PRESSING FOR TUNISIAN VOTES AGAINST ANTI-ISRAEL

C O N F I D E N T I A L TUNIS 000851

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/19/2019
TAGS: PREL PHUM TS
SUBJECT: PRESSING FOR TUNISIAN VOTES AGAINST ANTI-ISRAEL
RESOLUTIONS

REF: A. TUNIS 844

B. TUNIS 830

C. STATE 118788

Classified by Ambassador Gordon Gray for reasons 1.4 (b) and
(d).


1. (C) Following up on our November 18 demarche (ref a),in
three separate one-on-one discussions on November 19 the
Ambassador urged Tunisia to abstain from voting for
anti-Israel resolutions currently circulating in the UNGA
Third Committee. The Ambassador spoke with Elyes Kasri, MFA
Director-General for the Americas and Asia; Mohktar
Chaouachi, MFA Director-General for UN and International
Organizations; and Mourad Belkassem, Deputy Director of the
Americas Desk. With each interlocutor, the Ambassador
highlighted the White House press secretary's November 17
statement on settlement expansion and the need for Arab
states and Israel to act responsibily.


2. (C) With slight variations, each of the MFA officials
stressed that while Tunisia continues to hope for progress in
efforts to advance Middle East peace, the GOT would be loathe
to depart from the Arab League consensus on upcoming
resolutions. Nonetheless, each expressed appreciation for
the November 17 statement.

GRAY