UNCLAS HELSINKI 000074

SIPDIS

STATE FOR COURTNEY MUSSER

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: IO PHUM UNGA
SUBJECT: FINLAND: GOLDSTONE FOLLOW-UP ACTION

REF: STATE 015722


1. (SBU) Pol/Econoff delivered reftel remarks to Riikka
Eela, Regional Manager for the Middle East Unit in the Bureau
of Middle East and North African Affairs at the MFA. When
Pol/Econoff thanked the GOF for having abstained from the
earlier vote on the Goldstone Report Eela indicated that this
abstention occurred because the GOF will not accept any
resolution that presses for Security Council action on the
Goldstone Report. She reinforced this point later in the
conversation when she said that using the Security Council
for a Goldstone-related resolution is a red line for almost
all of the EU.


2. (SBU) The GOF sees many areas in which it agrees with the
reftel's talking points including:
--Israel has the democratic institutions to ensure an
effective and accountable investigation.
--The main responsibility for investigations is with the two
parties, Israel and the Palestinian Authority.
--That the Secretary General is correct when stating that it
is too early in the process investigative process to be able
to evaluate them.


3. (SBU) The GOF continues to disagree with the USG use of
"alleged crimes" when referring to the report and prefers to
use "reported crimes" because, in the GOF view, this adds
credibility to the reports of the crimes. Also, the GOF is
disappointed that reftel talking points do not note that the
current draft of the resolution is much more balanced than
the previous draft. Eela made the point that positive
recognition should be given to the Palestinian Authority for
resisting regional pressure to put forth a more one-sided
resolution focused solely against Israel's actions.


4. (SBU) In response to specific reftel points, Eela stated
the following:
--The GOF does not see the reference to East Jerusalem as
being part of the Palestine occupied territory as a problem.
--The EU has always stated that it does not accept the
annexations made in the wake of the 1967 war.
--While Hamas's role in the Gaza fighting is not specifically
mentioned it is addressed in principal in the current
resolution.


5. (SBU) Eela finished by saying that the GOF does not yet
have a final position on this paper but the initial view is
that the current draft is much more balanced than the
previous versions.
ORECK