LATVIA WILL ABSTAIN ON ANTI-ISRAEL RESOLUTIONS;

C O N F I D E N T I A L RIGA 000563 SIPDIS PLEASE PASS TO IO/UNP ANDREW MORRISON E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/20/2024 TAGS: PREL UNGA KPAL IS LG SUBJECT: LATVIA WILL ABSTAIN ON ANTI-ISRAEL RESOLUTIONS; CONSIDERING RESOLUTIONS WITH GOLDSTONE REPORT REFERENCES REF: SECSTATE 118799 Classified By: POLCOUNS BRIAN H. PHIPPS FOR REASONS 1.4 (B) AND (D) ¶1. (C) Pol/Econ Off delivered reftel demarche to Sarmite Danne, the Head of the Latvian MFA's International Organizations Division. Ms. Danne said that Latvia also sees the need for more balance in the UN's resolutions regarding Israel and does not want such resolutions to negatively influence the peace process. Latvia plans to continue to follow the EU's common position regarding such resolutions. Latvia will abstain, as it did last year, on the resolutions regarding the work of the three UN institutions listed in reftel. ¶2. (C) Regarding the Goldstone Report, Latvia believes that the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva should carefully assess the Goldstone Report at its next general meeting. Ms. Danne did not know Latvia's position on the three resolutions that contain oblique references to the Goldstone Report, but said that Latvia abstained from voting on all three resolutions last year. Ms. Danne promised to follow up with Latvia's position on those three resolutions. GARBER