Cablegate: Canada Supports Resolution On Compliance With

VZCZCXRO7260
OO RUEHGA RUEHHA RUEHMT RUEHQU RUEHVC
DE RUEHOT #1251 2632013
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 192013Z SEP 08
FM AMEMBASSY OTTAWA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 8525
INFO RUCNCAN/ALL CANADIAN POSTS COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
RUEHII/VIENNA IAEA POSTS COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK PRIORITY 0479
RUEHUNV/USMISSION UNVIE VIENNA PRIORITY 0050

UNCLAS OTTAWA 001251

SENSITIVE
SIPDIS

STATE FOR ISN W. MENHOLD AND VCI S. HORN

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PARM PREL UNGA CA
SUBJECT: CANADA SUPPORTS RESOLUTION ON COMPLIANCE WITH
NON-PROLIFERATION, ARMS LIMITATION AND DISARMAMENT
AGREEMENTS

REF: STATE 87531

1. (SBU) Following up on reftel demarche, Department of
Foreign Affairs and International Trade Deputy Director for
Nuclear Non-Proliferation Craig Weichel told pol/mil officer
on September 19 that Canada would vote for the U.S.-sponsored
UNGA First Committee Resolution on Compliance with
Non-Proliferation, Arms Limitation and Disarmament
Agreements. Weichel noted, however that, unlike the U.S.
records (reftel, para 5), his government's UN voting matrix
indicated that Canada voted for, but did not sponsor, a very
similar resolution in 2005.

2. (SBU) Weichel further explained that, with the government
now in "caretaker status" in advance of the October 14
federal election, it would be nearly impossible for him to
get authorization to co-sponsor the resolution this year.
"Caretaker rules" call on the bureaucracy to "do as they did"
in previous votes as much as possible, he noted. Given the
strong similarity between the 2005 and 2008 resolutions, the
best Canada could do in this instance would be to promise to
vote for, but not sponsor, the resolution at the 2008 UNGA,
according to Weichel.

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