FOLLOW-UP ON DEMARCHES

C O N F I D E N T I A L RIYADH 008788 SIPDIS SIPDIS LONDON FOR TSOU, PARIS FOR ZEYA DEPT FOR NEA/ARPI (SHUKAN),INL, DRL (OZKAN, LURIE),PRM E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/15/2015 TAGS: PHUM PGOV PREL KIRF KISL MOPS PINR PTER USUN EPET, KTER, KCIP, SA, ECON, KDEM SUBJECT: FOLLOW-UP ON DEMARCHES REF: A. 2006 SECSTATE 178055 ¶B. 2006 SECSTATE 180503 ¶C. 2006 SECSTATE 182099 ¶D. 2006 SECSTATE 182267 ¶E. 2006 RIYADH 08313 Classified By: Political Counselor David Rundell for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d). ¶1. (C) On November 6, Deputy Political Counselor (DPC) delivered reftels (A, B, C, D) demarches and talking points to Saudi MFA, International Organization Affairs, UNGA Issues, Mr. Talal Berri. The issues raised were: the UNGA Third Committee (Iran, Belarus, Uzbekistan, Burma, and North Korea resolutions; non-aligned movement (NAM) resolutions on human rights and children in Lebanon); annual UN Cuba embargo resolution; UN Human Rights Council; re-election of U.S. candidate Matheson to the UN International Law Commission; UN Counter-Terrorism Committee; women's empowerment factsheet; Latin America and the Caribbean Group candidate Panama vice both Venezuela and Guatemala for the UN Security Council; removing intolerant language from Saudi textbooks; the November 27 visit of the Human Rights Watch to the KSA; King Abdullah's visit to Najran and the pardons he issued; the mid-November visit of the Colorado state Attorney General to the KSA to explain the Homaidan Al-Turki case; and SAG licensing of NGOs. ¶2. (C) This demarche followed up on some of the demarches delivered on October 9 (reftel E) to Minister Plenipotentiary Hazem Karakotly, assistant to Director General for International Organization Affairs. DPC followed-up on Venezuela's bid for a seat on the UN Security Council, UN Human Rights Council issues, and general UNGA issues. ¶3. (C) Mr. Talal Berri, who has only been on the job for one week, received the demarches and told DPC that he would provide the information to his superiors as soon as possible. Berri did not convey the SAG's official position on the issues discussed. Post will follow up as appropriate. -------------- COMMENT -------------- ¶4. (C) Mr. Berri's only comments were on the annual UN Cuba embargo resolution, the Homaidan Al-Turki case, and the factsheet on women's empowerment. He said that the SAG has "no big differences" with the U.S. regarding the Cuba embargo. Also, he said that the SAG will appoint lawyers to assist in the appeal of the verdict against Mr. Al-Turki. (NOTE: Post received other unconfirmed reports that the SAG plans to hire U.S. lawyers through its embassy in Washington, D.C. END NOTE.) Mr. Berri also indicated that he would like any follow up information regarding upcoming meetings on women's empowerment. END COMMENT. OBERWETTER