CANADA: RESPONSE TO DEMARCHE CONCERNING MEXICO

C O N F I D E N T I A L OTTAWA 000531

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/18/2015
TAGS: PHUM MX CA CHR
SUBJECT: CANADA: RESPONSE TO DEMARCHE CONCERNING MEXICO
HUMAN RIGHTS INITIATIVE

REF: STATE 022969

Classified By: POLITICAL M/C BRIAN FLORA, REASON 1.4 (B).


1. (C) POLOFF delivered demarche (per reftel) regarding
Mexico's regional human rights initiative and our concerns
that this might serve to undermine Cuba-specific (or other
country-specific) resolutions at the UN's Commission on Human
Rights (CHR) to Katherine Verrier-Frechette, Senior Human
Rights Officer at Foreign Affairs Canada (FAC),on February

14.


2. (C) According to Verrier-Frechette, FAC, while sharing
our concerns, doesn't see any clear indication at this point
that the Government of Mexico is using this initiative as a
means to usurp country-specific resolutions at the CHR.
However, given the possibility that such action could result,
Verrier-Frechette indicated that FAC is tracking this issue
closely as they prepare for the CHR, noting that Marie
Gervais-Vidricaire, Director General of the Global Issues
Branch at FAC, has been discussing this with DRL AA/S Kozak.

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

DICKSON