COSTA RICAN RESPONSES TO UN-RELATED DEMARCHES

UNCLAS SAN JOSE 002614 SIPDIS SENSITIVE SIPDIS DEPT FOR WHA/CEN JASON MACK AND IO/UNP E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: ILC PHUM PREL UNGA UNHRC CS SUBJECT: COSTA RICAN RESPONSES TO UN-RELATED DEMARCHES REF: A. STATE 182267 ¶B. STATE 184178 ¶C. STATE 137429 ¶D. STATE 186285 ¶E. STATE 182099 ¶F. SAN JOSE 2543 ¶1. (U) On November 14, PolCouns and Poloff met with Ministry of Foreign Affairs officials to discuss pending Third Committee country-specific human rights resolutions, the upcoming International Law Commission election, and the recent Costa Rican UNGA votes concerning Cuba. In attendance were Director of Foreign Policy Amb. Jose Chaverri, Deputy Director of Foreign Policy Edwin Arias, Director of Multilateral Policy Carlos Cordero, and Viviana Tinoco from the United Nations Area office. The following are the GOCR,s responses; most issues are still "under review.8 ¶2. (U) Third Committee Resolutions: Post sent Ref A talking points to Cordero on November 8, requesting a follow-up meeting to discuss them in more detail. November 14, PolCouns reiterated the points, focusing especially on Belarus (Ref B) and noting that Costa Rica had voted consistent with the USG position on all five country-specific resolutions and no action votes in 2005. Amb. Chaverri was noncommittal; he said the issue was still under review. On November 15, post followed up by sending points on the Belarussian "reprisal motions" (Ref D) to Chaverri, Arias and Cordero, again urging GOCR support. ¶3. (U) International Law Commission election: Post sent a Diplomatic Note urging support for U.S. Candidate Michael Matheson to the MFA (Ref C) on October 31. On November 14, PolCouns again solcited the GOCR position, as requested in Ref D. After conferring with the international candidates office at the MFA, Tinoco informed poloffs that he MFA was "still studying" Matheson,s candidacy. ¶4. (SBU) Cuban Embargo Resolution: Given Cost Rica's usual support for country-specific humanrights resolutions and general opposition to no ction motions, Polcouns expressed disappointmentat Costa Rica,s joining the likes of Iran, Belaru, the DPRK and Burma in voting for no action on te Australia amendment (Ref E). Chaverri played down the GOCR vote. He said the amendment was offered "too late," so Costa Rica voted on procedural grounds. ¶5. (SBU) COMMENT: The GOCR,s vote on the Australian amendment to the Cuban embargo resolution confirms what a more senior-level MFA official hinted to us earlier , namely that one element of Costa Rica's tactical diplomatic approach to shoring up its UNSC candidacy for the 2008-2010 term will be to lower the country's profile on Cuba-related matters (Ref F). The other inconclusive answers were, unfortunately, in keeping with MFA responses to nearly all UN-related issues over the past year. Even seemingly straight-forward topics have required lengthy consideration, generating late responses, if any at all. According to media reports (and confirmed by MFA sources),Chaverri will soon depart his current position. In addition, the MFA,s multilateral section is undergoing a shake-up, reflecting the greater importance FonMin Stagno places on UN issues (again in preparation for what the GOCR hopes will be its UNSC election for the 2008-2010 term). Hopefully, these changes will improve the MFA,s responsiveness to our UN demarches. FRISBIE