UGANDA: UNGA IRAN, BURMA, NORTH KOREA DEMARCHES

C O N F I D E N T I A L KAMPALA 001268

SIPDIS

DEPT FOR IO/HR COLLEEN NEVILLE

E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/30/2019
TAGS: PHUM PREL UNGA UG
SUBJECT: UGANDA: UNGA IRAN, BURMA, NORTH KOREA DEMARCHES
DELIVERED

REF: A. STATE 109397

B. 08 KAMPALA 1640

C. 08 KAMPALA 1476

D. 08 KAMPALA 1237

Classified By: Pol/Econ Chief Aaron Sampson for
reasons 1.4 (b) and (d)


1. (SBU) Poloff urged Uganda to vote against no action
motions and in favor of Third Committee resolutions on Iran,
Burma, and North Korea per reftel on October 28. Ministry of
Foreign Affairs' Multilateral Affairs Officer, Issac
Sebulime, and the Acting Chief of the Ministry's Social Unit,
Martinez Mangusho, said Uganda generally supports no action
motions and abstains on actual resolutions if the no action
motions fail. Sebulime said this policy is based on Uganda's
belief that the UN Human Rights Commission is the appropriate
venue for discussing human rights situations in specific
countries, and the practical reality that Uganda is unable to
independently analyze human rights issues outside of East
Africa.


2. (C) Poloff also raised Uganda's inconsistent UN voting
pattern, noting that in 2006 Uganda voted with the United
States on no action motions and resolutions but flipped in
2007, voting for no action motions and against Third
Committee resolutions. Sebulime attributed this voting
pattern to previous internal contradictions within the
Minstry of Foreign Affairs (see reftels for background).
Pressed on how Uganda will vote this year, Sebulime said that
as a member of the Organization of the Islamic Conference
(OIC) Uganda is sensitive to the concerns of other OIC
members and will therefore likely support the no-action
motions and abstain on resolution texts.
LANIER