C O N F I D E N T I A L BRUSSELS 001521

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/08/2016
TAGS: KUNR PHUM UNHRC PREL BE
SUBJECT: BELGIUM: UN HUMAN RIGHTS COUNCIL - CANDIDACY OF
IRAN

REF: STATE 072724

Classified By: POLCOUNS TED ANDREWS. REASONS 1.4 (B) AND (D).

(C) In response to reftel, Belgian MFA advisers told us
Belgium will not support Iran's candidacy for the UN Human
Rights Council. Bruno Van Der Pluijm, Cabinet Adviser for UN
Human Rights issues, called it a "very simple and plain
issue" for Belgium not to support Iran's candidacy nor the
candidacy of human rights abusers. He said the Belgian
mission in New York also had instructions to "under no
circumstances join an emerging majority if one surfaces on
Iran's candidacy."

IMBRIE
.