VZCZCXYZ0000
OO RUEHWEB

DE RUEHMU #1146/01 2541426
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
O 101426Z SEP 08
FM AMEMBASSY MANAGUA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 3138
INFO RUEHZA/WHA CENTRAL AMERICAN COLLECTIVE IMMEDIATE
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC IMMEDIATE
RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK IMMEDIATE
RHEFDIA/DIA WASHINGTON DC IMMEDIATE
RHEHNSC/NSC WASHINGTON DC IMMEDIATE

C O N F I D E N T I A L MANAGUA 001146 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPT FOR IO/RHS JOVIN 
DEPT FOR DRL/MLGA SICADE 
STATE PASS TO USAID/LAC CARDENAS AND BATTLE 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/08/2018 
TAGS: PHUM PREL UN UNGA NU
SUBJECT: NICARAGUA: UNGA 63 THIRD COMMITTEE HUMAN RIGHTS 
DEMARCHE DELIVERED 
 
REF: A. SECSTATE 93981 
     ¶B. MANAGUA 1072 
 
Classified By: Ambassador Robert J. Callahan for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d 
) 
 
¶1. (C) SUMMARY: On September 8, 2008 we met with Rene 
Morales, Director for American Affairs and Gregorio Torres 
from the Nicaraguan Foreign Ministry regarding the human 
rights agenda for the 63rd UN General Assembly (UNGA) Third 
Committee and delivered the points as instructed per REF A. 
Morales could not tell us how Nicaragua might vote on 
potential Third Committee human rights resolutions, but 
confirmed that Nicaragua's Third Committee votes are 
"political" and that President Daniel Ortega ultimately 
directs the votes of Nicaragua's delegation.  Morales further 
stated that Dr. Magda Enriquez, the senior advisor for UNGA 
president-elect Miguel D'Escoto (REF B), will continue to 
hold her Foreign Ministry position as Director General for 
International Organizations and, as such, would remain the 
point of contact for GON votes. Torres and Morales provided 
information about the Nicaraguan official team selected to 
assist incoming UNGA president D'Escoto.  The names of the 
GON officials who will travel to New York to see D'Escoto 
installed will be reported SEPTEL.  END SUMMARY 
 
GON HUMAN RIGHTS VOTING RECORD HAS GONE 180 
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 
 
¶2. (C) Morales, a career diplomat, was visibly uncomfortable 
as we reviewed the change between 2006 and 2007 in 
Nicaragua's UNGA voting record on human rights.  (NOTE: 
Before Ortega's re-election, Nicaragua voted with the United 
States in 2006 UNGA Third Committee human rights votes to 
defeat no-action motions against Belarus, Burma, Iran, 
Uzbekistan, Sudan, and Zimbabwe, and later to approve 
resolutions against Belarus, Burma, DPRK and Iran. END NOTE) 
Under the Ortega government there has been a complete 
180-degree turn.  In 2007, Nicaragua's UNGA delegation voted 
completely opposite to the United States, supporting 
no-action motions for Belarus, Burma and Iran and then later 
voting against resolutions to condemn Iran and Belarus for 
their human rights violations which were subsequently 
approved in the plenary session of the General Assembly. 
 
NO CHANGE LIKELY FOR UNGA 63 
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 
 
¶3. (C) Morales would not comment on what Nicaragua's position 
might be for the upcoming 63rd UNGA for any of the issues 
expected in the Third Committee. However, she indicated that 
a similar voting pattern was likely because "Nicaragua's 
votes in the UNGA are political - President Ortega himself 
tells Nicaragua's delegation how to vote."  Morales added 
that Dr. Magda Enriquez, who has been named as senior advisor 
for incoming UNGA President D'Escoto (REF B), would also 
retain her current Foreign Ministry position as Director 
General for International Organizations.  As such, Morales 
noted that "any questions about GON positions or Nicaragua 
UNGA votes should be addressed directly to Enriquez." 
 
D'ESCOTO'S NICARAGUA TEAM 
- - - - - - - - - - - - - 
 
¶4. (SBU) At the close of the meeting Torres directed us to 
the Nicaragua Foreign Ministry's website for a list of the of 
Nicaraguan Team supporting UNGA President-elect Miguel 
D'Escoto.  The eight individuals (and their titles) as they 
appear on the website, include: 
 
Norman Miranda, Chief of Staff, mirandan@un.org 
 
Magda Enriquez Beitler, Senior Advisor, 
enriquez-beitler@un.org 
 
Sofia Clark, Deputy Chief of Cabinet, clarks@un.org 
 
Eduardo Mangas, Deputy Chief of Cabinet, mangas@un.org 
 
Barbara Omeir, Special Assistant to the President, 
omeir@un.org 
 
Manual Gutierrez, Special Assistant to the President 
 
Carolina Nazzaro, Communications Official, nazzaro@un.org 
 
Alexander Stynze Smith, Assistant 
 
¶5. (SBU) Our discussion regarding the Official Nicaragua 
delegation to UNGA will be reported SEPTEL. 
CALLAHAN