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