UNCLAS PANAMA 001435

SIPDIS

SENSITIVE

DEPARTMENT FOR WHA/CEN

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PHUM KUNR PREL PM UNCHR POLITICS FOREIGN POLICY
SUBJECT: PANAMA'S POSITION SIMILAR TO U.S. ON UN COMMISSION
ON HUMAN RIGHTS REFORM

REF: A. STATE 114051


B. PANAMA 1339

(SBU) On June 29, PolOff followed-up on June 20 demarche
(reftel B), and delivered reftel A talking points on UN Human
Rights Commission (CHR) reform to MFA International
Organizations Human Rights Officer Janio Tunion. On July 5,
Tunion told PolOff that the GOP's position on UNCHR reform
and the creation of a Human Rights Council was similar to
that of the USG. GOP supports a Human Rights Council of 25
members, distributed equally among the five geographic
regions. Tunion also said that the UNCHR sub-commission
should be much smaller. Tunion had been in contact with the
GOP PermRep in New York, and said that the GOP understood it
would have to negotiate on its position. Embassy will report
any updates to the Department.

WATT