US embassy cable - 04ROME1190

C O N F I D E N T I A L ROME 001190 
 
SIPDIS 
 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/24/2014 
TAGS: PHUM, PREL, CH, CU, IT, UNHRC-1 
SUBJECT: ITALY: CHR CHINA CUBA RESOLUTIONS - G-77 MAIN 
CHALLENGE 
 
REF: SECSTATE 62815 
 
CLASSIFIED BY: DCM EMIL SKODON FOR REASONS 1.5 (B) AND (D). 
 
1. (C) AMBASSADOR SPOKE WITH MFA SECRETARY GENERAL UMBERTO 
VATTANI REGARDING REFTEL POINTS AND POL MC DELIVERED POINTS, 
RESOLUTION TEXT AND NON-PAPER TO MFA DEPUTY POLITICAL 
DIRECTOR CLAUDIO BISOGNIERO AND MFA HUMAN RIGHTS DIRECTOR 
GIUSEPPE CALVETTA. VATTANI THANKED THE AMBASSADOR AND ASSURED 
HIM THAT ITALY WOULD STUDY THE CHINA AND CUBA RESOLUTIONS 
CAREFULLY AND PROVIDE APPROPRIATE SUPPORT. 
 
2. (C) BISOGNIERO AGREED THAT THERE HAD BEEN NO SUBSTANTIAL 
HUMAN RIGHTS IMPROVEMENTS IN CHINA DESPITE ONGOING DIALOGUE 
WITH THE EU AND THE US.  HE EXPLAINED THAT THE EU PRESIDENCY 
WAS CIRCULATING A TEXT TO REAFFIRM THE EU'S 2002 CHR POSITION 
ON CHINA, WHICH STATES THAT THE EU WOULD NEITHER INTRODUCE 
NOR CO-SPONSOR A RESOLUTION, WOULD VOTE AGAINST A "NO ACTION" 
MOTION AND WOULD BE IN FAVOR OF A RESOLUTION IF IT COMES TO A 
VOTE. ALTHOUGH THIS POSITION HAS NOT BEEN OFFICIALLY ADOPTED 
FOR THE 2004 CHR, BISOGNIERO BELIEVED THAT IT WOULD BE VERY 
SIMILAR. 
 
3. (C) BISOGNIERO AND CALVETTA AGREED WITH OUR CONCERNS 
REGARDING THE GENERAL HUMAN RIGHTS SITUATION IN CUBA AND 
EXPRESSED AN INTEREST IN SEEING THE RESOLUTION TEXT AS SOON 
AS POSSIBLE. BISOGNIERO PROMISED TO KEEP US UPDATED ON BOTH 
THESE ISSUES AS THEY EVOLVED. 
 
4. (C) BISOGNIERO DESCRIBED THE MAIN CHALLENGE IN STOPPING A 
"NO ACTION" MOTION BY CHINA AND MOVING FORWARD ON THESE 
RESOLUTIONS AS A "STRUCTURAL CHR PROBLEM" EMBODIED BY THE 
G-77 COUNTRIES WHICH, DUE TO THEIR IMPRESSION THAT THE CHR IS 
AN ORGAN THROUGH WHICH THE WEST FORCES ITS VIEWS ON THE 
NON-ALIGNED STATES, REFLEXIVELY SUPPORT COUNTRIES LIKE CHINA 
AND CUBA AS A WAY TO SNUB THE WEST. 
 
5. (C) FOLLOWING DEMARCHE TO BISOGNIERO, DCM SPOKE WITH MFA 
U/S FOR ASIA AND HUMAN RIGHTS MARGHERITA BONIVER, AND 
UNDERSCORED IMPORTANCE OF CUBA AND CHINA RESOLUTIONS TO USG. 
BONIVER ACKNOWLEDGED SIGNIFICANCE OF THESE ISSUES AND SAID 
HER OFFICE WOULD WORK WITH MFA POLITICAL DIRECTOR TO TAKE US 
VIEWS INTO ACCOUNT. 
SEMBLER 
 
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2004ROME01190 - Classification: CONFIDENTIAL