UN Human Rights Commission: Tanzanian

UNCLAS DAR ES SALAAM 000910

SIPDIS

Department for IO/SHA -SMEHRA, S/UNR -SGERAN, USUN-
MZACK, AF/RSA AND AF/E

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREL PHUM TZ UNCHR UNGA
SUBJECT: UN Human Rights Commission: Tanzanian
Response on Unmandated Session on Reform

REF: STATE 82967


1. This is an action request.


2. On May 6, Poloff delivered the demarche on
preventing an unmandated session on UNHRC reform to
Ambassador Liberata Mulamula, head of the Multilateral
Affairs Department at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Ambassador Mulamula said that she would consult with
the Tanzanian delegation in Geneva to further inform
herself of the rational for convening a working group
in Geneva to discuss the Secretary General's proposal
to reform the UNHRC.


3. Ambassador Mulamula speculated that elements in
the Human Rights Commission sought to discuss reform
in Geneva because they were frustrated, both with the
tendency of UN delegations to overlook human rights
issues and with the slow pace of all UN reform in New
York. Poloff reiterated that, while the reform
process was undoubtedly frustrating, uncoordinated and
piecemeal discussions could further complicate the
issue without facilitating a resolution.


4. Action request: Ambassador Mulamula asked for the
US views on Human Rights issues within the Security
Council and on the Secretary General's recommendations
for reforming the CHR, as contained in his report.
Please advise if there is further information that we
can share with the Foreign Ministry or with the
Tanzanian delegation in Geneva.

OWEN