C O N F I D E N T I A L ROME 000243

SIPDIS

DEPARTMENT FOR DRL, IO, NEA

E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/21/2008
TAGS: PHUM PREL IT UN HUMAN RIGHTS
SUBJECT: ITALY ON REFORMING UNHRC, UPCOMING HUMAN RIGHTS
EVENT UNDER EU PRESIDENCY

REF: ROME 111 AND PREVIOUS

CLASSIFIED BY: DCM EMIL SKODON, REASONS 1.5 (B) AND (D).


1. (C) SUMMARY. IN A JANUARY 13 COURTESY CALL, MFA UNDER
SECRETARY FOR ASIA AND HUMAN RIGHTS MARGHERITA BONIVER TOLD

SIPDIS
CHARGE THAT ITALY SHARED THE U.S. CONCERN FOR REFORM OF THE
CONFIDENTIAL

PAGE 02 ROME 00243 211355Z
UN HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION (OTHER ISSUES SEPTEL). THE GOI
WILL HOST A "MAJOR HUMAN RIGHTS EVENT" LATER THIS YEAR IN ITS
CAPACITY AS EU PRESIDENT AND WOULD WELCOME SUGGESTIONS FOR
POSSIBLE U.S. INVITEES. BONIVER HOPES TO MAKE A TRIP TO
WASHINGTON IN THE NEAR FUTURE, WHEN SHE WOULD LIKE TO MEET
DEPARTMENT COUNTERPARTS. END SUMMARY.

--------------
UN HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION/LIBYA
--------------

2. (C) CHARGE RAISED THE ISSUE OF LIBYA'S CHAIRMANSHIP OF
THE UNHRC. BONIVER NOTED SHE WOULD ATTEND THE OPENING
SESSION AND THAT ITALY WOULD SEEK TO REGAIN ITS MEMBERSHIP ON
THE COMMISSION. THE UNHRC NEEDS "PROFOUND REFORM," SHE
ASSERTED. REVIEWING UPCOMING RESOLUTIONS, SHE FOUND SEVERAL
ON AFRICAN COUNTRIES, FIVE AGAINST ISRAEL/PRO-PALESTINIAN,
AND NOTHING ON CUBA. "THAT'S GROTESQUE," SHE EXCLAIMED.
"WHAT IS THE POINT OF THIS KIND OF COMMISSION? WHERE IS THE
BALANCE?" CHARGE NOTED THAT REFORM WOULD BE IMPOSSIBLE UNDER
A LIBYAN CHAIRMANSHIP. IT WAS EQUALLY GROTESQUE, HE
REJOINED, TO HAVE A COUNTRY UNDER EVEN SUSPENDED UN SANCTIONS
CHAIRING THE COMMISSION. BONIVER'S CHIEF OF STAFF,
ALESSANDOR DI FRANCO (ALSO IN THE MEETING), CONFIRMED WITH
CHARGE THAT THE U.S. WOULD ASK FOR A VOTE ON LIBYA AS CHAIR
AND PREDICTED A SPLIT EU VOTE. BOTH BONIVER AND CHARGE
AGREED ON THE DESIRABILITY OF REFORMING THE UNHRC, BUT THAT
THIS WAS UNLIKELY TO HAPPEN SOON.

--------------
GOI TO HOST HUMAN RIGHTS EVENT
--------------
CONFIDENTIAL

PAGE 03 ROME 00243 211355Z

3. (U) BONIVER SAID ITALY, AS EU PRESIDENT, WOULD HOST A
MAJOR HUMAN RIGHTS EVENT IN MILAN IN SEPTEMBER OR OCTOBER.
THE THEME WOULD BE SEEKING TO BRIDGE THE CULTURAL DIVIDE
BETWEEN ISLAM AND WESTERN DEMOCRACIES BY FOCUSING ON THE
UNIVERSAL VALUE OF HUMAN RIGHTS. PARTICIPANTS WOULD BE
MOSTLY NGOS, FORMER NOBEL PEACE PRIZE RECIPIENTS, "PEOPLE WHO
CAN TALK ACROSS THE CULTURAL DIVIDE." BONIVER ENCOURAGED
SUGGESTIONS FOR POSSIBLE U.S. INVITEES.


4. (U) BONIVER HOPES TO MAKE A TRIP TO WASHINGTON IN THE
NEAR FUTURE (NO DATES PLANNED AT THIS TIME). SHE WOULD BE
INTERESTED IN MEETING U/S DOBRIANSKY, U/S GROSSMAN, A/S
KELLY, AND A/S CRANER. WE WILL ADVISE WHEN BONIVER INDICATES
THE TRIP IS IN THE PLANNING STAGES.
SEMBLER

CONFIDENTIAL

>
2003ROME00243 - Classification: CONFIDENTIAL