DEMARCHE DELIVERED ON UNGA 3RD COMMITTEE

C O N F I D E N T I A L ANTANANARIVO 000757 SENSITIVE SIPDIS STATE FOR AF/E - MBEYZEROV PARIS FOR RKANEDA LONDON FOR PLORD E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/09/2018 TAGS: PHUM PREL UNGA MA SUBJECT: DEMARCHE DELIVERED ON UNGA 3RD COMMITTEE RESOLUTIONS REF: A) SECSTATE 117848 B) ANTANANARIVO 603 Classified By: AMBASSADOR NIELS MARQUARDT FOR REASONS 1.4 B AND D. ¶1. (SBU) On November 7, EmbOff delivered ref A demarche to Mboara Andrianarimanana, Secretary General (SG) of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. EmbOff thanked the SG both for Madagascar's support in opposing last year's non-action motions, as well as for the Foreign Minister's previously stated intention of opposing non-action motions again this year (ref B). In the absence of the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Andrianarimanana remained noncommittal on the resolutions themselves, but appreciated EmbOff's expression of gratitude for Madagascar's support. He said he would bring the resolutions to the minister's attention, and indicated that a decision had not yet been made. ¶2. (C) Rather than direct engagement from Washington, Post recommends that USUN continue dialogue directly with Ambassador Zina Andrianarivelo in New York. In framing the debate, it may be helpful to congratulate Madagascar on its own efforts to protect human rights via important legislative initiatives in 2007 on child labor and human trafficking, and to put these resolutions in the context of the GOM's support for dialogue and relative transparency in this field. MARQUARDT