US embassy cable - 05PRAGUE116

UNCLAS PRAGUE 000116 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: AORC, CU, EZ, UN, CHR 
SUBJECT: CZECHS READY TO PROMOTE CUBA RESOLUTION AT UN 
COMMISSION ON HUMAN RIGHTS; SEEK USG VIEWS 
 
REF: STATE 9812 
 
1. (U)  Action request in para 5. 
 
2. (SBU) Summary:  While not a member of the CHR, the Czechs 
are prepared to lobby in support of a CHR resolution on Cuba 
and would like to coordinate efforts with Washington. 
Specifically, the GOCR wants to know if the USG will sponsor 
this year's resolution.  The Czechs believe it will be an 
uphill battle to win approval for a Cuba resolution this 
spring and are anxious to begin forming and launching a 
strategy soon.  End summary. 
 
3. (SBU) Vera Jerabkova, Director of the Czech MFA's Human 
Rights Department, requested a meeting with Polec Counselor 
on Jan 25 to discuss a possible resolution on Cuba at the 
spring CHR meeting.  Jerabkova related the results of the Jan 
19 COHOM meeting in Brussels, and expressed appreciation for 
reftel points on USG views.  Jerabkova said that Cuba was the 
very last item on the COHOM agenda, and that only Sweden 
joined the Czechs in speaking in favor of a resolution. 
Jerabkova said she left Brussels convinced that the EU will 
not sponsor this year's Cuba resolution.  Further, she 
expects it will be a tough sell to win support within the EU 
for any CHR resolution on Cuba. 
 
4. (SBU) More broadly, Jerabkova believes that the current 
composition of the CHR means that any Cuba resolution will 
face an uphill battle.  While the Czech Republic is not a CHR 
member, they want to play an active role in building support 
for a Cuba resolution.  Given the tough battle ahead, and in 
light of experience in recent years, Jerabkova is worried 
that there is not yet agreement on who will sponsor a Cuba 
resolution and how to win passage.  She said the Czech 
embassy in Washington had indicated that the USG may sponsor 
the Cuba resolution this year, and sought our confirmation. 
(Comment:  Jerabkova implied that she was seeking embassy 
involvement to get a clear USG viewpoint on the Cuba 
resolution, which suggests there may be differences of 
opinion between the MFA and the Czech embassy in Washington.) 
 
5. (SBU) Action request:  Embassy requests Department provide 
us with points we can use to discuss with Czech MFA USG 
thinking on a possible Cuba resolution at this year's CHR, 
including whether or not the U.S. is intending to sponsor a 
resolution. 
 
6. (SBU) Jerabkova also related the status of EU coordination 
on other planned resolutions:  consensus exists on the Burma 
and Belarus resolutions (on the latter, the EU wants to 
cosponsor with the U.S.); there was no consensus on Chechnya 
(will depend on results of early March EU-Russia summit), 
Zimbabwe (Jerabkova was surprised that the UK rep cited 
improving conditions there), China (the EU is waiting for a 
U.S. proposal), and Iran. 
CABANISS