BAHAMAS SUPPORTS U.S. CANDIDATE FOR IOM DG IN

UNCLAS NASSAU 000470 SENSITIVE SIPDIS PRM FOR SONIA DENTZEL, MAURA NICHOLSON E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: AORC PREF PREL SMIG BF SUBJECT: BAHAMAS SUPPORTS U.S. CANDIDATE FOR IOM DG IN GENEVA REF: A. STATE 56181 ¶B. JUNE 13 E-MAIL STRING FROM JOE TILGHMAN TO EMBASSY NASSAU ¶1. (SBU) Ambassador Siegel delivered reftel demarche points requesting GCOB support for Ambassador Bill Swing, U.S. candidate for Director-General of IOM, to the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Brent Symonette during a conversation on May 30. The Minister indicated that his government's response would be favorable, and the U.S. request for support was communicated to the working level in the MFA on the same day. PolOff subsequently provided a detailed c.v. and a written request for support to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and provided IOM credentialling information to the MFA June 9, referencing the earlier demarches and the Minister's initial position. ¶2. (SBU) Post was informed via e-mail June 13 that the Bahamian High Commission in London had informed the U.S. mission there, after inquiries by PRM the previous day, that The Bahamas would accredit and send a representative to Geneva for the vote June 18 and was likely to support the U.S. candidate (reftel b). The MFA in Nassau was more circumspect but confirmed Bahamian plans, indicating to PolOff on June 13 that the result would be favorable. COMMENT: Post sees this quick, positive follow-through on the Ambassador's demarche as evidence of The Bahamas' continuing commitment to a productive and business-like relationship with the U.S. END COMMENT. SIEGEL