Cablegate: Costa Rican Responses to Un-Related Demarches

VZCZCXYZ0016
PP RUEHWEB

DE RUEHSJ #2614 3211954
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 171954Z NOV 06
FM AMEMBASSY SAN JOSE
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 6677
RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK PRIORITY 0733
INFO RUEHZA/WHA CENTRAL AMERICAN COLLECTIVE PRIORITY

UNCLAS SAN JOSE 002614

SIPDIS

SENSITIVE
SIPDIS

DEPT FOR WHA/CEN JASON MACK AND IO/UNP

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: ILC PHUM PREL UNGA UNHRC CS
SUBJECT: COSTA RICAN RESPONSES TO UN-RELATED DEMARCHES

REF: A. STATE 182267

B. STATE 184178
C. STATE 137429
D. STATE 186285
E. STATE 182099
F. SAN JOSE 2543

1. (U) On November 14, PolCouns and Poloff met with Ministry
of Foreign Affairs officials to discuss pending Third
Committee country-specific human rights resolutions, the
upcoming International Law Commission election, and the
recent Costa Rican UNGA votes concerning Cuba. In attendance
were Director of Foreign Policy Amb. Jose Chaverri, Deputy
Director of Foreign Policy Edwin Arias, Director of
Multilateral Policy Carlos Cordero, and Viviana Tinoco from
the United Nations Area office. The following are the
GOCR,s responses; most issues are still "under review.8

2. (U) Third Committee Resolutions: Post sent Ref A talking
points to Cordero on November 8, requesting a follow-up
meeting to discuss them in more detail. November 14,
PolCouns reiterated the points, focusing especially on
Belarus (Ref B) and noting that Costa Rica had voted
consistent with the USG position on all five country-specific
resolutions and no action votes in 2005. Amb. Chaverri was
noncommittal; he said the issue was still under review. On
November 15, post followed up by sending points on the
Belarussian "reprisal motions" (Ref D) to Chaverri, Arias and
Cordero, again urging GOCR support.

3. (U) International Law Commission election: Post sent a
Diplomatic Note urging support for U.S. Candidate Michael
Matheson to the MFA (Ref C) on October 31. On November 14,
PolCouns again solcited the GOCR position, as requested in
Ref D. After conferring with the international candidates
office at the MFA, Tinoco informed poloffs that he MFA was
"still studying" Matheson,s candidacy.

4. (SBU) Cuban Embargo Resolution: Given Cost Rica's usual
support for country-specific humanrights resolutions and
general opposition to no ction motions, Polcouns expressed
disappointmentat Costa Rica,s joining the likes of Iran,
Belaru, the DPRK and Burma in voting for no action on te
Australia amendment (Ref E). Chaverri played down the GOCR
vote. He said the amendment was offered "too late," so Costa
Rica voted on procedural grounds.

5. (SBU) COMMENT: The GOCR,s vote on the Australian
amendment to the Cuban embargo resolution confirms what a
more senior-level MFA official hinted to us earlier , namely
that one element of Costa Rica's tactical diplomatic approach
to shoring up its UNSC candidacy for the 2008-2010 term will
be to lower the country's profile on Cuba-related matters
(Ref F). The other inconclusive answers were, unfortunately,
in keeping with MFA responses to nearly all UN-related issues
over the past year. Even seemingly straight-forward topics
have required lengthy consideration, generating late
responses, if any at all. According to media reports (and
confirmed by MFA sources), Chaverri will soon depart his
current position. In addition, the MFA,s multilateral
section is undergoing a shake-up, reflecting the greater
importance FonMin Stagno places on UN issues (again in
preparation for what the GOCR hopes will be its UNSC election
for the 2008-2010 term). Hopefully, these changes will
improve the MFA,s responsiveness to our UN demarches.
FRISBIE

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