UNGA 59 HUMAN RIGHTS: DEMARCHE ON HUMAN RIGHTS

UNCLAS THE HAGUE 002868

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PHUM PREL NL EUN UNGA
SUBJECT: UNGA 59 HUMAN RIGHTS: DEMARCHE ON HUMAN RIGHTS
RESOLUTIONS

REF: SECSTATE 236869


1. Please see guidance request in paragraph 3.


2. Poloff shared reftel points with Guillaume Teerling
(Senior Advisor, Human Rights office, MFA) on November 5. As
the EU and the USG are cooperating closely in the Third
Committee, Teerling required no convincing. Teerling said
that the Netherlands, as EU President, would shortly send
similar demarche instructions to EU member states' embassies
worldwide. He asked that the USG pay special attention to
lobbying for the Zimbabwe resolution as it has the weakest
support in the Third Committee and faces stiff opposition
from the Africans.


3. Regarding the resolution tabled by Belarus against the
United States, Teerling said that the EU mission in New York
had circulated the text on November 3 and proposed to member
states that the EU vote against it with an EOV. Poloff asked
that the EU consider pressing Belarus to withdraw the
resolution altogether. Specifically, Teerling asked for
clarification of the points raised in PP6, regarding a
December 23, 2003 decision by the Inter-American Commission
on Human Rights that criticized the voting rights of citizens
of Washington, D.C. GUIDANCE REQUEST: Post would appreciate
any background information we can share with the Dutch
government regarding the representation rights of citizens of
the District of Colombia and the USG position on the
OAS/IACHR decision.
SOBEL