BAHRAIN: GAINING SUPPORT FOR USG PROPOSAL ON UN

C O N F I D E N T I A L MANAMA 001161

SIPDIS

STATE FOR NEA/ARPI, IO

E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/09/2015
TAGS: PHUM PREL BA UNCHR UNGA
SUBJECT: BAHRAIN: GAINING SUPPORT FOR USG PROPOSAL ON UN
HUMAN RIGHTS COUNCIL

REF: STATE 140192

Classified by Charge d'Affaires Susan L. Ziadeh for reasons
1.4 (b) and (d)


1. (C) Pol/Econ chief August 9 delivered reftel demarche
concerning gaining support for the U.S. proposal on creating
a new UN Human Rights Council to MFA Director for
International Organization Affairs Ghassan Shaikho. Shaikho,
who often expresses his "personal" support for U.S.
initiatives in the UN and pledges to work within the Bahraini
system to gain official support, was reserved in his comments
on the U.S. proposal. He agreed that the Human Rights
Council idea is the type of reform measure UN members states
should be working on now rather than focusing so heavily on
UNSC reform. He welcomed the points on limiting "name and
shame" resolutions, requiring a two-thirds majority vote in
the UNGA for election to the Council, and applying the broad
view of human rights as defined in the Universal Declaration
of Human Rights. He said the aim of the Council should be to
"create an international environment conducive to
ameliorating human rights situations."


2. (C) When asked directly for Bahrain's support for the
U.S. proposal, Shaikho noted there were three proposed models
for the composition of the Council (large, medium, and small
number of members) and Bahrain had not yet taken a position
on which model to endorse. He praised Swiss-led
consultations on the proposed Council and said these
consultations should continue.

ZIADEH