GOI "STEAMROLLERED" INTO VOTING FOR UNCHR WORKING

C O N F I D E N T I A L NEW DELHI 003430

SIPDIS

DEPARTMENT FOR IO/SHA - SMEHRA,S/UNR - JGERAN AND USUN FOR
MZACK

E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/05/2015
TAGS: PHUM IN
SUBJECT: GOI "STEAMROLLERED" INTO VOTING FOR UNCHR WORKING
GROUP, WILL RECONSIDER THE ISSUE

REF: STATE 82967

Classified By: PolCouns Geoff Pyatt, for Reasons 1.4 (B, D)


1. (C) Responding to Reftel demarche, MEA Joint Secretary
(UN Economic and Social) Manjeev Puri told PolCouns on May 5
that India was "steamrollered" into voting for the resolution
to create a UNCHR Working Group to consider reform proposals.
The resolution sponsors forced a vote on the last day, when
the delegates wanted to finish all business and depart, and
India went along. India would like to exercise a moderating
influence on the debate, Puri said, noting that the GOI
should be able to "take a better approach" when the issue
arises in the ECOSOC "now that there is time" to consider it
more fully.


2. (C) On May 6, MEA Deputy Secretary (UN Economic and
Social) Gopal Baglay clarified to Poloff that the Indian
delegation saw the text of the resolution only the day before
the vote, and agreed that there was little consideration
given to the Indian vote.


3. (U) We will need to remain engaged with New Delhi as this
issue comes to a head again, but the GOI is now on notice
regarding our views.
BLAKE