US embassy cable - 03OTTAWA2121

C O N F I D E N T I A L OTTAWA 002121 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/22/2013 
TAGS: PREL, PHUM, CA, UNGA, AROC, UNAUS 
SUBJECT: CANADIAN RESPONSE TO UNGA INITIATIVES-PART II 
 
REF: A. SECSTATE 206381 
 
     B. OTTAWA 02109 
 
Classified By: POLITICAL MC BRIAN FLORA FOR REASONS 1.5 (B) AND (D) 
 
 1.  (C)  Summary:    The Canadian response to U.S. priority 
initiatives for the UNGA 58 (ref A) was largely supportive. 
The GOC, however, hoped the U.S. would show more flexibility 
on the issue of the International Criminal Court (ICC).  The 
GOC was also uncertain about its stance on a human rights 
resolution against Iran, as its opinion of that country,s 
human rights practices is currently being shaped by the 
unfolding events surrounding the death of the Canadian 
journalist, Zahra Kazemi (ref B).  End summary. 
 
2.  (C)  Post delivered points contained reftel to various 
Canadian officials at Canada,s Department of Foreign Affairs 
and Trade (DFAIT) on July 21.   On the issue of the Middle 
East peace process, poloff spoke with Peter Taylor, Deputy 
Director of DFAIT,s UN and Commonwealth Affairs Division. 
He said the GOC was very pleased with the U.S. led Roadmap 
and thought the results were, thus far, a cause for optimism. 
 According to Taylor, the GOC also agreed that the UNGA was 
the wrong venue to address the Middle East peace process.  He 
said the GOC would support a U.S. led effort to keep 
resolutions on the topic out of the General Assembly, 
however, he doubted the success of any such campaign, saying 
that negotiations between the EU and Arab states were sure to 
produce resolutions.  He felt confident that Canada would 
play no role in the drafting process, however, once these 
resolutions came up for vote, Canada would look at each of 
them individually and support those that it felt were 
evenhanded.  He said Canada would oppose any resolution that 
threatened the security or independence of Israel. 
 
3.  (C) Regarding the International Criminal Court  (ICC), 
poloff spoke with Darryl Robinson, Legal Advisor in DFAIT,s 
UN, Human Rights, and Economics Division.  He said Canada 
understands the U.S. has strong concerns about the ICC.  He 
further stated that Canada would be amenable to developing 
agreed upon approaches to reference the ICC if it helped 
minimize conflicts over UNGA resolutions.  According to 
Robinson, however, the GOC feels the U.S. has weakened or 
stricken several ICC references in recent years without any 
"quid pro quo" being granted.  He felt that if further 
compromises were to be achieved, the U.S. would have to 
exhibit more flexibility on the subject and allow some debate 
that it has previously tried to squash.  Robinson also felt, 
that in the past, the U.S. and its allies have achieved 
difficult compromises on ICC language only to have the U.S. 
reject the previously agreed upon language the following 
year.  He said the GOC hoped that all sides would, where 
possible, adhere to previously agreed upon language from 
year-to-year. 
 
4.  (C) On the topic of General Assembly resolutions 
condemning human rights abuses in Burma, Cambodia, Zimbabwe, 
and Iran, poloff spoke with Kelty Peterson, Human Rights 
Officer in DFAIT,s Human Rights, Humanitarian Affairs, and 
Women,s Equality Division.  She suggested that the GOC would 
likely support resolutions condemning human rights violations 
in Burma, Cambodia, and Zimbabwe.  On the subject of Iran, 
however, the GOC opinion is currently in a state of flux. 
Both Peterson and Taylor felt that the recent case of Zahra 
Kazemi, the Canadian journalist who died in an Iranian jail, 
is causing the GOC to reevaluate its opinions about Iran and 
the country,s human rights practices (ref B).  They 
suggested that how Iran handles this situation may influence 
Canada,s decision to support a resolution against it. 
Taylor asked if the U.S. would sponsor the resolution on Iran 
itself. 
 
5.  (C) Poloff spoke with Taylor about counterterrorism and 
he said Canada agreed with the U.S. that the General Assembly 
provided another excellent opportunity to focus the world,s 
attention on the importance of global counterterrorism 
efforts.  He further said that the GOC has "a high view" of 
the UN,s Committee for Counter Terrorism (CTC) and its 
program to build the capacity of member nations to combat 
terrorism.  He noted that Canada has signed and ratified all 
12 of the International Conventions and Protocols pertaining 
to global terrorism. 
CELLUCCI