

Currently released so far... 12478 / 251,287
Browse latest releases
2010/12/01
2010/12/02
2010/12/03
2010/12/04
2010/12/05
2010/12/06
2010/12/07
2010/12/08
2010/12/09
2010/12/10
2010/12/11
2010/12/12
2010/12/13
2010/12/14
2010/12/15
2010/12/16
2010/12/17
2010/12/18
2010/12/19
2010/12/20
2010/12/21
2010/12/22
2010/12/23
2010/12/24
2010/12/25
2010/12/26
2010/12/27
2010/12/28
2010/12/29
2010/12/30
2011/01/01
2011/01/02
2011/01/04
2011/01/05
2011/01/07
2011/01/09
2011/01/10
2011/01/11
2011/01/12
2011/01/13
2011/01/14
2011/01/15
2011/01/16
2011/01/17
2011/01/18
2011/01/19
2011/01/20
2011/01/21
2011/01/22
2011/01/23
2011/01/24
2011/01/25
2011/01/26
2011/01/27
2011/01/28
2011/01/29
2011/01/30
2011/01/31
2011/02/01
2011/02/02
2011/02/03
2011/02/04
2011/02/05
2011/02/06
2011/02/07
2011/02/08
2011/02/09
2011/02/10
2011/02/11
2011/02/12
2011/02/13
2011/02/14
2011/02/15
2011/02/16
2011/02/17
2011/02/18
2011/02/19
2011/02/20
2011/02/21
2011/02/22
2011/02/23
2011/02/24
2011/02/25
2011/02/26
2011/02/27
2011/02/28
2011/03/01
2011/03/02
2011/03/03
2011/03/04
2011/03/05
2011/03/06
2011/03/07
2011/03/08
2011/03/09
2011/03/10
2011/03/11
2011/03/13
2011/03/14
2011/03/15
2011/03/16
2011/03/17
2011/03/18
2011/03/19
2011/03/20
2011/03/21
2011/03/22
2011/03/23
2011/03/24
2011/03/25
2011/03/26
2011/03/27
2011/03/28
2011/03/29
2011/03/30
2011/03/31
2011/04/01
2011/04/02
2011/04/03
2011/04/04
2011/04/05
2011/04/06
2011/04/07
2011/04/08
2011/04/09
2011/04/10
2011/04/11
2011/04/12
2011/04/13
2011/04/14
2011/04/15
2011/04/16
2011/04/17
2011/04/18
2011/04/19
2011/04/20
2011/04/21
2011/04/22
2011/04/23
2011/04/24
2011/04/25
2011/04/26
2011/04/27
2011/04/28
2011/04/29
2011/04/30
Browse by creation date
Browse by origin
Embassy Athens
Embassy Asuncion
Embassy Astana
Embassy Asmara
Embassy Ashgabat
Embassy Apia
Embassy Ankara
Embassy Amman
Embassy Algiers
Embassy Addis Ababa
Embassy Accra
Embassy Abuja
Embassy Abu Dhabi
Embassy Abidjan
Consulate Auckland
Consulate Amsterdam
Consulate Adana
American Institute Taiwan, Taipei
Embassy Bujumbura
Embassy Buenos Aires
Embassy Budapest
Embassy Bucharest
Embassy Brussels
Embassy Bridgetown
Embassy Bratislava
Embassy Brasilia
Embassy Bogota
Embassy Bishkek
Embassy Bern
Embassy Berlin
Embassy Belmopan
Embassy Belgrade
Embassy Beirut
Embassy Beijing
Embassy Banjul
Embassy Bangkok
Embassy Bandar Seri Begawan
Embassy Bamako
Embassy Baku
Embassy Baghdad
Consulate Barcelona
Embassy Copenhagen
Embassy Conakry
Embassy Colombo
Embassy Chisinau
Embassy Caracas
Embassy Canberra
Embassy Cairo
Consulate Curacao
Consulate Ciudad Juarez
Consulate Chennai
Consulate Casablanca
Consulate Cape Town
Consulate Calgary
Embassy Dushanbe
Embassy Dublin
Embassy Doha
Embassy Djibouti
Embassy Dili
Embassy Dhaka
Embassy Dar Es Salaam
Embassy Damascus
Embassy Dakar
Consulate Dubai
Embassy Helsinki
Embassy Harare
Embassy Hanoi
Consulate Ho Chi Minh City
Consulate Hermosillo
Consulate Hamilton
Consulate Hamburg
Consulate Halifax
Embassy Kyiv
Embassy Kuwait
Embassy Kuala Lumpur
Embassy Kinshasa
Embassy Kingston
Embassy Kigali
Embassy Khartoum
Embassy Kathmandu
Embassy Kampala
Embassy Kabul
Consulate Kolkata
Embassy Luxembourg
Embassy Luanda
Embassy London
Embassy Ljubljana
Embassy Lisbon
Embassy Lima
Embassy Lilongwe
Embassy La Paz
Consulate Lahore
Consulate Lagos
Mission USOSCE
Mission USNATO
Mission UNESCO
Embassy Muscat
Embassy Moscow
Embassy Montevideo
Embassy Monrovia
Embassy Minsk
Embassy Mexico
Embassy Mbabane
Embassy Maputo
Embassy Manila
Embassy Manama
Embassy Managua
Embassy Malabo
Embassy Madrid
Consulate Munich
Consulate Mumbai
Consulate Montreal
Consulate Monterrey
Consulate Milan
Consulate Melbourne
Embassy Nicosia
Embassy Niamey
Embassy New Delhi
Embassy Ndjamena
Embassy Nassau
Embassy Nairobi
Consulate Naples
Consulate Naha
Embassy Pristina
Embassy Pretoria
Embassy Prague
Embassy Port Of Spain
Embassy Port Louis
Embassy Port Au Prince
Embassy Phnom Penh
Embassy Paris
Embassy Paramaribo
Embassy Panama
Consulate Peshawar
REO Basrah
Embassy Rome
Embassy Riyadh
Embassy Riga
Embassy Reykjavik
Embassy Rangoon
Embassy Rabat
Consulate Rio De Janeiro
Consulate Recife
Secretary of State
Embassy Suva
Embassy Stockholm
Embassy Sofia
Embassy Skopje
Embassy Singapore
Embassy Seoul
Embassy Sarajevo
Embassy Santo Domingo
Embassy Santiago
Embassy Sanaa
Embassy San Salvador
Embassy San Jose
Consulate Strasbourg
Consulate St Petersburg
Consulate Shenyang
Consulate Shanghai
Consulate Sapporo
Consulate Sao Paulo
Embassy Tunis
Embassy Tripoli
Embassy Tokyo
Embassy The Hague
Embassy Tel Aviv
Embassy Tehran
Embassy Tegucigalpa
Embassy Tbilisi
Embassy Tashkent
Embassy Tallinn
Consulate Toronto
Consulate Tijuana
USUN New York
USEU Brussels
US Office Almaty
US Mission Geneva
US Interests Section Havana
US Delegation, Secretary
UNVIE
Embassy Ulaanbaatar
Embassy Vilnius
Embassy Vienna
Embassy Vatican
Embassy Valletta
Consulate Vladivostok
Consulate Vancouver
Browse by tag
AU
ASEC
AE
AF
AORC
AEMR
AMGT
ABUD
AFFAIRS
APER
AS
AMED
AY
AG
AR
AJ
AL
AID
AM
AODE
ABLD
AMG
AFIN
ATRN
AGAO
AFU
AN
AA
ALOW
APECO
ADM
ARF
ASEAN
APEC
AMBASSADOR
AO
ASUP
AZ
AADP
ACOA
ANET
AMCHAMS
ACABQ
ASECKFRDCVISKIRFPHUMSMIGEG
APCS
AGMT
AINF
AIT
AORL
ACS
AFSI
AFSN
ACBAQ
AFGHANISTAN
ADANA
ADPM
AX
ADCO
AECL
AMEX
ACAO
ASCH
AORG
AGR
AROC
ASIG
AND
ARM
AQ
ATFN
AC
AUC
ASEX
AER
AVERY
AGRICULTURE
BL
BR
BO
BA
BD
BM
BK
BG
BU
BB
BH
BTIO
BY
BEXP
BP
BE
BRUSSELS
BF
BIDEN
BT
BX
BC
BILAT
BN
BBSR
BTIU
BWC
BMGT
CA
CASC
CVIS
CM
CH
CO
CU
CD
CWC
CI
CS
CY
CMGT
CF
CG
CR
CB
CV
CW
CE
CBW
CT
CPAS
COUNTERTERRORISM
CJAN
CODEL
CIDA
CDG
CDC
CIA
CTR
CNARC
CSW
CN
CONS
CLINTON
COE
CROS
CARICOM
CONDOLEEZZA
COUNTER
CL
COM
CICTE
CIS
CFED
COUNTRY
CJUS
CBSA
CEUDA
CLMT
CAC
COPUOS
CIC
CBE
CHR
CTM
CVR
CITEL
CLEARANCE
CACS
CAN
CITT
CARSON
CACM
CDB
CAPC
CKGR
CBC
EC
EG
EPET
ECON
ETRD
EFIN
EIND
EMIN
ENRG
EAID
EAGR
EUN
ETTC
EAIR
ENIV
ES
EU
EINV
ELAB
ECIN
EFIS
ELTN
EWWT
ECPS
ECONOMIC
ENGR
EN
EINT
EPA
ELN
ESA
EZ
ER
ET
EFTA
EINVECONSENVCSJA
EUMEM
ETRA
EXTERNAL
EI
EUR
EK
ERNG
ENGY
ETRDEINVECINPGOVCS
ENERG
EINVEFIN
ENVR
ECA
ELECTIONS
ETC
EUREM
ENNP
EFINECONCS
EURN
ECINECONCS
EEPET
EXIM
ERD
ENVI
ETRC
ETRDEINVTINTCS
ETRO
EDU
ETRN
EAIG
ECONCS
ECONOMICS
EAP
ECONOMY
EINN
EIAR
EXBS
ECUN
EINDETRD
EREL
EUC
ESENV
ECONEFIN
ECIP
EFIM
EAIDS
ETRDECONWTOCS
EUNCH
EINVETC
IZ
IT
IR
IS
IN
IC
IAEA
IO
ICAO
IWC
ID
IV
ISRAEL
IAHRC
IQ
ICTR
IMF
IRS
IDP
IGAD
ICRC
ICTY
IMO
IL
INRA
INRO
ICJ
ITU
IBRD
INMARSAT
IIP
ITALY
IEFIN
IACI
ILO
INTELSAT
ILC
ITRA
IDA
INRB
IRC
INTERPOL
IA
IPR
IRAQI
ISRAELI
INTERNAL
ISLAMISTS
INDO
ITPHUM
ITPGOV
ITALIAN
IBET
INR
IEA
IZPREL
IRAJ
ITF
IF
KDEM
KU
KPAL
KNNP
KCRM
KZ
KN
KS
KJUS
KTFN
KSCA
KV
KISL
KPAO
KPKO
KIRF
KTIA
KIPR
KFLO
KFRD
KTIP
KAWC
KSUM
KCOM
KAID
KE
KTDB
KMDR
KOMC
KWBG
KDRG
KVPR
KTEX
KGIC
KWMN
KSCI
KCOR
KACT
KDDG
KHLS
KSAF
KFLU
KSEO
KMRS
KSPR
KOLY
KSEP
KVIR
KGHG
KIRC
KUNR
KIFR
KCIP
KMCA
KMPI
KBCT
KHSA
KICC
KIDE
KCRS
KMFO
KRVC
KRGY
KR
KAWK
KG
KFIN
KHIV
KBIO
KOCI
KBTR
KNEI
KPOA
KCFE
KPLS
KSTC
KHDP
KPRP
KCRCM
KLIG
KCFC
KTER
KREC
KTBT
KPRV
KSTH
KRIM
KRAD
KWAC
KWMM
KFRDCVISCMGTCASCKOCIASECPHUMSMIGEG
KOMS
KX
KMIG
KRCM
KVRP
KBTS
KPAONZ
KNUC
KNAR
KPWR
KNPP
KDEMAF
KNUP
KNNPMNUC
KERG
KGIT
KPAI
KTLA
KFSC
KCSY
KSAC
KTRD
KID
KOM
KMOC
KJUST
KGCC
KREL
KFRDKIRFCVISCMGTKOCIASECPHUMSMIGEG
KFTFN
KO
KNSD
KHUM
KSEC
KCMR
KCHG
KICA
KPIN
KESS
KDEV
KCGC
KWWMN
KPAK
KWNM
KWMNCS
KRFD
MOPS
MCAP
MPOS
MARR
MO
MNUC
MX
MASS
MG
MY
MU
ML
MR
MILITARY
MTCRE
MT
MEPP
MA
MDC
MP
MAR
MASSMNUC
MARAD
MAPP
MZ
MD
MI
MEETINGS
MK
MCC
MEPN
MRCRE
MAS
MIL
MASC
MC
MV
MTCR
MIK
MUCN
MEDIA
MERCOSUR
MW
MOPPS
MTS
MLS
MILI
MTRE
MEPI
MQADHAFI
MAPS
NO
NATO
NL
NP
NZ
NSF
NI
NH
NG
NAFTA
NU
NASA
NR
NATOPREL
NSSP
NSG
NA
NT
NW
NK
NPT
NPA
NATIONAL
NPG
NSFO
NS
NSC
NE
NGO
NDP
NIPP
NRR
NEW
NZUS
NC
NAR
NV
NORAD
OTRA
OPCW
OVIP
OAS
OREP
OPIC
OIIP
OPRC
ODIP
OEXC
OPDC
OSCE
OIC
OSCI
OECD
OFDP
OFDA
OMIG
OPAD
OFFICIALS
OVP
OIE
OHUM
OCS
OBSP
OTR
OSAC
ON
OCII
OES
PGOV
PREL
PHUM
PTER
PINS
PINR
PREF
PK
PROP
PA
PARM
PBTS
PMAR
PM
PGIV
PE
PRAM
PHUH
PHSA
PL
PNAT
PO
PLN
PAO
PSA
PHUMPGOV
PF
PEL
PBIO
POLITICS
PHUMBA
PAS
POL
PREO
PAHO
PMIL
POGOV
POV
PAK
PNR
PRL
PG
PREFA
PSI
PINL
PU
PARMS
PRGOV
PALESTINIAN
PAIGH
POLITICAL
PARTIES
POSTS
PROG
PORG
PTBS
PUNE
POLICY
PDOV
PCI
PGOVSMIGKCRMKWMNPHUMCVISKFRDCA
PBT
PP
PS
PY
PTERE
PGOF
PKFK
PSOE
PEPR
PPA
PINT
PRELP
PSEPC
PGOVE
PINF
PNG
PGOC
PFOR
PCUL
POLINT
PGGV
PHALANAGE
PARTY
PGOVLO
PHUS
PDEM
PECON
PROV
PHUMPREL
RS
RU
RELATIONS
RW
RO
RM
RP
ROOD
RICE
RUPREL
RSO
RCMP
REACTION
REPORT
REGION
RIGHTS
RF
RFE
RSP
RIGHTSPOLMIL
ROBERT
SU
SCUL
SNAR
SOCI
SF
SA
SHUM
SENV
SP
SR
SY
SANC
SC
SMIG
SZ
SARS
SW
SEVN
SO
SEN
SL
SNARCS
SNARN
SI
SG
SN
SH
SYR
SAARC
SPCE
SHI
SCRS
SENVKGHG
SYRIA
SWE
STEINBERG
SIPRS
ST
SNARIZ
SSA
SK
SPCVIS
SOFA
SIPDIS
SAN
TC
TI
TBIO
TH
TSPL
TRGY
TSPA
TPHY
TU
TW
TS
TAGS
TK
TX
TNGD
TZ
TF
TL
TV
TN
TD
TIP
TR
TP
TO
TT
TFIN
THPY
TERRORISM
TINT
TRSY
TURKEY
TBID
US
UK
UNGA
UP
UZ
UNMIK
USTR
UNO
UNSC
UN
UNESCO
UNAUS
UNHRC
UY
UG
UNHCR
UNCND
USOAS
USEU
UNICEF
UNEP
UV
UNPUOS
UNCSD
USUN
UNCHR
UNDC
USNC
UE
UNDP
UNC
USPS
USAID
UNVIE
UAE
UNFICYP
UNODC
UNCHS
UNIDROIT
UNDESCO
UNCHC
Browse by classification
Community resources
courage is contagious
Viewing cable 08GENEVA256, OIC POWER PLAY DOMINATES HUMAN RIGHTS COUNCIL \
If you are new to these pages, please read an introduction on the structure of a cable as well as how to discuss them with others. See also the FAQs
Understanding cables
Every cable message consists of three parts:
- The top box shows each cables unique reference number, when and by whom it originally was sent, and what its initial classification was.
- The middle box contains the header information that is associated with the cable. It includes information about the receiver(s) as well as a general subject.
- The bottom box presents the body of the cable. The opening can contain a more specific subject, references to other cables (browse by origin to find them) or additional comment. This is followed by the main contents of the cable: a summary, a collection of specific topics and a comment section.
Discussing cables
If you find meaningful or important information in a cable, please link directly to its unique reference number. Linking to a specific paragraph in the body of a cable is also possible by copying the appropriate link (to be found at theparagraph symbol). Please mark messages for social networking services like Twitter with the hash tags #cablegate and a hash containing the reference ID e.g. #08GENEVA256.
Reference ID | Created | Released | Classification | Origin |
---|---|---|---|---|
08GENEVA256 | 2008-04-04 15:26 | 2011-03-13 00:00 | CONFIDENTIAL | US Mission Geneva |
Appears in these articles: http://www.letemps.ch/swiss_papers |
VZCZCXYZ0011
PP RUEHWEB
DE RUEHGV #0256/01 0951526
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
P 041526Z APR 08
FM USMISSION GENEVA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 6298
INFO RUEHZJ/HUMAN RIGHTS COUNCIL COLLECTIVE
RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK 2706
RUEHFR/UNESCO PARIS FR 0008
2008-04-04 15:26:00 08GENEVA256 US Mission Geneva CONFIDENTIAL 07USMISSIONGENEVA2626 VZCZCXYZ0011\
PP RUEHWEB\
\
DE RUEHGV #0256/01 0951526\
ZNY CCCCC ZZH\
P 041526Z APR 08\
FM USMISSION GENEVA\
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 6298\
INFO RUEHZJ/HUMAN RIGHTS COUNCIL COLLECTIVE\
RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK 2706\
RUEHFR/UNESCO PARIS FR 0008\
C O N F I D E N T I A L GENEVA 000256 \
\
SIPDIS \
\
SIPDIS \
\
E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/01/2018 \
TAGS: PHUM PREL UNHRC
SUBJECT: OIC POWER PLAY DOMINATES HUMAN RIGHTS COUNCIL \
SEVENTH SESSION \
\
REF: 07 GENEVA 2626 \
\
Classified By: Ambassador Warren W. Tichenor. Reasons: 1.4 (b/d). \
\
¶1. (C) SUMMARY: The seventh session of the Human Rights \
Council, which ran March 3-28 with an April 1 extension, \
highlighted the power of the Organization of the Islamic \
Conference (OIC) in that still evolving body. The session's \
defining moment came in the closing minutes of its last \
scheduled day of work, when the OIC and its allies rammed \
through amendments that subverted the Freedom of Expression \
resolution. This culminated relentless OIC efforts \
throughout the session to press its interests, which \
generally undermine the promotion and protection of human \
rights. The results included, inter alia, the passage of a \
resolution on defamation of religions, and the Council's \
by-now customarily unbalanced approach to Israel. On the \
positive side, the Council preserved some important country \
mandates, and provided the forum for a discussion of China's \
behavior in Tibet. The balance sheet, however, continued to \
favor the OIC and its allies. As several like-minded \
ambassadors agreed in an April 2 meeting with Ambassador \
Tichenor, the seventh session raises deep concerns about the \
Council's future direction and strongly argues for more \
active and more effective coordination among like-minded \
states. END SUMMARY. \
\
AN OIC TRIUMPH \
-------------- \
\
¶2. (SBU) OIC efforts to amend -- and in effect subvert -- the \
Freedom of Expression resolution had been a dominant subtext \
throughout the Council's seventh regular session. With \
support from the U.S., the EU and others, Canada, as chief \
sponsor, had sought to fend off an OIC amendment that would \
instruct the Special Rapporteur on Freedom of Expression to \
report on "instances in which the abuse of the right of \
freedom of expression constitutes an act of racial or \
religious discrimination." The OIC, taking advantage of its \
internal discipline, had held firm throughout. China, \
apparently angered by criticism during the Council's March 25 \
meeting of its behavior in Tibet, floated its own killer \
amendments two days before the vote. Canada rejected these \
as having been raised too late in the game. \
\
¶3. (U) The decisive action on the freedom of expression \
resolution and its amendments came on the session's last day. \
We had joined Canada and others in efforts to sway moderate \
OIC members, but these had fallen short. Meanwhile, Canada \
had sought to find compromise language that would avoid the \
OIC amendment. When those efforts failed, and with the \
session having been extended beyond its scheduled 6pm closing \
time, the OIC called for a vote on its amendment, which \
passed (27-17-3). The U.S., Canada, the EU and others \
dropped their co-sponsorship. With the momentum clearly \
favoring the OIC and its allies, Cuba then pulled an \
unexpected move, proposing an oral amendment underscoring \
"the importance for all forms of media to report and to \
deliver information in a fair and impartial manner." That \
amendment passed (29-15-3). Canada and the EU failed in last \
minute procedural efforts to head off the fully amended \
resolution, which then passed (32-0-15). \
\
¶4. (C) The Ambassador's April 2 meeting with like-minded \
ambassadors to take stock of the session provided additional \
insights into the dynamics behind the last-minute \
maneuvering. Canada's ambassador expressed frustration at \
the African Group's solidarity with the OIC. Madagascar and \
Angola, for instance, had expressed discomfort with the \
amendment in conversations with the Canadians but had \
eventually been pressured into voting for it. The OIC had \
also exerted immense pressure on others during the end game, \
he reported; Bosnia and Herzegovina, for instance, had been \
pressed hard, although it had ended up voting against the \
amendment. Both the Canadian and Danish ambassadors \
expressed particular resentment toward China: though the \
Chinese had ostensibly kept their promise, made on the \
session's last day, not to put forth an oral amendment, they \
had clearly struck a deal for Cuba to do so. \
\
¶5. (U) In an April 1 extension of the seventh session to \
allow for closing statements, several OIC members defended \
the newly amended resolution. Pakistan argued that the OIC \
amendment had done nothing beyond providing an "add-on" that \
made the resolution more "comprehensive and holistic," in \
order to protect the stability of multicultural societies. \
Sri Lanka echoed that theme and expressed hope that the \
decisions on the freedom of expression mandate would not \
leave the Council as a "house divided." The U.S. was among \
several delegations that sharply criticized the amendments. \
\
\
¶6. (U) The OIC had scored an earlier victory with adoption of \
a resolution on defamation of religions (21-10-14). It also \
succeeded in rescheduling the Item 7 discussion of the \
Occupied Palestinian Territories to early in the Council \
session in order more quickly to condemn Israel's response to \
rocket attacks from Gaza. In addition to the resolution \
passed on that occasion, the Council also passed three other \
anti-Israel resolutions. One of these, on Israeli \
settlements, passed 46-1-0, with only Canada voting against \
it. \
\
MODEST SUCCESS ON COUNTRY MANDATES, OHCHR UNDER ATTACK \
--------------------------------------------- --------- \
\
¶7. (U) In recent months, the OIC and its allies had continued \
their criticism of country mandates, arguing that they had \
become unnecessary particularly given the imminent start of \
the Universal Periodic Review mechanism. The seventh session \
saw two important casualties: the mandate of the Democratic \
Republic of the Congo was eliminated, to be replaced with a \
far weaker arrangement for monitoring the situation on the \
ground in the DRC, and the Council passed a weak resolution \
on Sudan. Nonetheless, two important country mandates, on \
Burma and the DPRK, were adopted (the former by consensus and \
the latter by a vote of 27-7-18). \
\
¶8. (SBU) At the session, new appointments were made to fill a \
number of special procedures mandates. This followed a \
difficult and highly politicized process that drew complaints \
from many delegations about lack of transparency. In the \
end, two AmCits were selected, both of whose records suggest \
they will not address their mandate responsibilities \
even-handedly; none of the USG nominees for mandates was \
selected. In the April 1 session, Egypt, Russia, Algeria and \
others sought to undercut the principle under which mandate \
holders are extended, with little review, for a second \
three-year term if they perform well in their first term; the \
EU and others resisted this effort, seeing it as a ploy to \
impose pressure on mandate holders who prove overly \
independent. \
\
¶9. (SBU) Meanwhile, a resolution criticizing the Office of \
the High Commissioner for Human Rights for failing to ensure \
balance in its hiring of staff was adopted 34-10-3, playing \
into the hands of those seeking to whittle away at the \
independence of the OHCHR. By most accounts, we are likely \
to see more such resolutions criticizing the OHCHR in future \
sessions. High Commissioner Louise Arbour also came under \
attack at various points throughout the session, including in \
the aftermath of the report she presented to the Council, \
during which she also announced that she would step down from \
that post at the end of her term in June. \
\
TIBET ON THE AGENDA \
------------------- \
\
¶10. (C) On the positive side, the Council session proved an \
opportunity to shed light on China's reaction to protests in \
Tibet. Slovenia (on behalf of the EU), Switzerland and \
Australia joined the U.S. in raising concerns about the \
issue, as did a number of NGOs, generally in harsher terms. \
China's delegation, supported by a few others, repeatedly \
raised procedural objections on the grounds that the \
discussion was taking place under Item 8 (Vienna \
Declaration), which should not address country situations. \
In response to the objections, Council President Costea took \
a middle ground, urging speakers to address the Vienna \
Declaration and its implementation but allowing all but one \
NGO speaker to speak about Tibet. Switzerland is among \
several countries planning to write Costea to underscore its \
view that country situations may be addressed under Item 8. \
In the view of many, China's repeated objections only played \
into the hands of those criticizing it for seeking to squash \
dialogue on the subject. \
\
COORDINATION WITH THE EU: SOMEWHAT IMPROVED \
-------------------------------------------- \
\
¶11. (C) As noted reftel, the Council's last session, in \
December, had been plagued by a reluctance of the Portuguese \
EU presidency to coordinate with potential allies, including \
the U.S. Prior to the seventh session, Ambassador Tichenor, \
supported by other ambassadors, had highlighted to the \
incoming Slovenian presidency in the Council the importance \
of better coordination, and the Slovenians appeared genuinely \
committed to improving matters. In practice, the EU's record \
in the seventh session proved mixed. In a number of cases, \
including on coordination with the Latin American regional \
group (GRULAC) on a resolution on the rights of the child, \
\
the EU continued its weak coordination with other interested \
delegations, and on a number of resolutions, it often failed \
to keep the U.S. and other allied delegations properly \
informed. In other instances, however, it communicated and \
coordinated well, both through direct contact between \
Slovenian delegates and their counterparts and through EU \
burden-sharing of those responsibilities. In perhaps the \
best example of coordination, the EU brought the U.S. and \
Australian delegations into its last-minute negotiations with \
ASEAN on the Burma resolution, and later acknowledged that \
this had strengthened its position. \
\
COMMENT \
------- \
\
¶12. (C) Burma was among a number of issues where U.S. \
engagement proved important. Another was Mexico's resolution \
on counter-terrorism: while Mexico sought to be \
accommodating, it did so at least in part because the U.S. \
made clear its desire to be actively involved in hammering \
out acceptable language. Similarly, U.S. engagement both in \
the run-up to the session and during the session itself \
shaped the Maldives' resolution on climate change. In these \
cases and others, the primary sponsors' willingness to \
cooperate with the U.S. proved fundamental -- and \
encouraging. \
\
¶13. (C) Despite a few bright spots, however, the seventh \
session has been deeply troubling. The OIC appears to have \
further strengthened its internal discipline, and the \
statements of its leading delegations, notably Pakistan and \
Egypt, became more aggressive. We also have been \
particularly struck by the increasing aggressiveness of the \
Sri Lankan PermRep. The OIC and its allies also appear to \
have coordinated well in their lobbying on the floor of the \
Council. Meanwhile, the EU and its allies are not only \
outnumbered but have at times been reluctant to challenge the \
OIC directly. Several ambassadors expressed deep concern in \
our April 2 stock-taking session, stressing that U.S. \
membership in the Council could be pivotal and arguing that a \
new long-term strategic approach might be needed; Slovenia's \
ambassador said his delegation was drafting a concept paper, \
initially for EU consideration. From our perspective, it \
will be difficult to reverse the dynamic of an ascendant OIC \
in the Council, making cooperation among states that share \
our human rights goals all the more essential. \
TICHENOR \