VZCZCXYZ0004
OO RUEHWEB
DE RUEHC #0797 2910146
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 170142Z OCT 08
FM SECSTATE WASHDC
TO RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK IMMEDIATE 3501
INFO RUEHAS/AMEMBASSY ALGIERS IMMEDIATE 2024
RUEHRB/AMEMBASSY RABAT IMMEDIATE 5889
RUEHCL/AMCONSUL CASABLANCA IMMEDIATE 2581
UNCLAS STATE 110797
SIPDIS, SENSITIVE
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREL PBTS UNGA WI MO AG
SUBJECT: UNGA RESOLUTION ON WESTERN SAHARA
REF: A) RABAT 0983
1. USUN is instructed to continue to work with all
interested parties to urge them to reach consensus on the
Fourth Committee Western Sahara resolution. Mission
should support any attempts to postpone voting on the
resolution until consensus is reached.
2. If, despite all efforts to postpone a vote until
consensus is reached, a vote becomes inevitable, Mission
is instructed to abstain. If it must abstain, Mission
should seek to minimize interest in the vote, downplay its
significance, and should not issue an EOV. Our goal is to
keep the Security Council, not the General Assembly, as
the focal point for Western Sahara. If asked by the
press, Mission should say that our vote reflected the fact
that the UNGA resolution did not reference all UNSCRs on
the matter.
3. As they become available, Mission should continue to
send negotiation updates and the latest version of the
resolution as the text evolves to the Department (with
info copies of front channel reporting to Embassies
Algiers and Rabat).
RICE