US embassy cable - 05MASERU374

C O N F I D E N T I A L MASERU 000374 
 
SIPDIS 
 
FOR AF/S 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL:  7/25/2015 
TAGS: PREL, LT, UNGA, UNSC 
SUBJECT: DEFEATING G-4 FORUM RESOLUTION ON UN REFORMS 
 
REF: (A) STATE 132429  (B) MASERU 364  (C) MASERU 355 
 
CLASSIFIED BY: JUNE CARTER PERRY, AMBASSADOR, EXEC, STATE. 
REASON: 1.4 (b), (d) 
 
 
 
CLASSIFIED BY: JUNE CARTER PERRY, AMBASSADOR, EXEC, STATE. 
REASON: 1.4 (b), (d) 
 
 
 
CLASSIFIED BY: JUNE CARTER PERRY, AMBASSADOR, EXEC, STATE. 
REASON: 1.4 (b), (d) 
 
 
 
1.  (C) Ambassador met with Lesotho's Foreign Minister Moleleki 
on most recent points on defeating the G-4 Forum Resolution July 
19 and 25.  Foreign Minister Moleleki reiterated the Government 
of Lesotho's support of the U.S. position on holding off on the 
UN Security Council proposal and restated his governments 
support for the overall UN Reform package.   Moleleki said that 
the Chinese Ambassador resident in Maseru had approached him 
several times on this matter indicating the PRC's strong 
opposition to Japan attaining a UNSC seat.  Lesotho's Foreign 
Minister and Prime Minister have been invited to Japan in early 
August and Moleleki is certain that this is part of Japan's 
campaign for a seat.  The intention of the Government of Lesotho 
is to convince Japan that it is best to hold off on further 
discussion of the Security Council given the firm position of 
the U.S. in supporting Japan, opposition to the G-4 resolution 
and the PRC's strong opposition to Japan gaining a seat. 
 
2.  (C) We have emphasized the importance of UN members having 
adequate time for full discussion of UNSC expansion including 
the various proposals that have been put forward by the African 
Union (AU).  In that regard, Moleleki added that there had been 
a meeting in London over the weekend, July 23-24, of African 
representatives including the AU Chair (Konare) and the outgoing 
Nigerian Chair as well as two (2) representatives of each of the 
African regional organizations to discuss further steps on 
Africa's Security Council posture.  Ambassador pressed Foreign 
Minister Moleleki for confirmation that Lesotho will either vote 
NO or abstain when the G-4 resolution does come to the floor. 
Moleleki confirmed that they will do one of the two, vote NO or 
abstain, and said that his government was opposed to the 
resolution's consideration at this time.  Ambassador asked 
directly if those instructions would be sent to the Lesotho 
Delegation in New York; FOMIN confirmed they would be sent. 
 
SIGNATURE