US embassy cable - 04DJIBOUTI1575

C O N F I D E N T I A L DJIBOUTI 001575 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/09/2014 
TAGS: PHUM, PREL, DJ 
SUBJECT: DJIBOUTI: UN HUMAN RIGHTS RESOLUTIONS NEED 
DIFFERENT APPROACH 
 
REF: SECSTATE 259878 
 
Classified By: Acting Pol/Econ Tiffany Bartish for reasons 1.4 (b) and 
(d). 
 
1. (C) Pol/Econ delivered demarche per reftel 9 December to 
Director of Bilateral Relations, Mohamed Ali Hassan. Hassan 
explained Djibouti's position on the two cases, particularly 
that of Iran, as a matter of differing approaches to the 
problem. For Djibouti, the approach utilized most often in 
the UN has become a "little old" and serves to accuse rather than 
engage that country in the problem. He commented that "accusatory 
resolutions" submitted time and again have had little or no 
effect on many situations around the world. He cited Israel 
and Kashmir as two examples. Instead, he proposed, these 
countries in question might be better approached by their 
close allies and neighbors. 
 
2. (C) Continuing, Hassan said the issue of Human Rights 
has been one discussed between Iran and Djibouti several times. 
This approach facilitates demarches as they come from trusted 
friends. One key to this approach was awareness and working to 
educate leaders of these countries on the issues of Human Rights. 
Hassan added that countries that submit the resolutions need to 
be receptive to solving issues in alternative ways. Pol/Econ 
commented that the resolutions concerned were likely to ensure 
that unacceptable policies were not condoned by inaction. 
Hassan agreed that the end goal of the two approaches were the 
same and that it was necessary to make certain actions that 
violated human rights were condemned. 
RAGSDALE