AMBASSADOR DELIVERS TOUGH MESSAGE ON CHR CUBA

C O N F I D E N T I A L NEW DELHI 002680 SIPDIS DEPT FOR WHA/CCA, DRL/MLA, IO/SHA E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/07/2015 TAGS: PHUM PREL CU IN SUBJECT: AMBASSADOR DELIVERS TOUGH MESSAGE ON CHR CUBA RESOLUTION REF: A. NEW DELHI 2186 ¶B. NEW DELHI 2138 ¶C. STATE 49957 Classified By: Ambassador David C. Mulford, Reasons 1.4 (B, D) ¶1. (C) In an April 7 meeting with the MEA Foreign Secretary Shyam Saran, the Ambassador framed the issue of India's vote on the Cuba human rights resolution before the UN Human Rights Commission (ref C) as fuel for those in Washington who resist USG support for an Indian seat on the UNSC. Saran reiterated GOI policy not to support "country-specific resolutions," noting that if the US were similarly targeted, the GOI stance would be the same. The Ambassador responded that the GOI's position on this would not cut much ice in Washington and urged him to reconsider. Countries that want to be on the UNSC cannot stand aloof to the most important issues of our time, he underlined. ¶2. (C) Comment: In our tracking of Cuba in the CHR with Indian officials at various levels, all have stuck fastidiously to the GOI line of not supporting country specific resolutions (refs A, B). New Delhi considers its exception with respect to apartheid in South Africa a "unique case" (ref B). This angle may be worth pursuing with Cuba as well, emphasizing that the GOI has previously departed from its policy. We will continue to follow up with the MEA. MULFORD