VZCZCXRO3155
OO RUEHAG RUEHAST RUEHDA RUEHDF RUEHFL RUEHIK RUEHKW RUEHLA RUEHLN
RUEHLZ RUEHNP RUEHPOD RUEHROV RUEHSK RUEHSR RUEHTRO RUEHVK RUEHYG
DE RUEHMO #0022 0091152
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 091152Z JAN 09
FM AMEMBASSY MOSCOW
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 1442
INFO RUEHGG/UN SECURITY COUNCIL COLLECTIVE
RUEHXD/MOSCOW POLITICAL COLLECTIVE
RUCNCIS/CIS COLLECTIVE
RUEHZL/EUROPEAN POLITICAL COLLECTIVE

UNCLAS MOSCOW 000022 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O.  12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREL PGOV UN EAID IR RS
SUBJECT:  OPPOSING IRAN PRESIDENCY AT UNDP 
 
REF:  STATE 1500 
 
(SBU) We delivered reftel demarche January 9 to MFA Deputy Director 
for International Organizations Vadim Smirnov.  Smirnov said that 
although he did not usually handle UNDP issues, Russian practice was 
to support the regional group's choice for positions on UN Boards 
and committees.  He did not know if Moscow had instructed its UN 
Mission on the issue, but said the Mission "knew how to proceed in 
such situations."  He took note of U.S. arguments against Iran's 
Presidency of the UNDP Board and said he would check with the 
Mission, but indicated that Moscow could not agree with the U.S.'s 
approach. 
 
BEYRLE