US embassy cable - 05GENEVA2317

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 GENEVA 002317 
 
SIPDIS 
 
IO FOR MARK LAGON, USUN FOR MICHELLE ZACK 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PHUM, UNHRC-1, Human Rights 
SUBJECT: COMMISSION ON HUMAN RIGHTS INFORMAL MEETING 
 
 
Summary 
-------- 
 
1.  The Commission on Human Rights met September 27 in Geneva 
to review the work of the OHCHR Secretariat since the close 
of the 61st CHR session, and to preview resolutions that 
governments plan to introduce during the Third Committee in 
New York.  Most of the planned resolutions hew closely to 
those introduced in previous years.  Perhaps due to the 
admonition from CHR Chair Makarim Wibisono that the Geneva 
CHR meeting was not the venue in which to raise controversial 
subjects, no delegation spoke in any detail about the new 
Human Rights Council.  Belarus took the floor to attack the 
"human rights situation in the United States," and plans to 
introduce a resolution this year criticizing both the U.S. 
and the EU.  End Summary. 
 
Statement of High Commissioner for Human Rights 
--------------------------------------------- -- 
 
2.  The opening statement by High Commissioner for Human 
Rights Louise Arbour focused on the recent gathering of heads 
of state in New York and the Plan of Action of the Office of 
the High Commissioner for Human Rights.  Mrs. Arbour hailed 
the "notable advances" made in New York on human rights 
questions and the continued relevance of human rights issues 
as one of the pillars of the UN system.  She noted the 
challenge of translating the consensus about creating a Human 
Rights Council into practice and pledged the assistance of 
OHCHR to work together with governments to accomplish the 
task.  Mrs. Arbour further thanked CHR member countries for 
their support for OHCHR's Plan of Action, and particularly 
for the agreement to double the OHCHR's budget over the next 
five years. She said that she would like to see OHCHR's 
expertise in thematic human rights issues consolidated and 
reinforced, and planned to strengthen her office's women's 
rights expertise.  OHCHR has set up thirteen in-house task 
forces, with each tasked to make detailed recommendations for 
implementing a specific aspect of the Plan of Action.  The 
Plan of Action and its implementation will be the focus of 
Mrs. Arbour's report to the General Assembly. 
 
Preview of Planned Third Committee Resolutions 
--------------------------------------------- - 
 
3.  After updates from Secretariat staff on human rights 
agenda items of the Third Committee, several governments and 
NGOs made general statements before previewing the 
resolutions they plan to introduce in New York.  Notable 
among them was the insistence of Amnesty International that 
NGOs be allowed to participate in the General Assembly 
negotiations on the new Human Rights Council.  The 
Association for the Prevention of Torture commented that the 
fight against terrorism doesn't excuse torture by "a number 
of governments," including violations of human rights law and 
international humanitarian law, the "outsourcing of torture" 
and using "dubious diplomatic explanations" to defend this 
practice.  The Danish delegation will table the relevant 
resolution during Third Committee. 
 
4.  Mexico will introduce a resolution on migrants with only 
minor revisions to last year's text, and will also table a 
draft resolution on disabled persons.  Mexico will also 
sponsor a resolution on combatting terrorism which will argue 
that "the fight against terrorism doesn't justify the 
permanent suppression of human rights." 
 
5.  The UK, speaking in its capacity as EU president, stated 
that under item 69, the EU would table its traditional 
omnibus resolution on the Rights of the Child, with a 
particular focus this year on the rights of children living 
with HIV and AIDS.  Under item 71, the UK Deputy PermRep 
stressed the EU's commitment to combat racism and racial 
discrimination, as well as to the Durban Declaration and 
Program of Work.  The statement stressed the importance the 
EU attaches to consensus in the international follow-up to 
Durban, and regret that "the consensus conclusions of the 
Inter-Governmental Working Group on Durban Follow-Up were not 
respected in the Committee on Human Rights."  This statement 
later brought a heated rebuke from the Ethiopian Ambassador 
in his capacity as chair of the Africa Group.  The EU will 
also table a resolution on the elimination of all forms of 
religious intolerance, which will be run by the Netherlands 
on behalf of the EU. 
 
6.  Russia will introduce a resolution on racial bias, 
xenophobia and related problems, with similar text to last 
year's resolution.  The Russian delegate expressed the hope 
that the draft can be adopted without a vote.  Finland will 
introduce its traditional UNHCR resolution, modelled on last 
year's.  Chile plans to introduce a draft resolution on the 
right to reparations by victims of human rights violations. 
Belarus noted that at the 59th CHR it had put forward a 
resolution on the situation of human rights in the U.S. 
Belarus had not pushed the resolution during the 60th CHR, 
but "the signal by Belarus was not welcomed by the U.S. and 
the human rights situation in the U.S. has not improved." 
Belarus commented further on violations of the rights of 
national minorities and migrants in certain countries of the 
EU, and said it would table a resolution critical of the U.S. 
and EU.  Sweden will introduce the Nordic resolution on the 
international human rights covenants.  Denmark will introduce 
the resolution on Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman and 
Degrading Treatment or Punishment referenced earlier by the 
Association for the Prevention of Torture.  Norway plans 
three resolutions:  one on CEDAW under item 66, another under 
item 73b on protection for IDPs, and a third on human rights 
defenders.  Finally, Austria plans resolutions on human 
rights and the administration of justice, as well as on 
ethnic and linguistic minorities. 
 
7.  The next formal meeting of the Commission on Human Rights 
is scheduled for January 16, 2006. 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Moley