EL SALVADOR: DEMARCHE RESPONSE ON UNGA THIRD

UNCLAS SAN SALVADOR 002150 SIPDIS SIPDIS DEPARTMENT FOR DRL/MLGA LYNN SICADE, SYLVIA HAMMOND AND IO/RHS AMY OSTERMEIER, DEEPA GHOSH E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PHUM PREL KTIA UN SUBJECT: EL SALVADOR: DEMARCHE RESPONSE ON UNGA THIRD COMMITTEE RESOLUTIONS REF: 145641 ¶1. (U) Summary: On October 22, PolOff delivered reftel demarche to solicit support for U.S. priority resolutions in the UN General Assembly,s Third Committee to Gustavo Argueta, MFA Specialist in Charge of the United Nations. Argueta said El Salvador will review the country specific resolutions when tabled. He will forward U.S. concerns about "no-action" motions and retaliatory resolutions to the Salvador delegation in New York. Although Argueta would not commit to supporting any of the U.S. priorities, it seems likely that El Salvador will support the country-specific resolutions and the resolution in support of the UN Elections Program. He did not express an opinion or offer comments about the defamation of religion resolution. He said El Salvador has supported the EU resolution calling for a moratorium on the death penalty in the past and will likely continue that support. End Summary. -------------- --- "NO-ACTION" MOTIONS AND RETALIATORY RESOLUTIONS -------------- --- ¶2. (U) Argueta said the El Salvador delegation was aware that the U.S. discourages use of "no-action" motions and retaliatory resolutions. He said he would pass the message to the delegation. -------------- COUNTRY SPECIFIC RESOLUTIONS -------------- ¶3. (U) Iran - Argueta said the Canadian Ambassador had requested Salvadoran support for the Iran resolution when she visited the MFA in September. Argueta said El Salvador would likely support the Iran resolution, but would wait to see the final version of the resolution before making a decision. ¶4. (U) Burma - Argueta said the Portuguese Ambassador had informed the Salvadoran Embassy in Mexico of the pending Burma resolution. He said a decision would be made once the MFA reviewed the final text of the resolution. ¶5. (U) Belarus and DPRK - PolOff and Argueta discussed the Belarus and DPRK resolutions. Argueta said the MFA would carefully review each resolution when it was introduced. -------------- THEMATIC RESOLUTIONS -------------- ¶6. (U) Argueta acknowledged U.S. concerns regarding the text of the OIC resolutions regarding the defamation of religion. He said he would pass the concerns to the delegation. ¶7. (U) Argueta expressed support for the U.S. resolution in support of the UN Elections Program and said El Salvador might be willing to cosponsor the resolution. ¶8. (U) Argueta said El Salvador has supported the resolution calling for a moratorium on the death penalty in the past, and El Salvador will likely support the EU resolution if introduced. Glazer