UN: ECUADOR FOR BALANCE IN BEIT HANOUN

UNCLAS QUITO 002832 SIPDIS SENSITIVE SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PREL UN BO EC SUBJECT: UN: ECUADOR FOR BALANCE IN BEIT HANOUN RESOLUTIONS, REGIONAL CONSENSUS ON OTHERS REF: SECSTATE 188244 ¶1. (SBU) Summary: The GOE will vote in favor of the Beit Hanoun resolutions in NY and Geneva, in favor of the Burma country resolution, against Iran's retaliatory Canada resolution, and seeks to shift GRULAC consensus from abstention on Belarus' retaliatory resolutions against the U.S. to a 'no' vote. End Summary. ¶2. (SBU) PolChief conveyed RefTel points to MFA U/S for Multilateral Affairs Gonzalo Salvador on November 16. After hearing our arguments, Salvador said the GOE would vote in favor of the UNGA November 17 Emergency Special Session resolution condemning the incident in Beit Hanoun. The GOE had voted in favor of a similar resolution at the Extraordinary Session of the Human Rights Council in Geneva. ¶3. (SBU) On November 17, Salvador sent us two statements by Ecuador's representative to the Third Special Session of the Human Rights Council in Geneva e-mailed to WHA/AND). Both were dated November 15. The first is entitled "Intervention by the Deputy Permanent Representative of Brazil in Geneva, Ambassador Sergio Florencio." The document is a joint statement by Brazil and Ecuador, expressing concern for "the growing spiral of violence in the Palestinian Occupied Territories reflected in the rising death toll from Israeli operations in Northern Gaza and the recent disproportionate military actions in Beit Hanoun." The statement includes some balance, rejecting as "unacceptable the use of violence by either side" and favoring "dialogue and peaceful solution of conflicts" and recommending "an appeal to all parties to self-restraint and to return to the peace process." Both countries call upon Israel to investigate responsibility for the Beit Hanoun incident, and urge "the Palestinians to take the critically important step of stopping rocket attacks by militants, and on both sides to return to talks." Possible steps toward reconciliation "could begin with the release of the Israeli Corporal Gilad Shalit. Another important step in the direction of peace in the region would be the establishment of a Palestinian Government of national unity." ¶4. (SBU) The other document is entitled "Intervention of Alternate Representative of Ecuador Galo Larenas, Explaining Ecuador's Vote in Support of the Resolution On the Israeli Military Attack at Beit Hanoun." The document asserts that the GOE would vote in favor of the resolution. After expressing concern about civilian casualties there, it does the same for "Israeli victims caused by missiles shot from the Palestinian sector." The GOE seconded the Brazilian statement calling for a "cessation of these actions, on both sides, and return of the parties to the negotiating table." The statement also congratulates Israel for actions taken (to investigate responsibility for the incident). ¶5. (SBU) On other pending UN human rights resolutions, Ambassador Salvador on November 16 told us the GOE would likely vote in favor of the Burma resolution, and against Iran's retaliatory resolution against Canada. On November 17, Salvador said he had instructed Ecuador's Alternate Representative at the UN, Ambassador Rodrigo Riofio, to "seek to procure or join regional consensus, if it is against Belarus' retaliatory resolution against the human rights situation in the U.S." The GOE would coordinate these efforts with Chile, Brazil and Peru. If consensus is not reached, the GOE would abstain. JEWELL