CZECHS READY TO PROMOTE CUBA RESOLUTION AT UN

UNCLAS PRAGUE 000116

SIPDIS

SENSITIVE

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: AORC CU EZ UN CHR
SUBJECT: CZECHS READY TO PROMOTE CUBA RESOLUTION AT UN
COMMISSION ON HUMAN RIGHTS; SEEK USG VIEWS

REF: STATE 9812


1. (U) Action request in para 5.


2. (SBU) Summary: While not a member of the CHR, the Czechs
are prepared to lobby in support of a CHR resolution on Cuba
and would like to coordinate efforts with Washington.
Specifically, the GOCR wants to know if the USG will sponsor
this year's resolution. The Czechs believe it will be an
uphill battle to win approval for a Cuba resolution this
spring and are anxious to begin forming and launching a
strategy soon. End summary.


3. (SBU) Vera Jerabkova, Director of the Czech MFA's Human
Rights Department, requested a meeting with Polec Counselor
on Jan 25 to discuss a possible resolution on Cuba at the
spring CHR meeting. Jerabkova related the results of the Jan
19 COHOM meeting in Brussels, and expressed appreciation for
reftel points on USG views. Jerabkova said that Cuba was the
very last item on the COHOM agenda, and that only Sweden
joined the Czechs in speaking in favor of a resolution.
Jerabkova said she left Brussels convinced that the EU will
not sponsor this year's Cuba resolution. Further, she
expects it will be a tough sell to win support within the EU
for any CHR resolution on Cuba.


4. (SBU) More broadly, Jerabkova believes that the current
composition of the CHR means that any Cuba resolution will
face an uphill battle. While the Czech Republic is not a CHR
member, they want to play an active role in building support
for a Cuba resolution. Given the tough battle ahead, and in
light of experience in recent years, Jerabkova is worried
that there is not yet agreement on who will sponsor a Cuba
resolution and how to win passage. She said the Czech
embassy in Washington had indicated that the USG may sponsor
the Cuba resolution this year, and sought our confirmation.
(Comment: Jerabkova implied that she was seeking embassy
involvement to get a clear USG viewpoint on the Cuba
resolution, which suggests there may be differences of
opinion between the MFA and the Czech embassy in Washington.)


5. (SBU) Action request: Embassy requests Department provide
us with points we can use to discuss with Czech MFA USG
thinking on a possible Cuba resolution at this year's CHR,
including whether or not the U.S. is intending to sponsor a
resolution.


6. (SBU) Jerabkova also related the status of EU coordination
on other planned resolutions: consensus exists on the Burma
and Belarus resolutions (on the latter, the EU wants to
cosponsor with the U.S.); there was no consensus on Chechnya
(will depend on results of early March EU-Russia summit),
Zimbabwe (Jerabkova was surprised that the UK rep cited
improving conditions there),China (the EU is waiting for a
U.S. proposal),and Iran.
CABANISS