Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
06COLOMBO668
2006-04-25 07:06:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Colombo
Cable title:
SRI LANKA: DEMARCHE ON ASIAN CANDIDATES TO UN
how-toVZCZCXYZ0011 OO RUEHWEB DE RUEHLM #0668 1150706 ZNY CCCCC ZZH O 250706Z APR 06 FM AMEMBASSY COLOMBO TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 3211 INFO RUEHGV/USMISSION GENEVA PRIORITY 1152 RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK PRIORITY 0384
C O N F I D E N T I A L COLOMBO 000668
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/24/2016
TAGS: PHUM PREL KUNR UNHRC UN CE
SUBJECT: SRI LANKA: DEMARCHE ON ASIAN CANDIDATES TO UN
HUMAN RIGHTS COUNCIL
REF: STATE 60967
Classified By: AMB. JEFFREY J. LUNSTEAD. REASON: 1.4 (B,D).
C O N F I D E N T I A L COLOMBO 000668
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/24/2016
TAGS: PHUM PREL KUNR UNHRC UN CE
SUBJECT: SRI LANKA: DEMARCHE ON ASIAN CANDIDATES TO UN
HUMAN RIGHTS COUNCIL
REF: STATE 60967
Classified By: AMB. JEFFREY J. LUNSTEAD. REASON: 1.4 (B,D).
1. (SBU) Ambassador delivered reftel demarche to Foreign
Minister Mangala Samaraweera and Foreign Secretary H.M.G.S.
Palihakkara on April 20. The Ambassador stressed the US
commitment to ensuring the effectiveness of the Human Rights
Council and the need for the Asia group to support candidates
that are sincerely committed to human rights and to
discourage support for candidates that condone or commit
human rights abuses. The election of a country with a poor
human rights record would undermine the credibility of the
Human Rights Council, he emphasized, noting that at least one
such country had put itself forward as a candidate. He urged
the Sri Lankan Government to take the Asian candidates' human
rights records into account when deciding which to support.
2. (C) "We know which country you're talking about," the
Foreign Secretary said. Both the Foreign Minister and
Foreign Secretary, while not mentioning Iran by name, agreed
on the need to support candidates with demonstrated and
sincere commitments to human rights. They did not ask about
possible US support for Sri Lanka's own candidacy.
LUNSTEAD
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/24/2016
TAGS: PHUM PREL KUNR UNHRC UN CE
SUBJECT: SRI LANKA: DEMARCHE ON ASIAN CANDIDATES TO UN
HUMAN RIGHTS COUNCIL
REF: STATE 60967
Classified By: AMB. JEFFREY J. LUNSTEAD. REASON: 1.4 (B,D).
1. (SBU) Ambassador delivered reftel demarche to Foreign
Minister Mangala Samaraweera and Foreign Secretary H.M.G.S.
Palihakkara on April 20. The Ambassador stressed the US
commitment to ensuring the effectiveness of the Human Rights
Council and the need for the Asia group to support candidates
that are sincerely committed to human rights and to
discourage support for candidates that condone or commit
human rights abuses. The election of a country with a poor
human rights record would undermine the credibility of the
Human Rights Council, he emphasized, noting that at least one
such country had put itself forward as a candidate. He urged
the Sri Lankan Government to take the Asian candidates' human
rights records into account when deciding which to support.
2. (C) "We know which country you're talking about," the
Foreign Secretary said. Both the Foreign Minister and
Foreign Secretary, while not mentioning Iran by name, agreed
on the need to support candidates with demonstrated and
sincere commitments to human rights. They did not ask about
possible US support for Sri Lanka's own candidacy.
LUNSTEAD