UN IAAC ELECTION: THAILAND TO SUPPORT SPANISH

C O N F I D E N T I A L BANGKOK 005666 SIPDIS SIPDIS DEPT FOR IO/MPR/SC - BRIAN HACKETT USUN FOR USUN/MR - BRUCE RASHKOW E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/02/2017 TAGS: PREL AORC UNAUS UNGA UNGA TH SUBJECT: UN IAAC ELECTION: THAILAND TO SUPPORT SPANISH CANDIDATE REF: A. STATE 151763 (FOLLOW-UP INSTRUCTION) ¶B. BANGKOK 5556 (FIRST DEMARCHE) Classified By: Deputy Chief of Mission James F. Entwistle; reason: 1.4 (b) and (d). ¶1. (C) Per ref A instructions, we spoke on November 2 with Adisorndej Sukhasvasti, Director of the MFA International Organizations Division. Citing our earlier conversation (ref B) and subsequent discussions in New York (ref A),we urged that MFA instruct its UN mission to vote for David Walker in the November 2 Independent Audit Advisory Committee (IAAC) election. Adisorndej told us that, following more than a month of exchanging views and proposals, the Thai and Spanish governments had very recently exchanged written guarantees of reciprocal support in two UN elections: in return for Thai support for Spanish candidate Rafael Munoz in the IAAC, the Spanish government would support a Thai candidate to become a member of the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child. Adisorndej indicated the Thai decision on this matter was final. ¶2. (C) Following our conversation with Adisorndej, the DCM took the opportunity of a previously-scheduled November 2 call on the Director General for North American Affairs, Nongnuth Petcharatana, to raise the Walker IAAC candidacy. Nongnuth undertook to discuss it with her I/O colleagues but commented that it sounded like the Thai decision was final. BOYCE