US embassy cable - 05KINGSTON2509

UNCLAS KINGSTON 002509 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPARTMENT FOR WHA/CAR (BENT) 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREL, PTER, PHUM, IR, JM 
SUBJECT: DEMARCHE DELIVERED:  IRANIAN PRESIDENT'S 
INCREASING EXTREMSIM 
 
REF: STATE 199225 
 
This message is Sensitive but Unclassified (SBU).  Please 
handle accordingly. 
 
1. (U) On November 4, Polcouns contacted MFA Bilateral 
Affairs Department Director Courtenay Rattray to convey 
reftel points, and to ask whether the GOJ had publicly 
rejected Iranian President Ahamdi-Nejad's disturbing 
comments. 
 
2. (U) Rattray replied that the GOJ shared the sentiment 
behind the UN Security Council's expressed condemnation of 
the remarks, adding that he was unaware of any public 
statement on the matter by any Jamaican official.  He agreed 
to check further as to whether any GOJ reply had been made. 
 
3. (SBU) Comment:  The lack of any public GOJ expression of 
condemnation of the Iranian remarks is hardly surprising, 
particularly in view of Prime Minister P.J. Patterson's 
reluctance to antagonize publicly those states or leaders 
that tend to be sympathetic to Patterson's G-77 stewardship. 
Department may wish to keep this tendency in mind the next 
time Patterson or another senior GOJ official rushes to 
express "principled opposition" to a U.S. statement or deed, 
as they are rarely shy about doing in response to USG actions 
with which they disagree. 
TIGHE