COSTA RICA PLACES HOLD ON OIL FOR FOOD LETTER

UNCLAS USUN NEW YORK 000366 SIPDIS SENSITIVE SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PREL PGOV IZ CS SUBJECT: COSTA RICA PLACES HOLD ON OIL FOR FOOD LETTER ¶1. (SBU) On March 28, the Russian Presidency of the Security Council circulated a draft response to the Secretary-General on closing down the Oil for Food program (OFF). The draft was derived from a Department-drafted nonpaper, and enjoyed the support of the P5. On April 1, Costa Rica placed a hold on the draft, saying it needed additional time to examine the proposals contained therein. As of April 18, Costa Rica continued to maintain its hold. It has changed the rationale for the hold, and now says it will maintain it until at least the end of April, when a meeting on OFF issues is scheduled between the UN and the Iraqi government. Letters from the Security Council must be agreed to by all 15 members of the Council. ¶2. (SBU) Poloff called Amar Al-Hulluo at the Iraqi Mission, who explained that the Costa Rican mission had contacted the Iraqi Mission to ask if they should maintain the hold. The Iraqi mission, upon instructions from Baghdad, requested that Costa Rica continue to maintain the hold until at least the end of April. Separately, Poloff and POL M/C contacted the Costa Rica Mission, and was told that instructions to maintain the hold came directly from Foreign Minister (and former UN PermRep) Stagno. ¶3. (SBU) ACTION REQUEST: USUN requests the Department engage with Costa Rica and Iraq to ask that the hold be lifted. END ACTION REQUEST. Khalilzad