DEMARCHE DELIVERED: PASSAGE OF THE RESOLUTION ON

C O N F I D E N T I A L PARAMARIBO 000461

SIPDIS

WHA/CAR FOR JROSHOLT, DRL/MLGA FOR LYNN SICADE/ALYSON
GRUNDER

E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/18/2018
TAGS: PGOV PHUM NS
SUBJECT: DEMARCHE DELIVERED: PASSAGE OF THE RESOLUTION ON
HUMAN RIGHTS IN IRAN

REF: SECSTATE 118278

Classified By: Political-Economic Chief Geneve Menscher for reasons 1.4
(B) and (D)


1. (C) PolEcon Chief met with Chantal Elsenhout, acting Head
of the International Organizations of the Ministry of Foreign
Affairs of the Government of Suriname (GOS) to deliver points
in Reftel. Elsenhout said she was not in a position now to
divulge how Suriname will vote this year as the matter is
still being "considered." She did confirm that in regards to
its Third Committee voting, Suriname will be making decisions
on a case-by-case basis and not by a group bloc vote.


2. (C) When PolEcon Chief pointed out that last year Suriname
abstained from the "no action" vote on Burma, and asked if
the same action could be expected again, Elsenhout reiterated
she was not at liberty to say yet and that the decision was
under discussion at a "higher level" in the GOS. She said
that the GOS would prefer that the United Nations Human
Rights Council have the opportunity to handle human rights
issues, rather than passing resolutions in the Third
Committee. She then stated, however, that in 2007 the GOS
determined the human rights situation in Burma had passed a
certain threshold, which led Suriname to abstain from the "no
action" vote. Whether the GOS would determine that the
situation in Burma in 2008 also met this threshold remains to
be seen. Elsenhout gave the definite impression that she was
not the decision-maker and that she, too, was waiting for
instruction. (Note: Suriname's Ambassador to the United
Nations, Henry MacDonald, was a human rights lawyer by
profession, which may have influenced the GOS 2007 decision
on Burma. End Note).


3. (U) Post will report further substantive reaction from the
GOS.
SCHREIBER HUGHES