VZCZCXYZ0000
PP RUEHWEB
DE RUEHMO #3393 3291354
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 241354Z NOV 08
FM AMEMBASSY MOSCOW
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 0862
INFO RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK 0447
UNCLAS MOSCOW 003393
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
IO/UNP ANDREW MORRISON
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREL UNGA IS PA LE SY
SUBJECT: DEMARCHE DELIVERED: OPPOSING UNGA RESOLUTIONS WITH
ANTI-ISRAEL BIAS
REF: STATE 123081
(SBU) We delivered reftel demarche on November 24 to MFA
Senior Counselor for International Organizations Petr
Ilichev, urging Russia to vote "no" on UNGA resolutions with
an anti-Israel bias. Ilichev said that the GOR would
continue its practice of abstaining on such votes. He
explained that although Russia preferred not to see UNGA
resolutions that singled out specific countries, the GOR
understood that the "difficult political and economic
situation" faced by the Palestinian people inspired the
drafting of these resolutions and would not oppose them.
BEYRLE