VZCZCXYZ0013
OO RUEHWEB

DE RUEHC #7534 2812250
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 072245Z OCT 08
FM SECSTATE WASHDC
TO RUEHMV/AMEMBASSY MONROVIA IMMEDIATE 0000
INFO RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK IMMEDIATE 0000

UNCLAS STATE 107534 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREL UNGA LI
SUBJECT: REQUEST FOR HEAD OF STATE-LEVEL DEMARCHE BY 
AMBASSADOR 
 
¶1.  This is an action request for the Ambassador or 
Charge. 
 
OBJECTIVE 
--------- 
 
¶2.  The U.S. is engaged in a targeted effort to engage 17 
countries who share close bilateral relations with the U.S., 
and whose UNGA voting records do not reflect that 
partnership, to raise awareness at the highest level of 
governments of poor voting coincidence and cooperation in UN 
fora.  The objective of this cable is to seek tangible 
improvements in UNGA voting by Liberia.  The President and 
the Secretary have endorsed this initiative. 
 
ACTION REQUESTED 
---------------- 
 
¶3.  To align Liberia's voting record more closely with that 
of the U.S. on key votes, the Ambassador is requested to meet 
with the Head of State, upon her return from UNGA, and 
deliver a demarche bringing her attention to Liberia,s low 
voting coincidence with the U.S. (when not including 
consensus resolutions).  If the Head of State is not 
available to receive the demarche 
within a reasonable time, the meeting should be held with the 
Foreign Minister.  Embassy should also inform Deputy Minister 
for International Organizations (and recently appointed 
Permanent Representative of Liberia to the United Nations) 
Conmany Wesseh of the content of the demarche. 
 
TALKING POINTS 
-------------- 
 
¶4.  Ambassador may draw on the following points: 
 
-- As allies, the United States and Liberia 
cooperate and work closely together in many areas. 
 
--We want to thank you for Liberia's vastly improved record 
on issues the United States considers to be of greatest 
importance, including Liberia's efforts to co-sponsor the 
recent United Nations Security Council Zimbabwe resolution. 
 
-- In addition, we appreciate Liberia's quick recognition of 
Kosovo following that country's declaration of independence. 
 
-- We also want to thank you for Ambassador Barnes' strong 
support during his tenure as UN PermRep and we wish him the 
best as he takes up his Ambassadorial post in Washington. 
 
-- That said, in 2007 Liberia voted with the U.S. 
in the UN General Assembly only 15 % of the time, when not 
including consensus votes. 
 
-- The United States views the United Nations as having 
great potential for achieving progress on many issues.  If 
agreement and widespread support among Member States can 
be reached for balanced and responsible resolutions, 
decisions, and other initiatives it would make the UN more 
effective and a more credible voice in the world. 
 
-- We understand that some votes may be explained by 
solidarity with regional groups or blocs based on other 
factors, but, in our view, such solidarity often appears 
inconsistent with the national interests and policies of 
your government outside the unique culture of the United 
Nations. 
 
-- As the new session of the UN General Assembly begins, I 
hope you will bear in mind that in the U.S. both the 
President and the Congress view UN voting coincidence as a 
barometer of the closeness of a bilateral relationship. 
 
-We hope a strong ally like Liberia can deliver on votes that 
matter to the United States.  We would like to see all of 
Africa improve its voting coincidence and we are looking to 
our close friend Liberia to provide leadership in that regard. 
 
- In the coming weeks I hope we can begin a dialogue 
between our experts and yours on how we might better 
improve cooperation on issues of importance before the UN. 
 
-- I hope that you will raise this issue with Ambassador 
Wesseh prior to his departure for New York, and seek to 
review personally your country,s voting records on key 
votes. 
 
End Points. 
 
BACKGROUND ON THIS INITIATIVE 
----------------------------- 
 
¶5.  Key issues of importance to U.S. policy interests are 
being brought increasingly to vote in the UN.  These 
include human rights, the UN budget, Israel, and 
development assistance.  At the same time, the Group of 77 
(G-77) and Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) bloc is more unified 
and votes consistently against the U.S.  The Department 
and other agencies have been working on a long-term 
strategy to counter these developments in the General 
Assembly.  A key element of the Department's strategy is 
the delivery of demarches at the most senior level in 17 
select capitals on UNGA voting records, U.S. priorities, 
and areas where we might work together more effectively. 
Often capitals are not aware of the low voting coincidence or 
how their country votes on U.N. matters.  In some cases, 
capitals have given their Permanent Representatives at the 
U.N. a significant degree of independence to vote as they see 
fit.  We believe that many capitals would be surprised to 
learn of their low voting coincidence with the U.S. at the 
UN, and could rectify this issue if raised in capitals at the 
highest level. 
This is the first requested demarche, which seeks to make 
capitals aware of the issue and to seek tangible 
improvements in UNGA voting by the host country.  Details 
on each UN Member State's most recent voting records are 
available on the Department's website at 
www.state.gov/p/io/rls/rpt/c25867/.htm in the annual 
report to Congress entitled "Voting Practices in the 
United Nations 2007."  The Department and other agencies 
believe that the diversity of national interests and 
ideologies outside the UN can be translated into better 
voting inside the UN through friendly but assertive 
approaches to G-77/NAM countries that have reasonably good 
relations with the U.S. 
RICE