UNGA 59/HUMAN RIGHTS/NL: PUSH NEEDED ON PROPOSED

C O N F I D E N T I A L THE HAGUE 002316 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/14/2014 TAGS: PHUM AORC PREL NL SUBJECT: UNGA 59/HUMAN RIGHTS/NL: PUSH NEEDED ON PROPOSED THIRD COMMITTEE PACKAGE REF: O'HARA/TRAUB/DRL/IO/USUN EMAIL OF 9/10 Classified By: Political Counselor Andrew Schofer for reasons 1.4 (b) a nd (d). ¶1. (C) Poloff spoke September 14 with Wouter Plomp, in the HR department of the Dutch MFA, regarding the proposed package of agreed Third Committee language (ref e-mail) provided to the Dutch several weeks ago. Plomp said that the Dutch are "still working on it internally," but could not indicate when an EU analysis of the package would be complete, or whether the US and EU could finalize negotiations on the package in time to make it useful in New York. ¶2. (C) Plomp was surprisingly prickly at first when Poloff suggested that the US and EU meet well before October 25 to agree on the package, which is intended to facilitate more efficient negotiations on Third Committee resolutions at the UNGA. He reacted more positively, however, when reminded that negotiators at the working level would start analysis and lay out negotiation strategies based on what is actually printed in the published drafts of resolutions placed before them. For example, according to the draft agenda, resolutions on Item 113 (Children) are due to be tabled no later than October 21. Poloff noted that any deals on Item 113 resolutions, therefore, must be concluded before October 21; once the resolutions are tabled, reaching US-EU agreements would be complicated by consultations with the G-77, which has its own slow internal consultation process. Plomp seemed to take on board US concerns about timing, and agreed to "take the idea further internally." COMMENT -------------- ¶3. (C) The Dutch understand our interest in reaching quick agreement on the package, but as EU president have a very full agenda. Keeping the Dutch focused on organizing timely discussions of the HR language package will most likely require a coordinated, multi-level effort here and in New York stressing that this is a USG priority. SOBEL