MOZAMBIQUE - REFORMING THE UN HUMAN RIGHTS

UNCLAS MAPUTO 000783

SIPDIS
SENSITIVE
AF/S FOR HTREGER
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREL PHUM KUNR MZ UNGA UNCHR
SUBJECT: MOZAMBIQUE - REFORMING THE UN HUMAN RIGHTS
COMMISSION

REF: STATE 114051


1. (SBU) On June 21 emboff delivered demarche and talking
points to Faruque Faquira, Chief of Department for United
Nations issues at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Faquira
was familiar with the issue at hand and had recently been
briefed by his Ministry on the U.S. consultations with the
Africa Group, as discussed in reftel. Faquira also mentioned
that he and others in his department had been in contact with
other African delegations in recent days to get a better
understanding on what the GRM,s position should be on this
issue. He declined to say if any non-African governments had
contacted the GRM about the UNCHR in recent days.


2. (SBU) Faquira said that Mozambique,s principal concern
about the UN Commission on Human Rights is that it tends to
"politicize" human rights by only focusing on a handful of
countries that have already been "tried and found guilty in
the court of public opinion." He added that the Commission
had not shown enough interest in economic and social concerns
of developing countries. (Comment: Each of these comments can
be seen as a reference to Zimbabwe and Mozambique,s unease
about further isolating a country whose economic collapse has
greatly affected the economy of central Mozambique. When
asked about Zimbabwe, however, Faquira switched the topic to
Sudan. End Comment.) Faquira said that the GRM had no
philosophical questions with reforming the present Human
Rights Commission - which Mozambique also views as inadequate
- by remaking it into a smaller and more proactive Human
Rights Council. Mozambique would only be supportive of such
a move, however, if the aforementioned concerns were met in a
substantive manner, and as long as Africa and other
undeveloped nations retained a strong position in the
organization's structure and membership.


3. (SBU) Emboff responded by emphasizing USG talking points
on the Council's mandate, structure, and membership. Faquira
seemed particularly impressed with the proposed structure and
membership for a 20-nation Council, which he said was a more
favorable proposal than what he was expecting. He was less
clear about the talking points on the Council's mandate, but
offered no criticisms. Emboff also outlined the "additional
clarifying points" on economic and social rights, which
Faquira seemed to view as a step in the right direction but
not ideal.
Wysham