VZCZCXRO2269
OO RUEHBC RUEHDA RUEHDE RUEHIHL RUEHKUK RUEHTRO
DE RUCNDT #0366 1092126
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 182126Z APR 08
FM USMISSION USUN NEW YORK
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 4145
INFO RUCNRAQ/IRAQ COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
RUEHGG/UN SECURITY COUNCIL COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
UNCLAS USUN NEW YORK 000366
SIPDIS
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREL PGOV IZ CS
SUBJECT: COSTA RICA PLACES HOLD ON OIL FOR FOOD LETTER
1. (SBU) On March 28, the Russian Presidency of the Security
Council circulated a draft response to the Secretary-General
on closing down the Oil for Food program (OFF). The draft
was derived from a Department-drafted nonpaper, and enjoyed
the support of the P5. On April 1, Costa Rica placed a hold
on the draft, saying it needed additional time to examine the
proposals contained therein. As of April 18, Costa Rica
continued to maintain its hold. It has changed the rationale
for the hold, and now says it will maintain it until at least
the end of April, when a meeting on OFF issues is scheduled
between the UN and the Iraqi government. Letters from the
Security Council must be agreed to by all 15 members of the
Council.
2. (SBU) Poloff called Amar Al-Hulluo at the Iraqi Mission,
who explained that the Costa Rican mission had contacted the
Iraqi Mission to ask if they should maintain the hold. The
Iraqi mission, upon instructions from Baghdad, requested that
Costa Rica continue to maintain the hold until at least the
end of April. Separately, Poloff and POL M/C contacted the
Costa Rica Mission, and was told that instructions to
maintain the hold came directly from Foreign Minister (and
former UN PermRep) Stagno.
3. (SBU) ACTION REQUEST: USUN requests the Department engage
with Costa Rica and Iraq to ask that the hold be lifted. END
ACTION REQUEST.
Khalilzad