TIMOR-LESTE TO AGAIN ABSTAIN ON DEFAMATION OF RELIGION

UNCLAS DILI 000316 SIPDIS STATE FOR DRL/IRF JOANNELLA MORALES/NASREEN BADAT AND IO/HR AMY OSTERMEIER/COLLEEN NEVILE E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: UNGA PHUM PGOV TT SUBJECT: TIMOR-LESTE TO AGAIN ABSTAIN ON DEFAMATION OF RELIGION REF: STATE 122637 ¶1. Political Officer delivered reftel demarche on "defamation of religion" to the MFA's Director of Bilateral Affairs, Abel Guterres, on December 3. POLOFF informed Guterres that the United States would again vote no when the resolution went before the UNGA plenary session for a final vote. ¶2. Guterres expressed his appreciation for information on the U.S. position. He recalled some of the public incidents he believed were motivating the Organization of the Islamic Conference's efforts, including the publication of cartoons depicting Muhammad. He acknowledged the free speech argument as well as the need to protect minority religions, but cautioned that the support of most ASEAN countries for the resolution, in particular Muslim-majority countries Indonesia and Malaysia, made it difficult for Timor-Leste to vote no. Guterres stated that Timor-Leste would abstain on the resolution, as it had in the Third Committee. KLEMM