Cablegate: Nigeria: Demarche On Unga Resolutionqwith

VZCZCXRO6837
PP RUEHMA RUEHPA
DE RUEHUJA #2447 3311501
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 271501Z NOV 07
FM AMEMBASSY ABUJA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 1519
INFO RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK PRIORITY 0342
RUEHZK/ECOWAS COLLECTIVE
RUEHTV/AMEMBASSY TEL AVIV 0041
RUEHOS/AMCONSUL LAGOS 8328
RHEBAAA/DEPT OF ENERGY WASHDC
RHEHNSC/NSC WASHINGTON DC
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHINGTON DC
RUEKDIA/DIA WASHDC
RHMFISS/HQ USEUCOM VAIHINGEN GE
RUFOADA/JAC MOLESWORTH RAF MOLESWORTH UK

UNCLAS ABUJA 002447

SIPDIS

SENSITIVE
SIPDIS

FOR IO/UNP ERIN MCLINN

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREL UNGA NI IS
SUBJECT: NIGERIA: DEMARCHE ON UNGA RESOLUTIONQWITH
ANTI-ISRAELI BIAS

REF: STATE 159386

SENSITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFIED -- HANDLE ACCORDINGLY

1. (U) Poloff met with Charles Ononye, Deputy Director of
the Nigerian MFA's International Organizations Division, on
November 27 to deliver reftel demarche. Ononye promised to
consider the U.S. reasons for opposing the three resolutions
and confer with his colleagues in New York, but he was
ultimately noncommittal on how Nigeria might vote. He said
Nigeria supports the two-state solution for Middle East peace
and the GON will make a "balanced" statement on November 29
to mark the UN's "International Day of Solidarity with the
Palestinian People."

2. (SBU) Ononye also recommended that the Government of
Israel approach both the Africa Group and the Non-Aligned
Movement to seek support on these and other UN votes.
According to Ononye, "Israel has friends in Nigeria and in
Africa, but she needs to engage them both at the UN and in
capitals." He believes that Israel may be able to sway the
votes of 2-3 African countries in the short term and work
with them over time to build greater support within the
Africa Group.
PIASCIK

© Scoop Media