AUSTRIA IN LINE WITH EU CONSENSUS ON CHR CUBA

UNCLAS VIENNA 001062

SIPDIS

SENSITIVE

DEPT FOR IO/UNP, DRL, EUR/ERA AND EUR/AGS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PHUM PREL AU UNHRC EUN
SUBJECT: AUSTRIA IN LINE WITH EU CONSENSUS ON CHR CUBA
RESOLUTION CO-SPONSORSHIP

REF: A) STATE 49957 B) VIENNA 840 C) STATE 44494 D)

DETAR-SHEARER E-MAILS (NOTAL)

This message is sensitive but unclassified.


1. (SBU) On March 22, following receipt of ref a, Embassy
Vienna provided a copy of the draft Cuba resolution to the
Austrian MFA Human Rights Bureau and requested Austria's
support for EU co-sponsorship. On April 1, Acting head of
the Human Rights Bureau Ingrid Pech told EconPolOff that the
delegation in Geneva had recently requested formal
instructions on joining an EU consensus to co-sponsor.


2. (SBU) Later on April 1, the Ambassador contacted
Ambassador Hans Winkler, U/S-equivalent for Legal Affairs and
Human rights at the MFA, to discuss the GoA's position on EU
co-sponsorship of the Cuba resolution before the CHR.
Winkler said that he had instructed the Austrian delegation
to the CHR "some time ago" to fall in with an EU consensus to
co-sponsor the resolution.


3. (SBU) Winkler and Pech both mentioned a "rumor" about a
possible visit to Cuba by either Special Rapporteur Louise
Arbor or Personal Representative of the High Commissioner
Christine Chanet as a consideration for EU member states in
determining whether to co-sponsor. Winkler thought such a
visit was highly unlikely, however.
Brown