US embassy cable - 05VIENNA3703

UNCLAS VIENNA 003703 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR EUR/AGS (VIKMANIS KELLER) 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
 
TAGS: PHUM, PREL, AU, UNHRC-1 
SUBJECT: UN THIRD COMMITTEE RESOLUTIONS - AUSTRIA SHARES 
 
U.S. VIEWS 
 
REF: STATE 204646 
 
1.  On 14 November, EconPolOff met with Bert Theuermann, 
 
Director for Human Rights in the Foreign Ministry, and Eva 
 
Schoefer from the same department.  According to Theuermann, 
 
Austria plans to vote with the U.S. in favor of the UN Third 
 
Committee resolutions on Iran, Turkmenistan, North Korea, 
 
Uzbekistan, and Burma.  It will also vote in favor of the 
 
US-sponsored thematic resolutions.  More specifically: 
 
-- IRAN.  Theuermann said the EU is co-sponsoring the 
 
resolution and Austria, as a result, will vote in favor of 
 
the measure. 
 
-- TURKMENISTAN.  Austria and the EU, Theuermann said, have 
 
very good cooperation with the U.S. and appreciate 
 
Washington's leadership on Turkmenistan.  Austria plans to 
 
vote for the resolution and to lobby against a 'no action' 
 
vote.  The EU, he said, co-tabled the resolution. 
 
-- UZBEKISTAN.  Austria plans to vote in favor of the 
 
resolution on Uzbekistan.  However, Theuermann expressed 
 
concern about the current state of negotiations between the 
 
U.S. and the EU.  The U.S. and EU, he said, differ on whether 
 
the text should concentrate mainly on the recent events in 
 
Andijan or address a wider array of human rights offenses in 
 
Uzbekistan, as the EU prefers.  "Now is the time to move 
 
forward" and "time is running out," Theuermann said.  He 
 
urged the U.S. to co-sponsor the resolution to ensure it 
 
receives maximum credibility and support. 
 
-- NORTH KOREA.  Theuermann said Austria plans to vote in 
 
favor of this resolution, which the EU introduced.  The EU, 
 
he said, fully shares the concerns of the U.S. 
 
-- BURMA.  The situation on the ground in Burma is 
 
deteriorating rather than improving, Theuermann said.  As a 
 
result, Theuermann expected the resolution on Burma to be 
 
adopted without moving to a full vote.  If it comes to a 
 
vote, he said, Austria will vote in favor of the resolution. 
 
-- U.S. THEMATIC RESOLUTIONS.  Austria, as in past years, is 
 
a co-sponsor of the resolution supporting the UN elections 
 
monitoring body.  Austria will vote in favor of this 
 
resolution, as well as the U.S.-sponsored resolution on the 
 
impact of corruption on human rights.  Theuermann noted that 
 
the fight against corruption will be an important theme of 
 
the upcoming Austrian EU Presidency. 
 
2.  SUDAN.  Theuermann raised the issue of the Third 
 
Committee Resolution on Sudan.  He said the EU hopes the U.S. 
 
will co-sponsor the resolution along with the EU.  U.S. 
 
support of the resolution will be critical, he said, in 
 
minimizing 'no action' threats against the measure. 
 
3.  OTHER AUSTRIAN RESOLUTIONS.  Austria is sponsoring two 
 
resolutions, which he hoped the U.S. would fully support and 
 
co-sponsor, Theuermann said.  The first is an update of a 
 
previous UN resolution that recognizes and calls for 
 
improving the rights of minorities.  This would help improve 
 
the security situation in a number of countries, Theuermann 
 
said.  The second resolution involves safeguarding human 
 
rights and improving the international juvenile justice 
 
system.  The U.S. and EU delegations in New York, according 
 
to Theuermann, are in close contact on this issue. 
 
VAN VOORST