DEFEATING VENEZUELA IN THE 2006 UNSC ELECTION:

C O N F I D E N T I A L SEOUL 000445 SIPDIS SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/08/2016 TAGS: PREL UN UNSC GT VE KS SUBJECT: DEFEATING VENEZUELA IN THE 2006 UNSC ELECTION: ROKG VIEWS REF: STATE 20173 Classified By: Joseph Y. Yun, POL M-C. Reasons 1.4 (b/d) ¶1. (C) POL M-C delivered reftel points opposing Venezuela's candidacy to the UNSC to Kim Won-soo, MOFAT Director-General for Policy Planning, in a previously scheduled meeting on February 8, noting that the Ambassador planned to raise them with Foreign Minister Ban Ki-moon at an early opportunity. ¶2. (C) DG Kim said that starting from next week he would become special assistant to FM Ban, spending a great deal of time coordinating Ban's campaign and strategy to succeed Kofi Annan as UNSYG. Regarding the Venezuelan candidacy for the GRULAC seat in the UNSC, Kim said that Washington's position was entirely understandable. South Korea would also be competing a seat against Indonesia. Perhaps, Kim said, South Korea could begin discussions with Guatemala on reciprocal support. Kim agreed to convey Washington's views on this issue to FM Ban. VERSHBOW