UN 3RD COMMITTEE: ARMENIA WITH US ON N.KOREA,

C O N F I D E N T I A L YEREVAN 001363 SIPDIS SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/18/2017 TAGS: PREL PHUM UNGA UN AM SUBJECT: UN 3RD COMMITTEE: ARMENIA WITH US ON N.KOREA, BURMA; NOT SO ON IRAN, BELARUS REF: A. STATE 157023 ¶B. STATE 145641 Classified By: Polchief Steve Banks, reasons 1.4 (b,d) ¶1. (C) Polchief spoke with MFA International Organizations director Dziunik Agahjanian, conveying demarche points (reftels). Aghajanian affirmed that Armenia remains committed to voting just as it did on these issues last year. Specifically, Armenia will vote for a "no action" resolution on Iran. It will not participate in a "no action" vote on Belarus, but will vote against the substantive Belarus resolution if it comes up for vote. Armenia will support the U.S. postion on Burma and the DPRK. ¶2. (C) Armenia's split decision, as outlined above, provides an example of how Armenia sees its own intersts. It is happy to support the U.S. position on far-away Burma and North Korea, with which it has few equities. Neighboring Iran is seen as too important to Armenia's interests, while Belarus -- less directly important to Armenia -- is still a fellow member of the CIS club. PENNINGTON