US embassy cable - 04MADRID3080

C O N F I D E N T I A L MADRID 003080 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/12/2014 
TAGS: OPDC, PHUM, PREL, SP, European Union 
SUBJECT: SPAIN ENCOURAGED BY US SUPPORT FOR WEOG ROTATION 
FOR CHR 
 
REF: STATE 172297 
 
Classified By: Kathleen Fitzpatrick, Political Counselor, for reasons 1 
.4 (b) and (d). 
 
1.  (C)  Poloff delivered reftel talking points and Secretary 
of State Colin Powell's letter regarding US support for 
Western European and Others Group (WEOG) rotation for the UN 
Commission on Human Rights (CHR) membership to Gonzalo 
Alvarez Garrido, Acting MFA Deputy Director General for UN 
Affairs, on August 11.  Alvarez Garrido promised to pass on 
the letter immediately to the office of Spanish Foreign 
Minister Miguel Angel Moratinos.  He thought the US stance 
was a positive development, particularly the talking point 
that stated that the US has decided to cede a second year in 
proposed rotational schemes.  He stated that Spain favors 
rotational schemes such as the scheme designed for the 
Economic and Social Council, because they allow commissions 
to spend more time working on serious issues.  He added that 
he thought Germany and France were in favor of efforts by 
Canada and the Netherlands to find acceptable WEOG rotational 
schemes for the CHR, while Switzerland and possibly the 
United Kingdom were against the efforts. 
 
2.  (C)  Additionally, Alvarez Garrido said that USG could 
expect a note verbale soon from the GOS concerning Spain's 
candidate for the International Court of Justice elections in 
2005. 
MANZANARES