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