ROKG EXPLAINS VOTE FOR NOVEMBER 17 ESS RESOLUTION

UNCLAS SEOUL 003995 SIPDIS SENSITIVE SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PREL UNGA KS IS SUBJECT: ROKG EXPLAINS VOTE FOR NOVEMBER 17 ESS RESOLUTION REF: STATE 188244 ¶1. (SBU) On November 17, poloff delivered reftel demarche, urging capitals to vote against or abstain on an unbalanced draft resolution on Israel that was to be proposed later that day at an Emergency Special Session (ESS) of the UNGA, to Lee Kyung-chul, Deputy Director of the UN Division, Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade. Lee said his office would need to study the text of the draft resolution that poloff provided. The UN Division, however, was unable to provide a fuller response by close of business. ¶2. (SBU) On November 20, poloff called on Kim Chul-lee, another Deputy Director at MOFAT's UN Division, for an explanation of the ROKG vote for the ESS resolution adopted on November 17. Kim stated that Seoul had intended to abstain on the original draft in consideration of the USG position. Following European Union-initiated modifications to the text's language, Seoul decided to side with the majority to adopt the resolution. Kim stressed that the EU and Japan also supported the resolution to produce its adoption by a vote of 156-7-6. VERSHBOW