DEMARCHE DELIVERED: OPPOSING UNGA RESOLUTIONS WITH

UNCLAS STOCKHOLM 000832 SIPDIS STATE FOR IO/UNP ANDREW MORRISON E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PREL UNGA SW SUBJECT: DEMARCHE DELIVERED: OPPOSING UNGA RESOLUTIONS WITH ANTI-ISRAEL BIAS REF: SECSTATE 123081 ¶1. Summary: On December 2 and 12, emboffs delivered reftel demarche talking points to MFA officers handling UN affairs. MFA officials said they could not provide an advance decision of Sweden's vote on the UNGA resolutions with Anti-Israel Bias, but noted Sweden's abstention of the three key resolutions in 2007 and stated there had been no major shift in Swedish policy on the issue. End Summary. ¶2. On December 2, POLOFF delivered reftel demarche to Anders Wallberg, Deputy Director in the UN Department at the MFA. Wallberg said Sweden holds the position that the UN should address violations of international law and human rights wherever they occur, not only in one country. ¶3. On December 12, emboff followed up on reftel demarche talking points with Sara Dahlstein, Desk Officer for Security Policy and UN Affairs. Dahlstein said the issue was complicated, but noted Sweden's abstention of the three highlighted reftel resolutions in 2007 and stated there had been no major shift in Swedish policy on the issue. She did add, however, that Sweden would not make its decision in advance and that Sweden's decision year to year depended on the resolution text and content. WOOD