GUATEMALAN CONGRESS APPROVES OHCHR RESIDENT OFFICE

UNCLAS GUATEMALA 001404 SIPDIS DEPARTMENT FOR WHA/CEN, IO/SHA, AND DRL/MLA E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PHUM PREL EAID GT UN SUBJECT: GUATEMALAN CONGRESS APPROVES OHCHR RESIDENT OFFICE REF: A. 2004 GUATEMALA 3288 ¶B. 2004 GUATEMALA 3161 ¶1. Guatemala's Congress unanimously approved legislation May 31 to establish a resident office of the U.N. Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR). The resident office is expected to start operations at the beginning of July, providing technical and training assistance to Guatemalan authorities and reporting to OHCHR headquarters in Geneva on human rights developments in Guatemala. The OHCHR resident office is expected to build upon the work of the U.N. Verification Mission to Guatemala, which completed its mandate and formally closed its doors at the end of calendar year 2004. ¶2. Comment: Guatemala has a standing invitation to all rapporteurs of the UNCHR. The establishment of the OHCHR office is yet another signal of the GOG's openness to the international community, even on the sensitive issue of human rights. With this step, President Berger and Vice President Stein demonstrate their commitment to the protection of human rights and their willingness to expend effort and political capital to do so, having negotiated compromises to resolve the constitutional and political objections discussed refs (A) and (B). HAMILTON