Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
02ROME1557
2002-03-27 15:13:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Rome
Cable title:  

ITALIAN VIEWS ON CHINA RESOLUTION AT UNCHR

Tags:  PHUM IT UNHRC HUMAN RIGHTS 
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C O N F I D E N T I A L ROME 001557 

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/27/2012
TAGS: PHUM IT UNHRC HUMAN RIGHTS
SUBJECT: ITALIAN VIEWS ON CHINA RESOLUTION AT UNCHR

REF: STATE 53847

CLASSIFIED BY: POLMINCOUNSELOR TOM COUNTRYMAN. REASON 1.5 (B) (D).

C O N F I D E N T I A L ROME 001557

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/27/2012
TAGS: PHUM IT UNHRC HUMAN RIGHTS
SUBJECT: ITALIAN VIEWS ON CHINA RESOLUTION AT UNCHR

REF: STATE 53847

CLASSIFIED BY: POLMINCOUNSELOR TOM COUNTRYMAN. REASON 1.5 (B) (D).


1. (SBU) POLOFF DELIVERED REFTEL TALKING POINTS MARCH 21 TO
MFA OFFICE OF HUMAN RIGHTS COUNSELOR ALBERTO CECCARELLI.
DRAWING ON POINTS REFTEL, THE AMBASSADOR WROTE MFA SECRETARY
GENERAL GIUSEPPE BALDOCCI MARCH 22, FOLLOWING-UP WITH A
CONFIDENTIAL

PAGE 02 ROME 01557 271601Z
PERSONAL CALL ON BALDOCCI MARCH 26. WE TOOK ADVANTAGE OF
EACH OF THESE OCCASIONS TO SAY "THANK YOU" TO ITALY FOR THE
GOI'S DECISION TO POSTPONE ITS CANDIDACY FOR A SEAT ON THE UN
COMMISSION ON HUMAN RIGHTS (UNCHR). AMBASSADOR BALDOCCI
RESPONDED BY TELLING THE AMBASSADOR HE PERSONALLY CONSIDERED
IT IMPORTANT FOR THE U.S. TO BE A MEMBER OF THE UNCHR.


2. (C) BALDOCCI SAID THERE ARE "NO EASY ANSWERS" REGARDING
THE EU'S APPROACH TO A CHINA RESOLUTION. IN THE PAST, HE
SAID, THE EU HAS NEITHER PRESENTED NOR CO-SPONSORED A
RESOLUTION. WHAT IF, HE ASKED, THERE WERE NO CHINA
RESOLUTION THIS YEAR? WOULD THAT NECESSARILY BE A BAD THING?
WOULD THE ABSENCE OF A RESOLUTION HELP FURTHER OUR HUMAN
RIGHTS DIALOGUE WITH THE CHINESE? WE COULD HAVE SERIOUS
DISCUSSIONS WITH THEM, HE SAID, THEN ASSESS MATTERS AT YEAR'S
END. BALDOCCI SAID THESE QUESTIONS WERE HIS OWN THINKING,
NOT THOSE OF THE GOI -- WHICH HAS YET TO TAKE A POSITION.


3. (C) WE WELCOMED BALDOCCI'S INTEREST IN RETHINKING
"TRADITIONAL" EU POSITIONS AND OFFERED SOME QUESTIONS OF OUR
OWN. WERE THERE NO CHINA RESOLUTION PRESENTED AT THE 58TH
UNCHR, OF WHICH THE U.S. IS NOT A MEMBER, WOULD THE CHINESE
CONCLUDE THE ONE EVENT (NO RESOLUTION) WAS THE CONSEQUENCE OF
THE OTHER (U.S. OFF THE COMMISSION)? WHAT WOULD BE THE
IMPACT INSIDE CHINA? HOW WOULD CHINESE HUMAN RIGHTS GROUPS
INTERPRET THE ABSENCE OF A RESOLUTION? MIGHT THEY SEE THIS
AS THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY "ABANDONING" THEM?


4. (C) COMMENT: THIS IS THE FIRST OCCASION ON WHICH THE
CENTER-RIGHT BERLUSCONI GOVERNMENT HAS AN OPPORTUNITY (OR IS
BEING REQUIRED) TO ADDRESS THIS ISSUE. MISSION WILL SEEK
CONFIDENTIAL

PAGE 03 ROME 01557 271601Z
OPPORTUNITIES TO HELP TOP GOI OFFICIALS RETHINK "TRADITIONAL"
ITALIAN GOVERNMENT VIEWS.
SEMBLER

CONFIDENTIAL

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2002ROME01557 - Classification: CONFIDENTIAL