DJIBOUTI: UN HUMAN RIGHTS RESOLUTIONS NEED

C O N F I D E N T I A L DJIBOUTI 001575 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/09/2014 TAGS: PHUM PREL DJ SUBJECT: DJIBOUTI: UN HUMAN RIGHTS RESOLUTIONS NEED DIFFERENT APPROACH REF: SECSTATE 259878 Classified By: Acting Pol/Econ Tiffany Bartish for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d). ¶1. (C) Pol/Econ delivered demarche per reftel 9 December to Director of Bilateral Relations, Mohamed Ali Hassan. Hassan explained Djibouti's position on the two cases, particularly that of Iran, as a matter of differing approaches to the problem. For Djibouti, the approach utilized most often in the UN has become a "little old" and serves to accuse rather than engage that country in the problem. He commented that "accusatory resolutions" submitted time and again have had little or no effect on many situations around the world. He cited Israel and Kashmir as two examples. Instead, he proposed, these countries in question might be better approached by their close allies and neighbors. ¶2. (C) Continuing, Hassan said the issue of Human Rights has been one discussed between Iran and Djibouti several times. This approach facilitates demarches as they come from trusted friends. One key to this approach was awareness and working to educate leaders of these countries on the issues of Human Rights. Hassan added that countries that submit the resolutions need to be receptive to solving issues in alternative ways. Pol/Econ commented that the resolutions concerned were likely to ensure that unacceptable policies were not condoned by inaction. Hassan agreed that the end goal of the two approaches were the same and that it was necessary to make certain actions that violated human rights were condemned. RAGSDALE