SLOVENIA FAVORS EU ABSTENTION ON GOLDSTONE REPORT

C O N F I D E N T I A L LJUBLJANA 000307 SIPDIS DEPT FOR EUR AND IO E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/01/2019 TAGS: PREL PHUM PTER KISL KPAL SUBJECT: SLOVENIA FAVORS EU ABSTENTION ON GOLDSTONE REPORT REF: A. REF: (A) STATE 98567 ¶B. (B) LIBBY-FREDEN E-MAIL DATED 9/30/09 Classified By: POL/ECON Chief TJEvans , E.O. 12958: 1.4 (b) and (d) ¶1. (C) On October 1, Pol/Econ Chief used the occasion of a previously scheduled lunch to discuss refs (A) and (B) talking points concerning the Goldstone Report with MFA's Andrej Benedejcic, MFA's Director General for Security Policy and Multilateral Political Affairs. The MFA's Section for Human Rights falls within his Directorate. Benedejcic was well-acquainted with ref (A) talking points and was interested to know of any major changes now that the U.S. had completed its review of the Goldstone Report. Pol/Econ Chief laid out ref (B) points, and Benedejcic was attentive, nodding in agreement that the HRC's recommended referral of the report to the ICC was not correct. He smiled knowingly at ref (B)'s characterization of the report's recommendation for overlapping referrals to the UNGA and UNSC as a "mishmash." (Note: Benedejcic has a first-hand knowledge of UN procedures, having served in Slovenia's UN Mission in New York during its non-permanent membership on the UNSC.) ¶2. (C) Benedejcic said Slovenia was in favor of a EU abstention on any resolution that would constitute a blanket endorsement of the report. He said EU representatives in Geneva were meeting "at this moment" to attempt to reach a consensus for abstention. He thought this consensus might be within reach, but understood that the Netherlands may come down in favor of voting "no." He hoped this didn't happen, because in the worst case it could create a situation in which Slovenia felt compelled to vote "yes." He noted that when Slovenia last abstained in the EU on this issue the government was hotly criticized for its lack of resolve in condemning Israeli actions. He said, "you can still see the graffiti criticizing that decision on the walls around downtown Ljubljana." So there is no way, he said, that Slovenia could consider voting "no," but it is firmly in favor of an EU consensus decision to abstain. ¶3. (C) Benedejcic seemed to appreciate our point that the HRC, having commissioned the report, should now handle it internally. He agreed that referral of the report out of the HRC could have negative implications for the U.S. administration's efforts to resolve the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. He also noted that Slovenia was pleased that the U.S. had joined the HRC and welcomed its active role there. SHULTZ