AUSTRIAN RESPONSE TO UNHCR 61 DEMARCHE

UNCLAS VIENNA 000840

SIPDIS

SENSITIVE

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

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PHUM PREL AU UNHRC EUN
SUBJECT: AUSTRIAN RESPONSE TO UNHCR 61 DEMARCHE

REF: A) SECSTATE 42847 B) SECSTATE 41971

This message is sensitive but unclassified.


1. (SBU) SUMMARY: EconPolOff delivered ref a demarche on
March 11 to Engelbert Theuermann, head of the Austrian MFA's
Human Rights Bureau (with responsibility for the CHR).
Theuermann reported that he had attended an EU Human Rights
working group meeting the previous day which had discussed
common positions and strategies. He expected the EU Foreign
Ministers (GAERC) formally to adopt an agenda of human rights
priorities for the CHR at its session on March 16.
Theuermann provided the following overview of current
Austrian and EU strategies:


2. (SBU) CUBA: Theuermann said that the EU was waiting for
the exact text of the resolution and details regarding
sponsorship. He indicated that Austria had taken no final
decision yet, but thought it likely that Austria would follow
its historical pattern of not co-sponsoring, but then voting
in favor of a Cuba resolution.


3. (SBU) BELARUS: Theuermann said that the EU's decision to
co-table the Belarus resolution (ref b) was part of an effort
to maximize the effectiveness of its Neighborhood Policy by
encouraging development of democratic institutions and
practices in Belarus.


4. (SBU) ISRAEL AND THE ARAB-ISRAELI CONFLICT: Theuermann
said that the EU shared U.S. views on the potential for
progress in the region He concurred that the CHR must
therefore carefully consider the timing of any proposed
Middle East resolutions.


5. (SBU) DPRK: Theuermann told us the EU has a strong
interest in DPRK developments and had decided to sponsor a
resolution. The EU sees Japan as playing a key role and
hopes Japan will co-sponsor and actively lobby for the
resolution.


6. (SBU) SUDAN - Theuermann said the EU wanted to highlight
the Sudan situation within CHR. EU member states would
engage actively on a Sudan resolution.


7. (SBU) ZIMBABWE: Theuermann said that there had been a
lively discussion among EU human rights representatives
regarding the approach to take on country resolutions that
historically had been unsuccessful (such as those on Chechnya
and Zimbabwe). The EU had decided that it was "not useful"
again to propose a resolution on Zimbabwe. This would only
antagonize the African Group, whose support for a Sudan
resolution was critical. The EU also thought another attempt
might be counterproductive, since Mugabe would use this as
raw material for anti-Western and anti-CHR propaganda.


8. (SBU) CHECHNYA: Theuermann said the EU had taken no
final decision yet on Chechnya. The EU still hoped to
receive clear commitments from Russia in the context of the
EU-Russia human rights dialogue.


9. (SBU) AUSTRIAN PRIORITIES: Austria will work to maintain
all references to anti-Semitism contained in the 2003 CHR
resolution on religious intolerance. The GoA also supports
EU sponsorship of a resolution on Internally Displaced
Persons (IDPs) and the rights and responsibilities of
indigenous minorities.
Brown