US embassy cable - 03SANTODOMINGO6538

C O N F I D E N T I A L SANTO DOMINGO 006538 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPT FOR WHA/CAR (MCISAAC) AND IO 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/13/2008 
TAGS: PREL, DR 
SUBJECT: PRESIDENT MEJIA AND FOREIGN MINISTER RESPOND TO 
U.S. URGINGS ON ANTI-ISRAEL RESOLUTIONS IN UNGA 
 
REF: A. USUN NY 02824 
 
     B. STATE 312874 
     C. STATE 305553 
 
Classified By: DCM Lisa Kubiske, Reasons 1.4 (b) and (d). 
 
1. (C) Charge delivered reftel B demarche to GODR Foreign 
Minister Francisco Guerrero Prats on November 12.  Ambassador 
Hertell placed a follow-up call to the Foreign Minister on 
November 13, to emphasize the importance of the UNGA votes. 
Guerrero Prats said that normally the Dominican Republic 
would vote with the Rio Group, in these cases against the US 
positions.  However, in regard to the two votes on the floor 
today, the Dominican PermRep had been instructed to abstain. 
The abstention would align the Dominican Republic with the 
Central American countries.  Guerrero Prats stated that he 
felt these abstentions should garner some good will from the 
USG. 
 
2. (C) Ambassador Hertell also spoke with President Hipolito 
Mejia on November 13, raising reftel B points.  President 
Mejia said he understood why the votes are important to the 
US and that he would immediately call one of his UN advisors 
regarding the matter.  NOTE:  The conversation between Mejia 
and the Ambassador took place after the scheduled start of 
22nd meeting of the UN Fourth Committee.  Therefore, even if 
Mejia decided to instruct the GODR PermRep to vote with the 
US, it is not clear that the new instructions could have been 
delivered to the PermRep in a timely manner.  End Note. 
HERTELL