DEMARCHE DELIVERED IN SUPPORT UNGA COUNTRY

C O N F I D E N T I A L RIYADH 001534 SIPDIS DEPARTMENT FOR NEA/IR MICHAEL SPRING AND NEA/ARP JHARRIS AND JBERNDT E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/16/2019 TAGS: SA PHUM PREL UNGA SUBJECT: DEMARCHE DELIVERED IN SUPPORT UNGA COUNTRY SPECIFIC HUMAN RIGHTS RESOLUTIONS - SAUDI ARABIA REF: SECSTATE 116270 Classified By: Ambassador James B. Smith, Reasons 1.4 (b and d) ¶1. (C) On November 16 Poloff delivered reftel demarche in support of the U.S. government objective to prevent the passage of "no action" motions in the UN on human rights resolutions on Iran, Burma and the DPRK to the Director of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs NGOs and Human Rights Directorate, Dr. Abdulrahman Al-Rassi. In the demarche, Poloff encouraged Saudi Arabia to abstain or be absent on the Iran no action motion and the resolution; to vote against or abstain on the no action motion on Burma and to support or abstain on the substantive resolution; and to vote against or abstain on the no action motion on DPRK and to support or abstain on the substantive resolution. Dr. Al-Rassi stated he would make a recommendation to his superior, Deputy Minister for Multilateral Affairs HRH Prince Turki bin Mohammed, for Saudi Arabia to abstain from voting on Burma and on Iran. He indicated Saudi Arabia might support the DPRK, but said he would discuss this point with his superior. He further indicated that the Canadian Ambassador had delivered a demarche on the same points earlier today. ¶2. (C) Ambassador Smith reiterated the salient points of the demarche in a meeting with Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Dr. Nizar Madani, who stated the SAG was aware of the USG's position and would consider it. SMITH