Cablegate: Comoros On Guatemala for the Unsc

VZCZCXRO7280
OO RUEHBZ RUEHDU RUEHGI RUEHJO RUEHMA RUEHMR RUEHPA RUEHRN
DE RUEHAN #1190 2961252
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 231252Z OCT 06
FM AMEMBASSY ANTANANARIVO
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 3748
RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK IMMEDIATE 0048
INFO RUEHZO/AFRICAN UNION COLLECTIVE
RUEHFR/AMEMBASSY PARIS 0715

UNCLAS ANTANANARIVO 001190

SIPDIS

SENSITIVE
SIPDIS

DEPT FOR AF/E
DEPT FOR AF/RSA (HOUSTON), IO/UNP (HARRIS)
PARIS FOR D'ELIA

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREL UNSC GT VE MA
SUBJECT: Comoros on Guatemala for the UNSC

REF: A) STATE 173465
B) REDDICK/SIBLEY EMAILS
C) ANTANANARI 001177

1. (SBU) On October 21, upon the return from Saudi Arabia of Ahmed
Abdallah Sambi, President of the Union of the Comoros, DCM spoke to
him by telephone to convey Ref A demarche regarding the vote for a
non-permanent seat on the United Nations Security Council (UNSC).

2. (SBU) Based on the most current information available, the DCM
noted that the last vote had been the 35th round with Guatemala
retaining the lead by 103 votes to 81 for Venezuela, and he
expressed appreciation for the Comoros' steadfast support of
Guatemala's candidacy. He told President Sambi that voting had
apparently been suspended until Wednesday, October 25, in an effort
to break the impasse. He noted that Venezuela's intransigence in
being unwilling to withdraw, or even to back a compromise third
candidate, showed just why Venezuela would be an irresponsible
member of the UNSC. The DCM sought Sambi's ongoing support of
Guatemala on October 25 should the contest continue to pit that
nation against Venezuela. Sambi replied that this would not be a
problem.

3. (SBU) Sambi's support appears to be solid, but lines of
communication between the Comoros and New York are far more fragile.
For this reason Post reiterates the suggestion in Refs B and C that
USUN and/or AF pursue the lobbying effort locally with the Comoran
PermRep.

MCGEE

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