US embassy cable - 05KINGSTON1276

UNCLAS KINGSTON 001276 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPARTMENT FOR WHA/CAR (BENT) 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PHUM, AORC, JM, USOAS 
SUBJECT: GOJ COMMENTS ON OAS RACISM WORKING GROUP 
 
REF: A. STATE 082983 
     B. SIEBENGARTNER/NEIGHBOUR EMAIL 5/6/05 
     C. KINGSTON 001250 
 
1. As reported in ref B, poloff on May 6 delivered ref A 
talking points by telephone and fax to Ann Scott, Deputy 
Director, Caribbean and Americas Department, Ministry of 
Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade (MFAFT).  Scott welcomed 
the information and responded that she was not entirely 
familiar with the issue, which the MFAFT had only just begun 
to explore.  She added that her department would begin 
consultations on the matter shortly, but that she believed 
the GOJ mission in Washington had already begun discussions 
on the topic. 
 
2. In a previously scheduled meeting on May 6, Poloff also 
raised the issue with Angella Brown, Deputy Director, 
International Organizations Department, MFAFT.  Applying the 
same argument she used to defend UNCHR discussions in Geneva 
(Ref C), Brown responded more substantively, offering that 
regional bodies have their own agendas for good reasons.  In 
the case of racism, she said that the issue is especially 
relevant to the western hemisphere.  She added that, 
generally, it doesn't hurt to hold discussions of issues at 
the regional level, since that usually helps to make 
subsequent discussions in global fora more productive. 
TIGHE