BOLIVIA ON UN 3RD COMMITTEE HUMAN RIGHTS

C O N F I D E N T I A L LA PAZ 003053

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

DRL/MLGA LYNN SICADE OR SYLVIA HAMMOND
IO/RHS AMY OSTERMEIER OR DEEPA GHOSH

E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/29/2017
TAGS: PHUM PREL KTIA UN BL
SUBJECT: BOLIVIA ON UN 3RD COMMITTEE HUMAN RIGHTS
RESOLUTIONS

REF: STATE 157026

Classified By: DCM Krishna Urs for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d).

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Summary
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1. (C) DCM contacted Bolivian Vice Foreign Minister Hugo
Fernandez on November 19 regarding reftel. Fernandez
mentioned that Bolivia would take different positions on each
of the four human rights resolutions before the UN Third
Commission. Only in the case of Burma is Bolivia prepared to
fully support a country-specific human rights resolution.
End Summary.

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The Full Score Card
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2. (C) Burma ) Bolivia will vote for the resolution against
Burma, and will vote against a no-action motion. Fernandez
pointed to the recent events in Burma -- the Burmese
government's crackdown on civil society, the press, democracy
activists, and Buddhist monks )- as the reason why the
Bolivian government will vote in favor of the human rights
resolution against the Yangon regime.


3. (C) North Korea -- Bolivia will vote against or abstain
on a no-action motion, but will abstain from voting on the
North Korea resolution if the no-action motion fails.
Fernandez explained that the Bolivian government's position
on North Korea was consistent with its previous votes and in
line with the G77 block. Fernandez noted that lobbying by
the Japanese Embassy in favor of the North Korea resolution
may push the Bolivian government to change its position at
the last minute. Fernandez mentioned he would approach
Foreign Minister David Choquehuanca about changing Bolivia's
position tomorrow.


4. (C) Belarus -- Bolivia will vote against or abstain on a
no-action motion, but will abstain from voting on the Belarus
resolution if the no-action motion fails. Fernandez
commented that this follows Bolivia's previous votes (and the
G77 line) on Belarus.


5. (C) Iran ) Bolivia will vote in favor of a no-action
motion, but will abstain from voting on the Iran resolution
if the no-action motion fails. Fernandez explained that
Canada had contacted the MFA and stressed the importance of
voting in favor of the human rights resolution against Iran.
Not surprisingly given Bolivia's recent opening of diplomatic
relations with Iran, despite Canada's best efforts, Bolivia
is reversing its previous position of voting against a
no-action motion, but has evidently committed to abstaining
on the human rights resolution if the no-action motion
failed. Fernandez went to great pains to stress that a vote
for &no-action8 was not an endorsement of Iran's nuclear
program.
GOLDBERG