ZAMBIA PROMISES IMPROVED MULTILATERAL COOPERATION

C O N F I D E N T I A L LUSAKA 000296 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/27/2019 TAGS: UN UNHRC CU ZA SUBJECT: ZAMBIA PROMISES IMPROVED MULTILATERAL COOPERATION Classified By: Ambassador Donald Booth for Reasons 1.4 (b) and (d) ¶1. (C) Summary. In a meeting to discuss multilateral cooperation as well as Zambian Foreign Minister Kabinga Pande's May visit to Washington, Foreign Ministry Permanent Secretary Tens Kapoma confirmed his interest in improving U.S.-Zambian voting coincidence within the United Nations. He promised to support the U.S. bid for a seat on the UN Human Rights Council and agreed on the importance of holding Iran responsible for its non-proliferation and human rights obligations. Kapoma also offered to encourage his Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) counterparts to respond favorably to President Obama's overtures to countries like Cuba and Iran. End Summary. ¶2. (C) In an April 27 meeting, Permanent Secretary Tens Kapoma reiterated his interest in improving U.S.-Zambian bilateral and multilateral relations by increasing Zambia's UN voting coincidence with the USG and by supporting the U.S. bid for a seat on the UN Human Rights Council. The DCM welcomed this commitment and thanked the Zambian Government (GRZ) for its efforts to moderate the language of the Durban Review Conference draft document. Kapoma acknowledged that the document was "compromised" and expressed his disappointment at the outcome. ¶3. (C) The DCM suggested that the GRZ also seek ways to increase its regional peacekeeping operations and to hold Iran accountable to its obligations under UN Security Council resolutions. Kapoma acknowledged the need to seek greater commitment from Iran on non-proliferation and human rights issues alike. He said that Zambia had used -- and would continue to use -- NAM as a forum for calling for needed progress on Iran. He also suggested that GRZ supports appointing a special rapporteur on human rights to Iran. ¶4. (C) Concerning Pande's current visit to Cuba for the NAM ministerial, the DCM recommended that Pande encourage a more favorable Cuban and NAM response to USG policy developments regarding remittances and travel to Cuba. The DCM also pointed out that Zambian endorsement of U.S. efforts on Cuba and Iran would be helpful to U.S. attempts to improving relations with them. Kapoma repeated Zambia's "principled" opposition to the embargo. Nevertheless, he offered to encourage his Cuban counterparts to "go slow on rhetoric." BOOTH