Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
07PANAMA772
2007-05-11 19:05:00
UNCLASSIFIED
Embassy Panama
Cable title:
PANAMA: NO POSITION ON BELARUS UNHRC CANDIDACY,
how-toVZCZCXYZ0005 RR RUEHWEB DE RUEHZP #0772 1311905 ZNR UUUUU ZZH R 111905Z MAY 07 FM AMEMBASSY PANAMA TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 0356 INFO RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC
UNCLAS PANAMA 000772
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PHUM PREL UNHRC PM
SUBJECT: PANAMA: NO POSITION ON BELARUS UNHRC CANDIDACY,
WILL CONSIDER BOSNIA
REF: A. (A) STATE 58036
¶B. (B) STATE 63345
Panama can be swayed to oppose Belarus' candidacy for the UN
Human Rights Council (UNHRC) and to support Bosnia as an
alternative. Panamanian MFA DG for International
Organizations and Conferences Delia Villamonte said that
Panama did not have a position with respect to Belarus'
candidacy when POLCOUNS delivered reftel A demarche on May
¶11. Villamonte was receptive to U.S. arguments that Belarus'
on poor record on human rights made Belarus an unfit
candidate. Post believes that if Bosnia were put forward as
an alternative to Belarus that Panama would support Bosnia
over Belarus given Bosnia's steadily improving human rights
record. Post recommends engaging Panama's mission to the UN
in New York to lock down Panama's vote. Panama's UN Mission
at a minimum will have the lead on determining Panama's
voting position and very likely has the authority to
determine which candidates to support for the UNHRC.
EATON