US embassy cable - 05MANAMA1161

C O N F I D E N T I A L MANAMA 001161 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR NEA/ARPI, IO 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/09/2015 
TAGS: PHUM, PREL, BA, UNCHR-1, UNGA 
SUBJECT: BAHRAIN:  GAINING SUPPORT FOR USG PROPOSAL ON UN 
HUMAN RIGHTS COUNCIL 
 
REF: STATE 140192 
 
Classified by Charge d'Affaires Susan L. Ziadeh for reasons 
1.4 (b) and (d) 
 
1.  (C) Pol/Econ chief August 9 delivered reftel demarche 
concerning gaining support for the U.S. proposal on creating 
a new UN Human Rights Council to MFA Director for 
International Organization Affairs Ghassan Shaikho.  Shaikho, 
who often expresses his "personal" support for U.S. 
initiatives in the UN and pledges to work within the Bahraini 
system to gain official support, was reserved in his comments 
on the U.S. proposal.  He agreed that the Human Rights 
Council idea is the type of reform measure UN members states 
should be working on now rather than focusing so heavily on 
UNSC reform.  He welcomed the points on limiting "name and 
shame" resolutions, requiring a two-thirds majority vote in 
the UNGA for election to the Council, and applying the broad 
view of human rights as defined in the Universal Declaration 
of Human Rights.  He said the aim of the Council should be to 
"create an international environment conducive to 
ameliorating human rights situations." 
 
2.  (C) When asked directly for Bahrain's support for the 
U.S. proposal, Shaikho noted there were three proposed models 
for the composition of the Council (large, medium, and small 
number of members) and Bahrain had not yet taken a position 
on which model to endorse.  He praised Swiss-led 
consultations on the proposed Council and said these 
consultations should continue. 
 
ZIADEH