SERBIA: STILL UNDECIDED ON IRAN VOTES IN THIRD COMMITTEE

UNCLAS BELGRADE 001268 SENSITIVE SIPDIS STATE FOR IO/HR (NEVILLE) AND DRL/MLGA (SIBILLA) E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PHUM PREL UN SR SUBJECT: SERBIA: STILL UNDECIDED ON IRAN VOTES IN THIRD COMMITTEE REF: STATE 108921 ¶1. (SBU) MFA Human Rights Directorate First Secretary Vladan Lazovic told Poloff on October 27 that Serbia has yet to decide whether it will support Canada's annual resolution in the UN General Assembly Third Committee condemning the human rights situation in Iran (reftel). Serbia also remains undecided concerning a possible Iran no-action motion (NAM). ¶2. (SBU) Although Lazovic stated that Serbia intends to ensure that its voting pattern "overlaps" to a greater degree with the European Union as it moves toward eventual EU candidacy, he explained that Serbia must have a "wider frame of reference" when it comes to Iran. Alluding to the December 1 start of oral arguments before the International Court of Justice on Serbia's case challenging Kosovo's independence, Lazovic said that Serbia's stance on the Iran NAM and country-specific resolution ultimately will be "political." ¶3. (SBU) Turning to the country-specific resolutions on Burma and the DPRK, Lazovic was non-committal and repeated his comments that Serbia would need to consider broader political implications while balancing its strong interest in building on momentum toward the EU. ¶4. (SBU) Lazovic did, however, indicate that Serbia likely will be in position to support thematic resolutions of priority to the U.S. When pressed on whether Serbia's developing ties with Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC) member states related to the Kosovo issue could influence Serbia's vote on a potential defamation of religions resolution, Lazovic referred to Serbia's 2008 vote against a similar resolution. He also expressed confidence that Serbia would support the U.S.-sponsored biennial resolution on free elections. BRUSH