ITALY ON REFORMING UNHRC, UPCOMING HUMAN RIGHTS

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