Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
10BRUSSELS230
2010-02-26 15:06:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Brussels
Cable title:
BELGIUM WILL ABSTAIN IN UPCOMING UNGA VOTE ON
how-toVZCZCXRO9789 PP RUEHAG RUEHROV RUEHSL RUEHSR DE RUEHBS #0230 0571506 ZNY CCCCC ZZH P 261506Z FEB 10 ZDK FM AMEMBASSY BRUSSELS TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 0058 INFO RUCNMEM/EU MEMBER STATES COLLECTIVE PRIORITY RUEHGV/USMISSION GENEVA PRIORITY 1127 RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK PRIORITY 0324
C O N F I D E N T I A L BRUSSELS 000230
SIPDIS
STATE FOR EUR/WE, EUR/ERA AND IO/HR:CMUSSER
E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/25/2020
TAGS: PHUM UNGA UNHRC BE
SUBJECT: BELGIUM WILL ABSTAIN IN UPCOMING UNGA VOTE ON
GOLDSTONE REPORT
REF: A. STATE 15722
¶B. BRUSSELS 1587
Classified By: Acting Polec Counselor Robert Kiene for reasons 1.4(b) a
nd (d)
(C) On February 24, poloff and polintern delivered ref A
demarche to Lieke Biesemans, attach for human rights at the
Belgian Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA). Biesemans said
Belgium will abstain in the February 26 vote by the UN
General Assembly (UNGA) on a Palestinian-drafted resolution
based on the Goldstone Report. Domestic accountability by
both Israelis and Palestinians for human rights abuses is a
crucial issue to Belgium, she said, and both parties should
continue their investigations. Biesemans said Belgium does
not currently see a unified EU position on the Goldstone
Report vote. She said Belgium wants any further discussion
on the report to take place in Geneva, not New York. She
acknowledged this will be difficutl because Belgium and the
U.S. are in a minority on this issue.
GUTMAN
.