DEMARCHE DELIVERED: OPPOSING ANTI-ISRAEL BIAS AT

C O N F I D E N T I A L YEREVAN 001506 SIPDIS SIPDIS DEPT FOR EUR/CARC, IO/UNP - RAYMOND HOTZ E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/26/2016 TAGS: PREL UNGA IS AM SUBJECT: DEMARCHE DELIVERED: OPPOSING ANTI-ISRAEL BIAS AT THE UNGA REF: STATE 178061 Classified By: Poloff Masha Herbst for reasons 1.4 (b, d). ¶1. (C) We delivered reftel points to Valery Mkrtumian, head of the MFA's International Organizations Department. Mkrtumian noted that Armenia had abstained from the vote on the resolution on the Division for Palestinian Rights. Regarding our request that Armenia abstain from voting on the other two resolutions, he said it would be very difficult for the Armenian government to change a longstanding position. "Our general approach is that we do not change abruptly any kind of pattern that we have voted for many years," Mkrtumian said. GODFREY