LESOTHO: CONCERNS FOR MIDEAST STABILITY, NO IMMEDIATE

UNCLAS MASERU 000312 SIPDIS SENSITIVE SIPDIS DEPT ALSO FOR AF/S E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: KNNP EFIN UNSC AORC ETRD IR LT SUBJECT: LESOTHO: CONCERNS FOR MIDEAST STABILITY, NO IMMEDIATE COMMENT ON UNSCR 1747 REF: STATE 73219 ¶1. (SBU) On May 31, Poloff relayed reftel points on the United States' 60-Day Report to UN Security Council on UNSCR 1747 to Acting Principal Secretary for Foreign Affairs P. P. Makosholo. While not commenting directly on the implementation of UNSCR 1747, he stated that the GOL continued to be concerned about negative developments in the Middle East. He stated that information on the implementation of UNSCR 1747 from the United States and other friendly countries was much appreciated, and that it would be passed on to the Minister of Foreign Affairs as well as Lesotho's Permanent Representative to the United Nations (currently in Maseru for a global MFA chief of missions conference). When queried directly about the implementation of UNSCR 1747, Makosholo stated that Lesotho was "not involved in the apportionment of blame" regarding Iran's proliferating activities, but his country did have great respect for UN decisions and wanted to see them enforced. -------------- Regional Consensus Likely Key -------------- ¶2. (SBU) COMMENT: It is unlikely that Lesotho will be in the forefront of global political pressure for nations to fully implement UNSCR 1747. Makosholo painted Lesotho merely as an interested bystander on this issue. Lesotho's final decision on its UN vote will likely be highly dependent on the regional consensus developed among nations of the Southern African Development Community. END COMMENT. MURPHY