GUATEMALA ON CUBAN CANDIDACY TO CHR WORKING GROUP

C O N F I D E N T I A L GUATEMALA 000081

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/11/2015
TAGS: PHUM GT CU UNCHR
SUBJECT: GUATEMALA ON CUBAN CANDIDACY TO CHR WORKING GROUP
ON SITUATIONS

REF: STATE 3750

Classified By: Ambassador John Hamilton for reasons 1.4 (b) & (d)

(C) Embassy Guatemala polcouns delivered reftel points to
Ambassador Carla Rodriguez, U/S for Multilateral Relations in
the Guatemalan MFA. Rodriguez said the GRULAC met January 10
in Geneva and had left for a follow-on meeting the issue of
naming its candidate for the CHR Working Group on Situations.
She said the follow-on meeting had not been scheduled but
thought it would be around January 20. Rodriguez said
Guatemalan Permrep Ambassador Lars Pira had consulted with
the MFA, and the MFA had decided it could not be a candidate
for the Working Group, in part because there were three 1503
complaints pending against Guatemala. Rodriguez indicated
Guatemala and other GRULAC countries shared our concerns
about Cuba's candidacy but were unable to identify a viable
alternative.
HAMILTON