Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
08LILONGWE128
2008-02-29 11:09:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Lilongwe
Cable title:
MALAWI CITES LACK OF BILATERAL COOPERATION WITH
how-toVZCZCXRO1137 RR RUEHDU RUEHMR RUEHRN DE RUEHLG #0128 0601109 ZNY CCCCC ZZH R 291109Z FEB 08 FM AMEMBASSY LILONGWE TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 5084 INFO RUCNSAD/SOUTHERN AF DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY COLLECTIVE RUEHTV/AMEMBASSY TEL AVIV 0104 RUEHJM/AMCONSUL JERUSALEM 0027
C O N F I D E N T I A L LILONGWE 000128
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
DEPT FOR AF/S - ELIZABETH PELLETREAU, IO/UNP - ERIN MCLINN
E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/28/2017
TAGS: PREL UNGA IS MI
SUBJECT: MALAWI CITES LACK OF BILATERAL COOPERATION WITH
ISRAEL AS REASON FOR CHANGE IN VOTING
REF: A. PELLETREAU - SULLIVAN EMAIL - 12/20/2007
B. 07 LILONGWE 879
Classified By: Political Officer John Letvin for Reasons 1.4 (b) and (d
)
C O N F I D E N T I A L LILONGWE 000128
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
DEPT FOR AF/S - ELIZABETH PELLETREAU, IO/UNP - ERIN MCLINN
E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/28/2017
TAGS: PREL UNGA IS MI
SUBJECT: MALAWI CITES LACK OF BILATERAL COOPERATION WITH
ISRAEL AS REASON FOR CHANGE IN VOTING
REF: A. PELLETREAU - SULLIVAN EMAIL - 12/20/2007
B. 07 LILONGWE 879
Classified By: Political Officer John Letvin for Reasons 1.4 (b) and (d
)
1. (C) On February 13, Foreign Minister Joyce Banda informed
the U.S. Embassy that Israel's lack of interest in developing
bilateral cooperation with Malawi was the reason for Malawi's
change in voting this year in the UN General Assembly
regarding three resolutions biased against Israel. In a
previous meeting with the Ambassador, FM Banda was not
conversant about the resolutions or Malawi's voting history
and asked the Ambassador to provide Malawi's recent voting
record on the resolutions in question. After the embassy
provided Malawi's voting record for the past three years on
the resolutions in question, the Foreign Minister responded
with the government of Malawi's explanation.
2. (C) Emboff also discussed the matter with MFA Director of
Political Affairs Paul Chiunguzeni, who commented that
Malawi's mission to the U.N. usually abstains from voting on
such resolutions unless it is instructed otherwise by the
Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
3. (C) Comment: In the past, the government of Malawi has
exhibited poor communication with its mission to the UN,
which Chiunguzeni admitted is often forced to abstain or
follow the position of other SADC members or the AU in lieu
of guidance from Lilongwe. While it is possible that the
government of Malawi has made a formal policy shift regarding
Israel, it is more likely that Malawi's UN delegation
received no formal instructions and decided to follow the
crowd in voting.
SULLIVAN
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
DEPT FOR AF/S - ELIZABETH PELLETREAU, IO/UNP - ERIN MCLINN
E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/28/2017
TAGS: PREL UNGA IS MI
SUBJECT: MALAWI CITES LACK OF BILATERAL COOPERATION WITH
ISRAEL AS REASON FOR CHANGE IN VOTING
REF: A. PELLETREAU - SULLIVAN EMAIL - 12/20/2007
B. 07 LILONGWE 879
Classified By: Political Officer John Letvin for Reasons 1.4 (b) and (d
)
1. (C) On February 13, Foreign Minister Joyce Banda informed
the U.S. Embassy that Israel's lack of interest in developing
bilateral cooperation with Malawi was the reason for Malawi's
change in voting this year in the UN General Assembly
regarding three resolutions biased against Israel. In a
previous meeting with the Ambassador, FM Banda was not
conversant about the resolutions or Malawi's voting history
and asked the Ambassador to provide Malawi's recent voting
record on the resolutions in question. After the embassy
provided Malawi's voting record for the past three years on
the resolutions in question, the Foreign Minister responded
with the government of Malawi's explanation.
2. (C) Emboff also discussed the matter with MFA Director of
Political Affairs Paul Chiunguzeni, who commented that
Malawi's mission to the U.N. usually abstains from voting on
such resolutions unless it is instructed otherwise by the
Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
3. (C) Comment: In the past, the government of Malawi has
exhibited poor communication with its mission to the UN,
which Chiunguzeni admitted is often forced to abstain or
follow the position of other SADC members or the AU in lieu
of guidance from Lilongwe. While it is possible that the
government of Malawi has made a formal policy shift regarding
Israel, it is more likely that Malawi's UN delegation
received no formal instructions and decided to follow the
crowd in voting.
SULLIVAN