UNGA HUMAN RIGHTS RESOLUTIONS: PHILIPPINES WILL

UNCLAS MANILA 003710 SIPDIS SENSITIVE SIPDIS DEPARTMENT FOR DRL/MLGA (SICADE, PAS),IO/RHS (OSTERMEIER, GHOSH),EAP/MTS, EAP/RSP E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: UNGA PHUM UN PREL SUBJECT: UNGA HUMAN RIGHTS RESOLUTIONS: PHILIPPINES WILL LIKELY MAKE EXCEPTION ON NORTH KOREA REF: SECSTATE 157024 ¶1. (SBU) As requested reftel, Pol/C urged Evan Garcia, A/Sec for the Office of United Nations and Other International Organizations of the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA),to support votes in favor of four UN Third Committee resolutions (reftel). Pol/C underscored the high priority that the U.S. places on debate and passage of such resolutions. Pol/C emphasized that support from the Philippines and other nations was crucial, particularly given that margins of victory have become increasingly narrow. Garcia replied that the Philippine government has a long-standing policy of not supporting country-specific resolutions. However, Garcia offered that the Philippine delegation would likely make an exception in the case of North Korea because of the unique situation there and because he deemed it would be useful in the context of obvious forward momentum in the Six-Party Talks. However, Garcia added that there was little prospect that the Philippine government would deviate from their tradition of either supporting no-action motions or abstaining from votes on resolutions concerning Burma, Belarus, and Iran. Visit Embassy Manila's Classified SIPRNET website: http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/eap/manila/index. cfm You can also access this site through the State Department's Classified SIPRNET website: http://www.state.sgov.gov/ KENNEY