DEMARCHE DELIVERED ON RETAINING THE MANDATE OF THE

C O N F I D E N T I A L MONTEVIDEO 000155 SIPDIS SENSITIVE SIPDIS STATE ALSO FOR DRL/MLGA - KRISTEN MCGEENEY AND IO/RHS -AMY OSTERMEIER E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/24/2018 TAGS: PREL PHUM UNHRC UY SUBJECT: DEMARCHE DELIVERED ON RETAINING THE MANDATE OF THE SPECIAL RAPPORTEUR ON FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION REF: STATE 29095 Classified By: DCM Robin H. Matthewman for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d) ¶1. (C) On March 24, 2008, Polcouns delivered reftel demarche to the MFA's acting Director General for Political Affairs Ambassador Julio Moreira and to the MFA's Americas Desk Director Laura Dupuy. The officials acknowledged that Uruguay had once voted for the UNGA defamation but then abstained on the HRC vote on the defamation resolution last year. They did not commit to either abstaining or voting "No" on future defamation resolutions or to support the Canadian resolution on freedom of expression without OIC amendments. ¶2. (C) On March 25, the DCM delivered reftel demarche to the MFA's Director General of the Secretariat Ambassador Jose Luis Cancela who took a keen interest in the issue and said that abstaining or voting "No" on future defamation resolutions "sounded very reasonable" to him. He promised to look into the issue seriously. Note: Cancela is slated to be Uruguay's Perm Rep at its mission in New York. End Note. Baxter