UNCHR 61: SPANISH VIEWS

C O N F I D E N T I A L MADRID 001073

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/18/2015
TAGS: PHUM PREL SP UNHRC
SUBJECT: UNCHR 61: SPANISH VIEWS

REF: A. STATE 42847

B. MADRID 1030

Classified By: Political Officer Ricardo Zuniga for Reasons 1.4 (b) and
(d).


1. (C) Poloff delivered Reftel talking points to Susana
Camara Angulo, MFA Deputy Director of Human Rights, on March

15. Camara Angulo said that generally the GOS agrees with
positions presented in the talking points. She stated that
even though Spain is no longer a voting member of the UN
Commission on Human Rights (UNCHR),the GOS likes to take an
active role in the EU on human rights issues. Spain concurs
with U.S. positions on Belarus, North Korea, no-action
motions, Anti-Semitism and Islamophobia. Spain takes note of
U.S. comments concerning resolutions focused on the
Arab-Israeli conflict, as they are carefully following the
issues and recent Arab group proposals. One of Spain's top
priorities is the passage of a resolution that reflects the
seriousness of the human rights situation in Sudan.


2. (C) Poloff asked Camara Angulo if Spain's position on
Cuba would be consistent with Spain's position last year at
the annual session in Geneva. Camara Angulo said that Spain
usually supports human rights resolutions regarding Cuba, but
that it was too early to give a definitive response from the
MFA on the USG's draft resolution. (NOTE: In a recent
discussion with Charge, MFA Director General for Foreign
Policy Rafael Dezcallar said that he expects Spain to support
the USG draft resolution, but it is unlikely that Spain would
co-sponsor the USG-tabled resolution. When Charge asked
Dezcallar whether Spain would help lobby in favor of the
resolution in Latin AMERICA and the EU, Dezcallar was
non-committal.)(Ref B) Camara Angulo said that the text of
the resolution began circulating at the MFA on March 15 and
that political considerations would probably be as important
as human rights concerns in the GOS's final decision on the
resolution.
MANZANARES