SAUDI MFA DEMARCHED ON UNGA RESOLUTIONS, CPC

C O N F I D E N T I A L RIYADH 008860 SIPDIS SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/15/2016 TAGS: PHUM PREL EAIR ECON KIRF UNHRC AF SA SUBJECT: SAUDI MFA DEMARCHED ON UNGA RESOLUTIONS, CPC DESIGNATION, AFGHAN HAJJ FLIGHTS REF: A. SECSTATE 185564 ¶B. SECSTATE 185925 ¶C. SECSTATE 184178 ¶D. SECSTATE 187018 Classified By: Political Counselor David Rundell for reasons 1.4 (b) an d (d). ¶1. (C) Deputy PolCouns demarched Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Department of International Organizations, human rights lead, Abdulrahman Al-Rassj, on November 15 regarding Afghan Hajj flights (Ref A),Saudi Arabia's November 13 redesignation as a Country of Particular Concern (CPC) (Ref B),and UN General Assembly Third Committee Country Specific resolutions (Refs C and D). Al-Rassj made no comment regarding the CPC designation, and stated that his colleauges in the MFA's Hajj Department would contact Post early in the week regarding the request for assistance on Afghan Hajj flights. ¶2. (C) Regarding UNGA Country specific resolutions, Al-Rassij stated that the SAG would support the resolutions on North Korea and Burma, plans to abstain on Belarus (NOTE: These instructions have not yet been conveyed to the Saudi Mission in New York. END NOTE.),and oppose the resolution on Uzbekistan. The SAG is still undecided on the Iran resolution, but Al-Rassij predicted that it would also oppopse this resolution. Deputy PolCouns reiterated reftel talking points and stongly urged the SAG to reconsider its opposition/abstention. Although he provided no substantive reasons why the SAG would oppose/abstain on the Belarus, Uzbekistan, and Iran resolutions, Al-Rassij indicated that the SAG would align itself with the view of the Organization of the Islamic Conference. However, he emphasized that this is only one factor in the decision-making process. He also pointed out that the development of the language in the Iran resolution is the reason the SAG has changed its position over time. ¶3. (C) Al-Rassij, who was previously part of the Saudi Mission in New York and worked on Third Committee issues, continued that he did not expect the Belarus resolutions "regarding Canada and the U.S." to make it to a vote. He also stated that the SAG, which is not in favor of these resolutions, is following their development closely. He said the Mission in New York wants to discuss them further with "Arab/Islamic" countries, but suggested that the SAG is "close to voting against them." However, he cautioned that this is not a definite position and the Saudis will take into consideration the views of "like-minded countries." OBERWETTER