DEMARCHE DELIVERED ON "DEFAMATION OF RELIGIONS"

C O N F I D E N T I A L ISLAMABAD 003116 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/06/2019 TAGS: PGOV PREL PTER PREF EAID PK SUBJECT: DEMARCHE DELIVERED ON "DEFAMATION OF RELIGIONS" MESSAGE REF: A. STATE 128322 ¶B. ISLAMABAD 2706 Classified By: Anne W. Patterson for reasons 1.4 (b) (d) ¶1. (C) PolOff delivered reftel demarche regarding the U.S. request to cooperate with Pakistan to constructively address the problem of racial and religious intolerance and discrimination to MFA Director General (Americas) Sohail Khan on December 30. Khan noted U.S. opposition to "defamation of religion" initiatives supported in the UN by the Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC) and promised to relay the message to Foreign Minister Makhdoom Shah Mahmood Qureshi and MFA Director for UN Affairs Farooq Iqbal Khan. While he was receptive of the U.S. sending a team of officials and experts to meet with Pakistani counterparts to discuss the issue further, he was noncommittal on whether these efforts would substantially impact Pakistan's current position. ¶2. (C) Comment: Pakistan is actively seeking support for its candidacy for a non-permanent seat on the UN Security Council for the term 2012-2013 (Reftel B). Their candidacy has been endorsed by the OIC Council of Ministers and it is likely the Pakistanis will work hard to keep their positions aligned with the OIC. End Comment PATTERSON