Cablegate: Demarche Response: Libya Will Follow Arab Group On Goldstone Report Resolution

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O 091619Z NOV 09
FM AMEMBASSY TRIPOLI
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 5457
INFO RUEHEE/ARAB LEAGUE COLLECTIVE
RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK IMMEDIATE 0248
RHEHAAA/NSC WASHINGTON DC
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C O N F I D E N T I A L TRIPOLI 000898

SIPDIS

DEPT FOR NEA/MAG, IO/HR (PAUL KRUCHOWSKI), IO/UNP (ANDREW MORRISON) AND NEA/IPA (JEFFREY GIAUQUE). USUN NEW YORK FOR ELLEN GERMAIN.

E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/9/2019 TAGS: PREL PHUM PTER IS KPAL LY UNGA

SUBJECT: DEMARCHE RESPONSE: LIBYA WILL FOLLOW ARAB GROUP ON GOLDSTONE REPORT RESOLUTION REF: STATE 112828

CLASSIFIED BY: Gene A. Cretz, Ambassador, U.S. Embassy Tripoli, Department of State. REASON: 1.4 (b), (d)

1.(C) Pol/Econ Chief delivered reftel demarche to Mehdi al-Mjribi, Director of the International Organizations Office at Libya's Ministry-equivalent of Foreign Affairs, on November 5.In response, Mjribi insisted that Libya did not want to get "in front of the issue" and therefore would not take a stance until formal and informal consultations were completed in New York among the Arab Group and African Union representatives. Mjribi stated that while Libya respects the U.S. position on Goldstone, the Libyans would ultimately adopt the common position of the Arab Group.

2.(C) Mjribi expressed Libya's agreement that Security Council discussion of the Goldstone Report would not be productive, primarily because it would be too difficult to achieve consensus on the matter. He stressed that achieving a simple majority vote in favor of an UNGA resolution on Goldstone would not be difficult. Mjribi stated that he believed a resolution was "inevitable," and that discussion was now focused on the content of the resolution. CRETZ

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