CANADA: RESPONSE TO DEMARCHE ON AN UNMANDATED

UNCLAS OTTAWA 001373

SIPDIS

SENSITIVE

DEPT FOR IO/SHA - SMEHRA, S/UNR - JGERAN; USUN FOR MZACK

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PHUM CA UNCHR UNGA
SUBJECT: CANADA: RESPONSE TO DEMARCHE ON AN UNMANDATED
SESSION TO DISCUSS CHR REFORM

REF: STATE 082967


1. (SBU) Poloff discussed the reftel demarche concerning a
2005 Commission on Human Rights (CHR) resolution establishing
a five-day working group in Geneva to discuss CHR reform,
with Henri-Paul Normandin, Director of the Human Rights
Division at Foreign Affairs Canada, on May 5. Normandin
stated that the Government of Canada (GoC) would continue to
oppose this resolution, as it had in Geneva, when it is
considered by the UN Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) in
New York.


2. (SBU) Continuing, Normandin indicated that the GoC does
not share the USG position that all discussion on UN reform
must take place in New York. According to Normandin, Canada
is not opposed to CHR members meeting in Geneva to discuss
this issue, if it were to occur on an informal basis; he
recounted that the GoC and EU states tried unsuccessfully to
reach a compromise with the Africa Group on this issue at the
recently concluded CHR session in Geneva. However, when the
Africa Group refused to alter its position, Canada voted
against the resolution, since a formal session would entail
(among other items) the publication of a post-session report.

Visit Canada's Classified Web Site at
http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/wha/ottawa

DICKSON