NIGERIAN RESPONSE TO WCAR DEMARCHE (ROUND TWO)

C O N F I D E N T I A L ABUJA 001156

SIPDIS


E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/18/2011
TAGS: PHUM SOCI NI UNHRC
SUBJECT: NIGERIAN RESPONSE TO WCAR DEMARCHE (ROUND TWO)


REF: (A) STATE 086714 (B) ABUJA 0967


Classified by CDA Andrews, reason 1.5 (B/D).



1. (SBU) In the absence of the Charge from Abuja, Acting
Polcouns delivered the World Conference Against Racism (WCAR)
demarche on the proposed language on the Middle East for the
WCAR Declaration. A/Polcouns spoke with Olusegun Akinsanya,
Director of the UN 2nd Unit (which among other matters,
handles human rights issues),and, separately, with Christy
Mbonu, Minister-Counselor in the UN 2nd Unit, who generally
takes the lead on human rights issues. While Mrs. Mbonu was
non-committal on the demarche, requesting time to review the
talking points and speak with her colleagues, Mr. Akinsanya
was both more forthcoming and more sympathetic.



2. (U) Akinsanya broadly agreed on the need to avoid
distracting and polarizing issues. "We want to focus on the
main themes of the conference," he said. While stressing his
own wish to review the "harmonized" language of the draft
Declaration (which he believed might have already dispensed
with the proposed Middle East language),he said that
"extraneous" items should be avoided. "There are more
important problems and more fundamental issues to address,"
he emphasized.



3. (U) Unfortunately from the USG perspective, these
"fundamental" discussions, according to Akinsanya, should
include reparations and restitution for colonial-era slavery.
In this he echoed the sentiments of Mrs. Mbonu in our
earlier demarche (REF B).



4. (C) Akinsanya finished by stating he would "study" our
talking points, and looked forward to exploring the issues
with the USG delegation at the May 21 PrepComm in Geneva. He
will not be accompanied by Mrs. Mbonu, probably a plus for
us, given her sometimes doctrinaire attitude on human rights
issues of concern to NAM and G-77 nations.



5. (C) Comment. While the Nigerians may well support us on
the Middle East language issue, when it comes to the question
of reparations/restitution for colonial-era slavery, for
domestic political reasons as well as notions of solidarity
with other African and third world countries, the GON may
prove rather intransigent. End comment.
Andrews