US embassy cable - 03GUATEMALA786

C O N F I D E N T I A L GUATEMALA 000786 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/25/2013 
TAGS: PARM, PREL, IZ, GT, UNSC 
SUBJECT: GUATEMALAN RESPONSE TO BLOCKING ARAB EFFORTS AT UN 
ON IRAQ 
 
REF: STATE 76597 
 
Classified By: PolCouns David Lindwall for reason 1.5 (b) and (d). 
 
1. (C) In the absence from the country of President Portillo, 
and the absence from the office of Foreign Minister Gutierrez 
(due to illness), the Ambassador spoke with Vice Foreign 
Minister Jorge Perez on March 25 and relayed reftel request 
that the GOG oppose any effort to convoke a special General 
Assembly session on Iraq.  Perez said he was not familiar 
with the issue but promised to raise it immediately with 
Foreign Minister Gutierrez.  He promised to inform us of the 
GOG's views as soon as he was able to get a response from the 
Minister.  At COB he called to say that the GOG would oppose 
a special session of the UNGA, and that if there were a 
special open session of the UNSC, Guatemala would speak in 
support of the U.S. 
 
2. (C) On a parallel track, PolOff spoke with Marco Tulio 
Chicas, Deputy Director of Multilateral Affairs at the MFA on 
March 25 and conveyed the same points.  Chicas promised to 
advise the Minister and Guatemala's permanent mission at the 
UN. 
HAMILTON