FINLAND: OPPOSING UNGA RESOLUTIONS WITH

C O N F I D E N T I A L HELSINKI 000446 SIPDIS IO/UNP FRO ANDREW MORRISON E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/29/2019 TAGS: PREL UNGA KPAL IS SY LE SUBJECT: FINLAND: OPPOSING UNGA RESOLUTIONS WITH ANTI-ISRAEL BIAS REF: SECSTATE 118799 Classified By: Classified by Pol/Econ Chief SBrandon for reasons 1.4(b) and (c). ¶1. (SBU) Pol/Econoff delivered reftel remarks to Anna Salovaara, First Secretary in the Unit for UN and General Global Affairs at the MFA, and Kiikka Eela, Regional Manager for the Midle East Unit in the Bureau of Middle East and North African Affairs at the MFA. Both GOF officials stated that the UN is designed to allow weak states/organizations to have equal representation against stronger states and that the UN is following its mandate when it allows resolutions specifically aimed at a single country. Eela then stated that the GOF wanted to support Mahmoud Abbas by voting in favor of the Goldstone resolution and that the main thing that caused Finland to abstain from voting was the text relating to the Security Council. Salovaara said that she wanted to, "Emphasize that it is a serious report and there must be follow up." That being said, the GOF sees the Human Rights Council, not the Security Council, as the correct institution to undertake any follow up on the Goldstone report. ¶2. (C) The two GOF officials disagreed regarding the impact that UN resolutions have on the peace process. Eela stated that in bilateral discussions the GOF has been told by Government of Israel officials that UN resolutions do not have a significant impact on the peace process. She questioned the need to be concerned over the number of one-sided resolutions, and even voiced doubt about the impact that the UN has in general. Salovaara stepped in and defended the UN by asking what the process would look like if there were no UN in which to hold discussions between all member states. ¶3. (SBU) Eela stated that the GOF wants to support the USG's efforts towards the peace process. She asked that the USG provide to GOF general insight into the status of the peace process. She finished by saying that the GOF, "Appreciates your efforts and offers sympathy for the difficulty of the task." ORECK