ESTONIA SUPPORTIVE OF US POSITIONS IN UNGA THIRD COMMITTEE

UNCLAS TALLINN 000321 SIPDIS DEPT PASS TO IO/HR: COLLEEN NEVILLE DEPT PASS TO DRL/MLGA: CHRIS SIBILLA E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PHUM PREL UN EN SUBJECT: ESTONIA SUPPORTIVE OF US POSITIONS IN UNGA THIRD COMMITTEE REF: STATE 109397; NEVILLE/SIBILLA - HILTON EMAIL DATED 10/26/09 ¶1. On November 2, poloff met with the MFA UN Desk Officer Helen Kaljulate and the International Organizations Division's Human Rights Officer Pille Kesler to discuss reftel demarche and Estonia's priorities for UNGA's Third Committee. They welcomed the information about U.S. priorities and affirmed that Estonia is very supportive of the U.S. positions highlighted in the demarche. Estonia is not supportive of no-action motions, and will support the country specific resolutions concerning Iran, Burma and the DPRK. The GOE will also support the U.S. elections resolution. Estonia is hopeful about gaining consensus on acceptable language for the resolution concerning the rights of the child. Kaljulate added that she thinks the EU has made a greater effort this year in consulting with non-EU and non-GRULAC countries early on, and she hopes this well bear fruit. Estonia shares U.S. concerns with the concept of "defamation of religions" and will not support any resolution promoting this idea. ¶2. Estonia is very concerned with the Russian resolution entitled, "Inadmissibility of certain practices that contribute to fueling contemporary forms of racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance." Kaljulate understands this resolution will be discussed further with co-sponsors, but the draft that has been circulated is unlikely to change significantly. The resolution includes language from previous years that concerns Estonia. The GOE feels that some passages that refer to the relocation of the Bronze Soldier statue in 2007 could stir up discord among Estonia's Russian-speaking population. ¶3. Another Estonian priority is efforts to reduce violence against women. Kaljulate and Kesler were very pleased that the annual resolution on "Intensification of efforts to eliminate all forms of violence against women" was adopted with consensus on October 29. They consider it to be one of the crucial texts to come out of the Third Committee. DECKER