Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
06CAIRO6308
2006-10-11 09:06:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Cairo
Cable title:
EGYPT UNDECIDED ON UN DECLARATION ON RIGHTS OF
how-toVZCZCXYZ0008 PP RUEHWEB DE RUEHEG #6308 2840906 ZNY CCCCC ZZH P 110906Z OCT 06 FM AMEMBASSY CAIRO TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 1930 INFO RUEHXK/ARAB ISRAELI COLLECTIVE RUEHBY/AMEMBASSY CANBERRA 0024 RUEHWL/AMEMBASSY WELLINGTON 0013 RUEHGV/USMISSION GENEVA 0323
C O N F I D E N T I A L CAIRO 006308
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/11/2016
TAGS: PREL PGOV UNGA PHUM KTIA EG
SUBJECT: EGYPT UNDECIDED ON UN DECLARATION ON RIGHTS OF
INDIGENOUS PEOPLES
REF: A. STATE 169257
B. HEGADORN-ASWAD 10/10/06 E-MAIL
C. CAIRO 3756
Classified by ECPO Counselor Catherine Hill-Herndon for
reasons 1.4 (b) and (d).
C O N F I D E N T I A L CAIRO 006308
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/11/2016
TAGS: PREL PGOV UNGA PHUM KTIA EG
SUBJECT: EGYPT UNDECIDED ON UN DECLARATION ON RIGHTS OF
INDIGENOUS PEOPLES
REF: A. STATE 169257
B. HEGADORN-ASWAD 10/10/06 E-MAIL
C. CAIRO 3756
Classified by ECPO Counselor Catherine Hill-Herndon for
reasons 1.4 (b) and (d).
1. (C) With the Australian Charge in the lead, POLOFF
delivered reftel demarche on October 10 to MFA Human Rights
Office Deputy Director Mai Khalil, describing U.S. concerns
over the draft UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous
Peoples (DRIP). Khalil shared that internal GOE deliberation
on the subject among Egyptian Ministry of Justice and
Ministry of Foreign Affairs legal experts continued, with no
decision reached.
2. (C) Discussing reftel demarche's assertion that a vote on
the Declaration could come as early as the week of October 16
before the UN General Assembly, Khalil asked for additional
clarification on the UN schedule and inquired whether the
Declaration would first be debated within the Third Committee
before a vote before the full UNGA plenary. POLOFF shared in
a follow-up conversation with Khalil on October 11 that there
is some confusion over procedures regarding consideration of
the DRIP, but that the Third Committee might vote on the
Declaration as early as the week of the 16th. If raised at
the UNGA plenary, a November vote was possible (ref B).
3. (C) After hearing the substance of Australian, New
Zealand (NZ does not yet have an Embassy in Cairo),and USG
objections to the present draft of the DRIP and the current
Chair's handling of the issue, Khalil said Egypt did not have
particularly strong views on the debate since it was not a
member of the UN Council on Human Rights (UNCHR) and since
"we consider all Egyptians to be indigenous." Nonetheless,
Egypt's position would be guided strongly by the African
Group's consensus position, she said. Reading from a report
sent by Egypt's Mission in Geneva, Khalil noted that such
consensus appeared lacking, since out of the 13 African
members of the UNCHR, 5 abstained and 3 failed to vote when
the declaration was adopted in June. While suggesting the
issue was a low priority for the GOE, Khalil hinted at her
Department's negative views on the draft's self-determination
language, and suggested that the Declaration could be
"delayed" within the Third Committee.
JONES
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/11/2016
TAGS: PREL PGOV UNGA PHUM KTIA EG
SUBJECT: EGYPT UNDECIDED ON UN DECLARATION ON RIGHTS OF
INDIGENOUS PEOPLES
REF: A. STATE 169257
B. HEGADORN-ASWAD 10/10/06 E-MAIL
C. CAIRO 3756
Classified by ECPO Counselor Catherine Hill-Herndon for
reasons 1.4 (b) and (d).
1. (C) With the Australian Charge in the lead, POLOFF
delivered reftel demarche on October 10 to MFA Human Rights
Office Deputy Director Mai Khalil, describing U.S. concerns
over the draft UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous
Peoples (DRIP). Khalil shared that internal GOE deliberation
on the subject among Egyptian Ministry of Justice and
Ministry of Foreign Affairs legal experts continued, with no
decision reached.
2. (C) Discussing reftel demarche's assertion that a vote on
the Declaration could come as early as the week of October 16
before the UN General Assembly, Khalil asked for additional
clarification on the UN schedule and inquired whether the
Declaration would first be debated within the Third Committee
before a vote before the full UNGA plenary. POLOFF shared in
a follow-up conversation with Khalil on October 11 that there
is some confusion over procedures regarding consideration of
the DRIP, but that the Third Committee might vote on the
Declaration as early as the week of the 16th. If raised at
the UNGA plenary, a November vote was possible (ref B).
3. (C) After hearing the substance of Australian, New
Zealand (NZ does not yet have an Embassy in Cairo),and USG
objections to the present draft of the DRIP and the current
Chair's handling of the issue, Khalil said Egypt did not have
particularly strong views on the debate since it was not a
member of the UN Council on Human Rights (UNCHR) and since
"we consider all Egyptians to be indigenous." Nonetheless,
Egypt's position would be guided strongly by the African
Group's consensus position, she said. Reading from a report
sent by Egypt's Mission in Geneva, Khalil noted that such
consensus appeared lacking, since out of the 13 African
members of the UNCHR, 5 abstained and 3 failed to vote when
the declaration was adopted in June. While suggesting the
issue was a low priority for the GOE, Khalil hinted at her
Department's negative views on the draft's self-determination
language, and suggested that the Declaration could be
"delayed" within the Third Committee.
JONES