ACTION REQUEST: UN GENERAL ASSEMBLY THIRD

C O N F I D E N T I A L NAIROBI 002136 SIPDIS IO/RHS FOR REBECCA JOVIN DRL/MLGA FOR LYNN SICADE E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/08/2018 TAGS: PHUM PREL UNGA UN KE SUBJECT: ACTION REQUEST: UN GENERAL ASSEMBLY THIRD COMMITTEE 2008 HUMAN RIGHTS PRIORITIES REF: SECSTATE 93981 Classified By: Deputy Political Counselor Rachel Meyers for reasons 1.4 (b and d) ¶1. (U) On September 9, Deputy Polcouns and Poloff delivered reftel demarche to Anthony Andanje, Head of the Division for International Organizations and Conferences at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Until recently, Andanje served at teh Kenyan Mission to the UN as Kenya's representative to the UN's Fifth Committee, and is well versed in UN procedures. ¶2. (C) Andanje stated that Kenya's default position in the Third Committee is to vote with the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM),except when Kenya has a national interest in a particular issue. He said this position applies with regard to no-action motions, as well as country-specific resolutions. However, Andanje said that Kenya would consider both no-action motions and country-specific resolutions on a case-by-case basis. Andanje stated that Kenya's position on country-specific resolutions concerning DPKR, Burma, and Iran is unlikely to change from 2007 (Note: Kenya supported the resolution on DPKR, and abstained on Burma and Iran). He noted that he had traveled to Iran twice this year, most recently to attend the NAM ministerial conference. (Comment: Kenya continues to broaden its ties to Iran. The Iranian Minister of Agriculture was in Nairobi on August 12-15 for the fifth session of the Kenya-Iran Joint Commission for Cooperation. Kenya was represented by the Minister of Foreign Affairs. End Comment.) Regarding possible resolutions on Zimbabwe and Sudan, Andanje noted continued Kenyan support for the political process underway in Zimbabwe, but stated Kenya that country-specific resolutions are "sensitive" for Kenya. (Note: Andanje did not express Kenya's position on a possible resolution on Sudan. However, it is our assessment that Kenya is unlikely to support a resolution on neighboring Sudan. End Note.) Andanje stated that Kenya would not vote for any proposed resolutions on "defamation of religion", noting that such a concept could be a double edged sword in Kenya's pluralist society. RANNEBERGER