be handled as in past years. Likewise, Suon had
not seen anything proposed by Belarus, and thought it
unlikely Cambodia would support them. He anticipated Chem
Widya would be absent from any vote; P/E Chief noted that the
USG would appreciate Cambodia voting against the three
Belarus resolutions aimed at the United States.


2. (C) On Burma, he said that Cambodia would join with
other ASEAN states and vote yes to any no action motion. If
the resolution comes to a vote, however (and he thought it
likely to happen),Cambodia will vote against the resolution.
Suon said he recommended that Cambodia abstain or be absent
from the vote, but the FM decided that Cambodia would vote no
to the resolution. (Note: Suon's remarks track with
comments by Cambodian Permrep to USUN outlined in ref b. End
Note.) If the resolution goes to a vote, Suon predicted
ASEAN would split. He suggested that Singapore and the
Philippines would likely vote yes, he was not certain how
Thailand or Indonesia would vote, and the rest of ASEAN --
including Cambodia -- would vote no. Burma's military, he
said, was dangerous, unpredictable, and well trained;
Cambodia believes it preferable to engage, rather than
isolate them. P/E Chief pointed out that the PM has been
more critical of Burma over the past year, and had offered to
be more supportive of isolating Burma within ASEAN. Sun Suon
responded that the PM's position on such issues (i.e., an
ASEAN neighbor) is not firm.


3. (C) On the North Korea resolution, Suon mentioned that
the North Korean Ambassador had demarched him on the
resolution. Suon reportedly explained that Cambodia remains
concerned over the situation in North Korea, and cannot vote
against the resolution -- a likelier course of action would
be to abstain or not be present for the vote. Suon said that
the North Korean Ambassador indicated he understood
Cambodia's position and did not press further.
MUSSOMELI