SURINAME MAY ABSTAIN ON UNGA 3RD COMMITTEE

UNCLAS PARAMARIBO 000599 SIPDIS SENSITIVE SIPDIS WHA/CAR FOR JACKIE ROSHOLT, DRL/MLGA FOR LYNN SICADE AND SYLVIA HAMMOND, IO/RHS FOR AMY OSTERMEIER OR DEEPA GHOSH E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PHUM PREL UN NS SUBJECT: SURINAME MAY ABSTAIN ON UNGA 3RD COMMITTEE NO-ACTION RESOLUTIONS REF: SECSTATE 157026 ¶1. (U) SUMMARY: On November 19 Post delivered the message per reftel to Government of Suriname (GOS) Ambassador to the United Nations Henry McDonald, GOS Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) Permanent Secretary Jane Aarland-Nanhu, and GOS MFA Acting Head of International Organizations Rosita Hubard. McDonald and Aarland-Nanhu said Suriname probably will not vote against the no-action motions, but will consider abstention or absence. END SUMMARY ¶2. (SBU) At a conference November 5-9, GOS Ambassador to the United Nations Henry Mac-Donald told Ambassador Schreiber Hughes she is welcome to communicate personally with him on matters of importance, and specifically mentioned the United Nations General Assembly. Despite GOS MFA protestations to the contrary, it is Post's impression that GOS Ambassadors sometimes act independently of the GOS MFA, and hence called Ambassador Mac-Donald directly. Mac-Donald stayed on-message, saying that he would check wit his capital, but did agree to see whether Suriname can abstain or be absent. NOTE: Human rights is Mac-Donald's specialty. Amb inferred that he wanted to be helpful, if permitted by GOS policy. END NOTE ¶3. (SBU) In a Post-initiated follow-up call, GOS MFA Permanent Secretary Jane Aarland-Nanhu told Ambassador Schreiber Hughes the GOS usually does not support human rights resolutions because it considers human rights to be the internal affairs of the countries concerned. Therefore, the GOS often supports no-action motions. Suriname sometimes abstains, however, and there is a chance they may do so on the no-action motions in reftel. Aarland-Nanhu said she has been approached with the same request from the European representatives present in Paramaribo (the Netherlands and France have embassies) and is considering a response. She lamented that Foreign Minister Lygia Kraag-Keteldijk is traveling (she will return to Suriname Wednesday, November 21) and cannot be involved in the decision making at the moment. Nevertheless, Aarland-Nanhu promised to discuss the issue with Ambassador Mac-Donald in New York. ¶4. (U) Post will continue to press the GOS and will report any further response from the GOS. SCHREIBER HUGHES