US embassy cable - 05GENEVA2372

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 GENEVA 002372 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/23/2015 
TAGS: PHUM, PREF, CO, UNHRC-1, Human Rights 
SUBJECT: MEETING WITH COLOMBIAN VICE PRESIDENT FRANCISCO 
SANTOS 
 
Classified By: Political Counselor Velia De Pirro.  For reasons 1.4 (b) 
(d) 
 
 Summary 
----------- 
 
1.  (C)  Colombia VP Santos shared September 23 with 
Ambassador Moley his concerns about the growing UN presence 
in Colombia and his hopes for drastic changes in the mandate 
of the OHCHR field office there.  Santos stressed the need 
for cooperation but not interference from the UN agencies. 
He noted his intention to propose to High Commissioner for 
Human Rights Louise Arbour that OHCHR,s field office in 
Colombia focus on capacity building with the goal of 
departing the country as soon as the government and local 
institutions can carry out the work on their own.  Santos 
expressed support for general criteria for membership in the 
new Human Rights Council, but said Colombia could not support 
criteria that would exclude it from the Council or would 
permit NGO membership.  End summary. 
 
Santos to Propose Drastic Changes in OHCHR Colombia Mandate 
Proposed 
--------------------------------------------- ------ 
 
2.  (C)  Vice President Santos, accompanied by Colombian UN 
Permanent Representative in Geneva Clemencia Forero, called 
on Ambassador Moley September 23.  Santos was in Switzerland 
to meet with High Commissioner for Human Rights Louise 
Arbour, Swiss Foreign Minister Micheline Calmy-Rey, and EU 
Troika ambassadors.  Santos, admitting this was just being 
worked out, said he planned to propose to Arbour dramatic 
changes in OHCHR,s mandate for Colombia when it is 
re-negotiated before its October 2006 expiration.  Santos 
complained that UN agencies in Colombia focused more on 
perpetuating their presence there than in Colombian 
institution building.  Ambassador Forero charged that UN 
agencies in Colombia are fighting among themselves to secure 
funding for increased operations. 
 
3.  (C)    Santos said the new mandate for OHCHR,s field 
office in Colombia needs to center on cooperation, especially 
capacity building, with Colombia rather than 
&intervention.8  Santos stressed that UN agencies should 
leave once their objectives are met or as soon as the host 
government/institutions are capable of carrying them out.  He 
argued that OHCHR and other UN agencies highlight the 
negative in Colombia while disregarding progress, as a means 
of justifying their continued presence in the country. 
Santos said that he planned to brief Ambassador Wood and 
other missions in Bogota next week.  He stressed that U.S. 
backing for the proposal was essential and asked for our 
support in discussions with Arbour.  The Ambassador noted 
U.S. support for Colombian efforts in general.  He noted that 
he had mentioned to High Commissioner Arbour the need to 
avoid penalizing nations that cooperate with OHCHR and to 
support their efforts to make improvements. The Ambassador 
encouraged Santos to speak frankly with High Commissioner 
Arbour about his concerns and plans. 
 
Human Rights Council Concerns 
----------------------------- 
 
4.  (C)  Turning to the upcoming discussions in New York on 
the creation of a Human Rights Council (HRC), Santos 
expressed concern over proposals he said had support from 
many EU and GRULAC members, including Mexico, to exclude 
countries with &any8 human rights problems from membership. 
 He feared that such a blanket exclusion would prevent 
nations such as Colombia, solid democracies facing problems, 
from membership.  Santos noted that this proposal also 
included having OHCHR as a member of the Council as well as 
NGO,s.  He warned that if agreement is reached on these 
terms, Colombia would not support the Council.  Santos 
endorsed the idea of basic, general criteria being 
established for inclusion in the Council ) established 
democratic government, elections, protection of minorities or 
similar standards.   The Ambassador noted that U.S. interests 
centered on a smaller, effective Council that excluded human 
rights violators such as Burma and Cuba. 
 
Distrust of Swiss Foreign Minister Calmy-Rey 
-------------------------------------------- 
 
5.  (C)   Noting he was traveling later in the day to Bern 
with Foreign Minister Calmy-Rey, Santos said he did not 
expect much to come from the meeting.  Ambassador Forero 
noted Colombian concern with ties some of Calmy-Rey's 
advisors had with the FARC.  She and Santos speculated that 
Calmy-Rey,s interest in Colombia,s peace process was 
probably due to her interest in finding a role for herself in 
this high profile issue. 
 
Moley