Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
09OSLO537
2009-09-03 12:11:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Oslo
Cable title:
NORWAY WILL NOT OPPOSE ISRAEL JUSCANZ MEMBERSHIP
how-toVZCZCXYZ0000 PP RUEHWEB DE RUEHNY #0537 2461211 ZNY CCCCC ZZH P 031211Z SEP 09 FM AMEMBASSY OSLO TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 7750 INFO RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK PRIORITY 0325 RUEHGV/USMISSION GENEVA PRIORITY 1354
C O N F I D E N T I A L OSLO 000537
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/03/2019
TAGS: PREL IS PHUM NO
SUBJECT: NORWAY WILL NOT OPPOSE ISRAEL JUSCANZ MEMBERSHIP
REF: STATE 93102
Classified By: Deputy Political/Economic Counselor Aldo Sirotic for rea
sons 1.4(b) and (d)
C O N F I D E N T I A L OSLO 000537
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/03/2019
TAGS: PREL IS PHUM NO
SUBJECT: NORWAY WILL NOT OPPOSE ISRAEL JUSCANZ MEMBERSHIP
REF: STATE 93102
Classified By: Deputy Political/Economic Counselor Aldo Sirotic for rea
sons 1.4(b) and (d)
1. (C) On September 2, POLOFF delivered reftel points to
Vebjorn Heines, Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) Coordinator
for Human Rights Council (HRC) issues in the MFA Humanitarian
Issues section. Heines was the person referred to in reftel
paragraph 10 as the former "Norwegian PolCouns in Geneva."
Heines very carefully delivered a message of non-opposition
to Israeli membership in the JUSCANZ consultative group at
the UN ("JUSCANZ" is only a partial acronym of some of the
countries in the group). His summarized comments follow:
2. (C) Heines said: "This is not a new issue, and has been
discussed for several years. The Norwegian position in the
past has been consistent--we will never stand in the way of
membership for Israel in JUSCANZ. We are in the process of
refining our position; it is currently being crafted and
should be done by early next week. Our assessment at this
stage is that JUSCANZ is closer to genuine consensus on
accepting Israel into the group."
3. (C) Heines continued: "We want to especially emphasize the
truth of one of your demarche points, that it is very
important to Norway, in this decision, that JUSCANZ is not a
likeminded group. We trust that the U.S. sees this the way
Norway does: this is an information sharing group, not a
consensus building group. With Israel's addition, we need to
state clearly that it is likely that the number of issues on
which JUSCANZ is not likeminded will increase, and its
function as a place for strategizing will decrease. We would
also like to see other countries that could be useful in
JUSCANZ consultations, specifically Turkey and Ukraine, also
included, but Israel's inclusion is not dependent on
inclusion of those countries."
4. (C) Heines concluded: "Norway does want a more balanced
approach in the HRC, and we will work with the U.S. to
encourage a more constructive dialogue. We would caution
that if Israel demonizes the HRC it will not be constructive."
HEG
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/03/2019
TAGS: PREL IS PHUM NO
SUBJECT: NORWAY WILL NOT OPPOSE ISRAEL JUSCANZ MEMBERSHIP
REF: STATE 93102
Classified By: Deputy Political/Economic Counselor Aldo Sirotic for rea
sons 1.4(b) and (d)
1. (C) On September 2, POLOFF delivered reftel points to
Vebjorn Heines, Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) Coordinator
for Human Rights Council (HRC) issues in the MFA Humanitarian
Issues section. Heines was the person referred to in reftel
paragraph 10 as the former "Norwegian PolCouns in Geneva."
Heines very carefully delivered a message of non-opposition
to Israeli membership in the JUSCANZ consultative group at
the UN ("JUSCANZ" is only a partial acronym of some of the
countries in the group). His summarized comments follow:
2. (C) Heines said: "This is not a new issue, and has been
discussed for several years. The Norwegian position in the
past has been consistent--we will never stand in the way of
membership for Israel in JUSCANZ. We are in the process of
refining our position; it is currently being crafted and
should be done by early next week. Our assessment at this
stage is that JUSCANZ is closer to genuine consensus on
accepting Israel into the group."
3. (C) Heines continued: "We want to especially emphasize the
truth of one of your demarche points, that it is very
important to Norway, in this decision, that JUSCANZ is not a
likeminded group. We trust that the U.S. sees this the way
Norway does: this is an information sharing group, not a
consensus building group. With Israel's addition, we need to
state clearly that it is likely that the number of issues on
which JUSCANZ is not likeminded will increase, and its
function as a place for strategizing will decrease. We would
also like to see other countries that could be useful in
JUSCANZ consultations, specifically Turkey and Ukraine, also
included, but Israel's inclusion is not dependent on
inclusion of those countries."
4. (C) Heines concluded: "Norway does want a more balanced
approach in the HRC, and we will work with the U.S. to
encourage a more constructive dialogue. We would caution
that if Israel demonizes the HRC it will not be constructive."
HEG