US embassy cable - 05KINGSTON462

UNCLAS KINGSTON 000462 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPARTMENT FOR WHA/CAR (BENT) 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: JM, PHUM, CU, MX, CHR-1, human rights 
SUBJECT: DEMARCHE DELIVERED: CONCERN OVER MEXICO HUMAN 
RIGHTS INITIATIVE 
 
REF: SECSTATE 22969 
 
1.  (SBU) On February 16, Poloff called Sheila 
Sealy-Monteith, Director, International Organizations 
Department (IOD), Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Foreign 
Trade (MFAFT), to deliver reftel talking points. 
Sealy-Monteith accepted the information and then responded at 
lenghth.  First, she asked directly what the U.S. position on 
the United Nations Commission on Human Rights (UNCHR) was. 
She questioned whether the United States was really happy 
with the operation of the commission, which she is aware has 
been criticized more than once recently, including last year 
in the Third Committee.  She pointed out that the UNCHR is a 
body of limited representation, of which Jamaica has not been 
a member.  She added that the GOJ does, however, maintain a 
general interest in the commission, especially insofar as its 
decisions are discussed in the General Assembly, and in 
particular during the 2003 visit to Jamaica of the UNHCR's 
Special Rapporteur. 
 
2.  (SBU) With respect to Cuba, Sealy-Monteith questioned 
whether country-specific resolutions are balanced, adding 
that there seems to be a bias in the commission, since "we 
spend year after year looking at the same countries," while 
"other countries are not held culpable." 
 
TIGHE