DEMARCHE DELIVERED: OPPOSING UNGA RESOLUTIONS WITH

UNCLAS PARAMARIBO 000394 SENSITIVE SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PREL UNGA KPAL SY LE NS SUBJECT: DEMARCHE DELIVERED: OPPOSING UNGA RESOLUTIONS WITH ANTI-ISRAEL BIAS REF: STATE 118799 ¶1. (SBU) On November 24, Poloff shared the points in Reftel with Chantal Elsenhout, Acting Head of International Organizations, Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA). Elsenhout responded that the overarching principle for Suriname's foreign policy on the Palestinian issue is to "support the legitimate quest of Palestinians for peace, and that it should be based on UN resolutions on the matter." ¶2. (SBU) Comment: In general, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs tends to defer its UN voting decisions to its Mission in New York, which holds the greater influence and responsibility for deciding which way Suriname will vote. There is at least one official from International Organizations on detail in New York to work on-site on United Nations issues, rather than relying on communications back to the Ministry. In addition to our demarching MFA here, delivery of demarches directly to the Mission in New York also could be helpful in influencing Suriname's voting pattern. NAY