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TO RUEHWN/AMEMBASSY BRIDGETOWN IMMEDIATE 0289-0290
RUEHDT/AMEMBASSY DILI IMMEDIATE 6206-6207
RUEHME/AMEMBASSY MEXICO IMMEDIATE 0208-0209
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INFO RUEHKG/AMEMBASSY KINGSTON PRIORITY 0690-0691
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RUEHMV/AMEMBASSY MONROVIA PRIORITY 5134-5135
RUEHBH/AMEMBASSY NASSAU PRIORITY 0507-0508
RUEHTG/AMEMBASSY TEGUCIGALPA PRIORITY 6282-6283
RUEHTI/AMEMBASSY TIRANA PRIORITY 4424-4425
RUEHGV/USMISSION GENEVA 0015-0016
RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK 9480-9481

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 STATE 004749 
 
SENSITIVE 
 
C O R R E C T E D  COPY (SENSITIVE CAPTION ADDED) 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREL PHUM UNGA OPDC KIRF KISL
SUBJECT: THANK YOU FOR VOTES ON UNGA THIRD COMMITTEE 
RESOLUTION ON DEFAMATION 
 
REF: A. STATE 122639 
     ¶B. STATE 128320 
 
STATE 00004749  001.2 OF 002 
 
 
 ¶1.  (U) This is an action message for action addressees. 
See para 5. 
 
¶2.  (U) Summary:  Efforts to reach out to host countries, at 
all levels, paid off on December 18, 2009 as the votes 
in favor of the Defamation of Religions resolution at the UN 
General Assembly (UNGA) declined by six votes 
(80Y-61N(US)-42A) compared to the 2008 UNGA plenary result 
(86Y-53N(US)-42A).  Because of persistent andpersuasive 
outreach by Ambassadors and embassy staff, a number of key 
countries changed prior voting patterns and helped us to 
attain a number of important changes in votes.  In order to 
acknowledge U.S. appreciation for the countries who changed 
their past voting pattern to vote NO and to maintain their 
support for combating the 'defamation' concept at the 
upcoming UN Human Rights Council session in March, action 
addressees are requested to transmit the letter from 
Assistant Secretary Brimmer in para 5 below, which conveys 
our profound thanks on the 
defamation vote. 
 
End Summary. 
 
¶3.  (SBU) By thanking countries for their votes against the 
Defamation resolution, we hope to encourage them to 
continue opposing defamation resolutions and to work with 
the U.S. on alternative approaches to the 'defamation' 
concept in the future.  Other countries assisted by either 
abstaining or absenting themselves from the vote.  We have 
decided that we will only formally thank the countries 
that shifted to a NO vote.  For Posts' information, paragraph 
7 will note countries that shifted away from a yes vote to an 
abstention. 
 
¶4.  (SBU) The following countries' NO votes in the UNGA 
plenary were instrumental in demonstrating that support 
for the "defamation" concept continues to erode. 
 
-- Chile, Mexico, Panama, Uruguay, Vanuatu, St. Lucia, 
Nauru, Papua New Guinea, Timor-Leste, Tonga. 
 
¶5.  (SBU) ACTION REQUEST:  We ask that action addressees 
transmit the letter below from the Assistant Secretary to 
the Foreign Minister or Head of State (whomever Post deems 
most appropriate) to acknowledge the help their countries' 
votes provided.  No signed original will follow. 
 
Begin text: 
 
 
Dear Mr./Madam Minister: (or other appropriate salutation) 
 
I am deeply grateful for your country's decision to vote 
against the Defamation of religions resolution that was 
recently voted at the plenary session of the UN General 
Assembly. 
 
As you know, the United States is very concerned about 
efforts to advance the concept of "defamation of 
religions" in UN fora.  We firmly believe that the right to 
profess, practice, and promote one's religious beliefs 
is central to the ability of peoples from diverse backgrounds 
to live together peacefully, and that the 
freedoms of religion and expression are intertwined and 
mutually reinforcing. 
 
 
STATE 00004749  002.2 OF 002 
 
 
Your country,s vote in the UN General Assembly was critical 
in demonstrating the waning support 
for the "defamation" concept.  We hope to work with you and 
the international community in the coming months at 
the UN Human Rights Council on a new approach to combat the 
scourge of racial and religious intolerance while 
preserving universal human rights protections. 
 
Your continued support for the freedoms of expression and 
religion will be critical and we look forward to further 
collaboration with you at the UN General Assembly and Human 
Rights Council. 
 
Sincerely Yours, 
 
Esther D. Brimmer 
Assistant Secretary of State 
Bureau of International Organization Affairs 
 
 
¶6.  (SBU)  A number of countries also shifted their position 
away from a YES vote.  Although we will not 
formally thank them, they are listed here for Post's 
information.  At their discretion, posts may draw from the 
views in the letter text at Para 5 above in discussions with 
host governments to underline USG opposition to the 
defamation of religions concept. 
 
-- Albania (from absent to Abstention) 
-- Antigua and Barbuda (YES to Abstention) 
-- Bahamas (YES to Abstention) 
-- Fiji (YES to Abstention) 
-- Honduras (YES to Abstention) 
-- Jamaica (YES to Abstention) 
-- Lesotho (YES to Abstention) 
 
¶7.  (U) Department thanks posts for their assistance. 
Department contacts on this issue are Colleen Neville in 
IO/HR and Joannella Morales in DRL/IRF if posts have any 
questions. 
CLINTON