MALAYSIA NON-COMMITTAL ON HRC VOTE, MIGHT STRIKE

C O N F I D E N T I A L KUALA LUMPUR 000835 SIPDIS SIPDIS FOR UNDER SECRETARY BURNS FROM AMBASSADOR LAFLEUR E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/10/2017 TAGS: PHUM PREL UNHRC MY SUBJECT: MALAYSIA NON-COMMITTAL ON HRC VOTE, MIGHT STRIKE DEAL WITH BELARUS REF: STATE 63345 Classified By: Ambassador Christopher J. LaFleur for reasons 1.4 (b and d). ¶1. (C) We engaged with the Malaysian Foreign Ministry at senior and working levels again May 10 to convince Malaysia to support Bosnia and Slovenia instead of Belarus in the UNHRC vote. In addition, the Canadians delivered a high-level demarche yesterday. The Ministry's Deputy Secretary General Tan Seng Sung, Under Secretary for SIPDIS Multilateral Political Affairs Shahrul Ikram, and Under Secretary for the Americas Ramlan Ibrahim all remained SIPDIS non-committal and non-communicative. Ambassador Tan, after receiving the Canadian demarche, did not echo concerns over Belarus' human rights record and instead recalled Malaysia's vote against UNGA criticism of Belarus based on Malaysia's policy of rejecting country-specific resolutions. Shahrul (whom we tracked down in Vienna) and Ramlan provided no substantive response. ¶2. (C) The Ministry's Principal Assistant Secretary for Human Rights issues, Astanah Banu Shri Abdul Aziz (protect), was more communicative, but not positive. Astanah believed Malaysia would be interested in supporting Bosnia because it is a fellow OIC member. However, this might be at the expense of Slovenia, rather than Belarus. According to Astanah, Malaysia has already approached Belarus about voting arrangements to support Malaysian candidates in up coming elections at the UNGA, and if those arrangements were agreed, Malaysia would cast its vote for Belarus in the UNHRC election. Astanah described this as the most likely outcome. ¶3. (SBU) The British High Commission informed us that they had received demarche instructions on Belarus but have not been able to deliver the points yet. The French Embassy told us they do not have formal instructions. ¶4. (C) My assessment: Generally speaking, the Malaysians go silent when they cannot provide a positive answer. Their non-responsiveness with us and reported vote trading are signs they will vote for Belarus. Malaysia tends to put serious stock in OIC and NAM consensus. If the Department knows of influential members in either group supportive of Slovenia or opposed to Belarus, we would recommend working through those countries to influence states like Malaysia, and we could coordinate with their diplomats here. As far as we know, only the Canadians and ourselves have weighed in with the Malaysians so far. The Department may wish to encourage European countries to execute supportive demarches quickly. LAFLEUR