DOMINICAN REPUBLIC: DEMARCHE ON MEXICO HUMAN

UNCLAS SANTO DOMINGO 000758

SIPDIS

SENSITIVE

STATE FOR WHA/CAR, IO/UNP

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PHUM PREL CU MX DR
SUBJECT: DOMINICAN REPUBLIC: DEMARCHE ON MEXICO HUMAN
RIGHTS INITIATIVE

REF: STATE 022969


1. (SBU) Embassy officer delivered talking points in paras
5-6 reftel to MFA director for UN affairs Michelle Cohen and
separately to deputy director Rhadys Abreu de Polanco, who
will go to Geneva for the annual UN Human Rights Committee
meeting. Embassy expressed particular appreciation for the
Dominican Republic's crucial vote to approve the CHR
resolution on Cuba last year. Cohen and Polanco were aware
of the Mexican initiative on an "informal consultation
mechanism for human rights in Latin America," but neither
official had any immediate reaction to our demarche.


2. (SBU) Comment: The Dominican Republic in the past has
supported country-specific resolutions on Cuba and other
human rights violators. However, the Dominican vote last
year was decided personally by then-President Mejia (PRD).
We do not yet have an indication what position the
administration of President Fernandez (PLD),inaugurated in
August, may take at this year's CHR.
HERTELL