DEMARCHE DELIVERED: US PROPOSAL FOR STANDING UN

C O N F I D E N T I A L BANGKOK 005018 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/04/2015 TAGS: KUNR PHUM PREL PGOV TH SUBJECT: DEMARCHE DELIVERED: US PROPOSAL FOR STANDING UN HUMAN RIGHTS COUNCIL REF: SECSTATE 140191 Classified By: Political Officer Anthony M. Tranchina for reasons 1.4.( b) and (d) ¶1. (U) Poloff delivered reftel demarche to Mr. Peerasak Chantavarin, Director, Social Division of the Department of International Organizations (IO),MFA, and Mr. Chakkrid Krachaiwong, First Secretary, Department of American and South Pacific Affairs (AA),MFA. Thai officials were well-versed on the details of the US proposal, having received it from their UN Mission in New York. ¶2. (U) Mr. Vorapun Srivoranart of IO commented that the American proposal was very similar to plans that had been presented by Canada and Switzerland. While details differed somewhat, such as the size of the council, he believed that the basic structure and intentions of the Council appeared to be the same in all of these proposals. ¶3. (C) The Thais were skeptical that any new Human Rights body would be able to avoid the inherent politicization of its much maligned predecessor, the UN Human Rights Commission. Thai officials also expressed the view that human rights could be better promoted through positive reinforcement, rather than by "publicly shaming" individual countries. (Note: RTG officials have brought up their concerns about "the public shaming" of individual nations in previous demarches on this issue. End Note) ¶4. (C) While MFA did not voice any major objections to the US proposal, they appeared skeptical that the proposed council would be a more effective alternative to the current Commission. The Thais mentioned competing proposals from other Western countries as well as one from the nonaligned bloc, although they did not advocate any of these proposals as a preferred alternative. Thailand appears to be waiting to see if the various competing ideas for the new Council can be harmonized into one proposal before staking out a more formal position. ARVIZU