DEMARCHE ON HUMAN RIGHTS RESOLUTIONS

C O N F I D E N T I A L BUENOS AIRES 003171

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/08/2014
TAGS: PHUM PREL AR UNGA DEMARCHE
SUBJECT: DEMARCHE ON HUMAN RIGHTS RESOLUTIONS

REF: A. SECSTATE 237932


B. SECSTATE 236869

Classified by Ambassador Lino Gutierrez for reasons 1.4(b)
and (d).


1. (U) On November 9, PolOff met with the Foreign Ministry's
Jorge Luis Gomez, Directorate of International Organisms, and
Federico Villegas, Office of Human Rights, to seek
Argentina's support for the resolutions on Belarus,
Turkmenistan, Sudan, Zimbabwe and Iran. Villegas noted that
these were not new issues and said he anticipated Argentina
voting largely as it has this year in Geneva, and last year
in New York. Villegas explained that, due to the country's
recent history with human rights violations, Argentina, in
principle, is opposed to "no action" motions and has tended
to vote against them.


2. (U) Belarus: No change. Villegas noted that the Belarus
Foreign Minister had recently been in Buenos Aires and had
pressed the GOA to vote against the Belarus resolution.
Villegas stated that Argentina had voted against the no
action motion in Geneva and had abstained on the substance of
the resolution itself. He said Argentina's position would
likely remain the same, despite the lobbying from Belarus.
Villegas and Gomez did not have any details on Belarus'
resolution on the U.S. electoral system.


3. (U) Turkmenistan: No change. Villegas explained that
Argentina had voted in favor of the resolution on
Turkmenistan in Geneva and that the GOA position would likely
remain the same.


4. (U) Sudan: No change.


5. (U) Zimbabwe: No Change. Villegas said that Argentina
voted against the no action motion.


6. (C) Iran: No Change. Villegas explained the GOA's
rationale for its abstention on the Iran resolution in the
3rd Committee last year and likely action this year. He
noted that, while serious human rights issues remain, at
least some elements of the Iranian government, i.e. the
executive, had been making efforts to improve the situation,
but that much of this effort had been blocked by the
legislature. Villegas noted that these efforts, such as
allowing four Special Rapporteurs to visit Iran and extending
an open invitation to other UN commissions, were a large
commitment and had to be recognized.



GUTIERREZ