US embassy cable - 05OTTAWA3230

C O N F I D E N T I A L OTTAWA 003230 
 
SIPDIS 
 
IO/UNP - HOTZ; WHA/PPC 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/30/2005 
TAGS: PREL, CA, IS, UNGA 
SUBJECT: CANADA COSPONSORS HOLOCAUST REMEMBRANCE RESOLUTION 
AT UNGA 
 
REF: SECSTATE 188927 
 
Classified By: POL M/C Brian Flora.  Reasons 1.4 (B) and (D). 
 
1. (U) As requested in reftel, poloff met with officials from 
Foreign Affairs Canada (FAC) on October 28 to discuss 
Canada's co-sponsorship of the Holocaust Remembrance 
resolution.  Canadian participants included Ann Flanagan 
Whalen, Deputy Director of the Middle East Division, Wendy 
Drukier, Deputy Director of the United Nations and 
Commonwealth Affairs Division. 
 
2. (C) Flanagan Whalen stated that GoC co-sponsorship stems 
from its belief that the resolution provides an appropriate 
way of commemorating the Holocaust.  She agreed that there 
should be no amendments or changes in resolution's wording. 
It plans to issue a joint statement next week with Australia 
and New Zealand to this effect in the hope of encouraging 
other member states to support the resolution.  (Poloff has 
requested an advance copy and will forward if/when it is 
received).  The GoC believes that there are 91 co-sponsors at 
the present time, although it will be an "uphill battle," 
particularly with the African countries like South Africa who 
have indicated their objection to singling out one particular 
genocide.  Flanagan Whalen said that Iranian President 
Ahmadinejad's recent remarks about Israel's destruction could 
play well for influencing moderate Arab countries like 
Tunisia, Egypt and Jordan to support the resolution in spite 
of those countries' reluctance in issuing official 
condemnation of the remarks. 
 
3. (U)  Flanagan Whalen confirmed that the the resolution is 
to be actioned on October 31. 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Visit Canada's Classified Web Site at 
http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/wha/ottawa 
 
WILKINS