Cablegate: Unga Anti-Israel Resolutions: Positive Movement

VZCZCXRO7905
PP RUEHDE
DE RUEHLM #1056 3291224
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 241224Z NOV 08
FM AMEMBASSY COLOMBO
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 8953
INFO RUEHUL/AMEMBASSY SEOUL PRIORITY 0828
RUEHTV/AMEMBASSY TEL AVIV PRIORITY 0707
RUEHDE/AMCONSUL DUBAI PRIORITY 0156
RUEHJM/AMCONSUL JERUSALEM PRIORITY 0181
RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK PRIORITY 0859

UNCLAS COLOMBO 001056

SENSITIVE
SIPDIS

DEPARTMENT FOR SCA/INS, SCA/RA AND IO/UNP (MORRISON)

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREL UNGA IS PA CE MV
SUBJECT: UNGA ANTI-ISRAEL RESOLUTIONS: POSITIVE MOVEMENT
FROM MALDIVES, BUT NOT SRI LANKA

REF: SECSTATE 123081

1. (SBU) Maldivian Foreign Minister Shaheed assured
Ambassador that Maldives could probably shift "to a more
reasonable stance" on the anti-Israel resolutions. He
indicated, however, that MFA would have to look at each
resolution on a case-by-case basis. He also reported that he
had instructed the Maldivian Ambassador in New York to break
ranks with the "conservative majority" in the Organization of
Islamic Countries and support a resolution banning
extrajudicial killings.

2. (SBU) Sri Lankan MFA Director General for UN and
Multilateral Affairs Wijewardhana reported that Sri Lanka
would continue to support the resolutions on Palestine as it
has "for decades". Wijewardhana confirmed that Sri Lanka
abstained on the recent UNGA Third Committee resolution on
DPRK (calling Sri Lanka's "yes" vote last year "unusual.")
She also said that Sri Lanka had voted against the Iran and
Burma resolutions.
Blake

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