Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
06ISLAMABAD10740
2006-06-07 12:46:00
CONFIDENTIAL//NOFORN
Embassy Islamabad
Cable title:  

DEMARCHE DELIVERED: DECLARATION ON THE RIGHTS OF

Tags:  PHUM PREL UN PK 
pdf how-to read a cable
VZCZCXRO0824
PP RUEHLH RUEHPW
DE RUEHIL #0740 1581246
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
P 071246Z JUN 06
FM AMEMBASSY ISLAMABAD
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 1008
INFO RUEHKP/AMCONSUL KARACHI PRIORITY 1323
RUEHLH/AMCONSUL LAHORE PRIORITY 8973
RUEHPW/AMCONSUL PESHAWAR PRIORITY 6825
RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK PRIORITY 5417
RUEHGV/USMISSION GENEVA PRIORITY 3708
C O N F I D E N T I A L ISLAMABAD 010740 

SIPDIS

NOFORN
SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/06/2016
TAGS: PHUM PREL UN PK
SUBJECT: DEMARCHE DELIVERED: DECLARATION ON THE RIGHTS OF
INDIGENOUS PEOPLES

REF: A. STATE 78740


B. STATE 91509

Classified By: Charge d'Affaires Peter W. Bodde,
Reasons 1.4 (b) and (d)

C O N F I D E N T I A L ISLAMABAD 010740

SIPDIS

NOFORN
SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/06/2016
TAGS: PHUM PREL UN PK
SUBJECT: DEMARCHE DELIVERED: DECLARATION ON THE RIGHTS OF
INDIGENOUS PEOPLES

REF: A. STATE 78740


B. STATE 91509

Classified By: Charge d'Affaires Peter W. Bodde,
Reasons 1.4 (b) and (d)


1. (C) On June 7, 2006, poloff joined Australian Deputy
High Commissioner Jason Robertson in delivering demarche
points and non-papers (Ref A) on the Chair's text of the
Declaration of the Rights of Indigenous Peoples to MFA
Director General (UN) Tasneem Aslam. (Note: Both the
Australian High Commission and the Embassy had pressed the
MFA for an appointment for several weeks, but the two senior
officials in the UN Directorate were away from Islamabad on
official travel for much of that time. End note.) Aslam
thanked Robertson and poloff for the presentation, noting
that the Government of Pakistan shares the concerns raised by
Australia and the United States. Pakistan understands that
there must be a balance between individual and collective
rights, otherwise chaos would prevail. Aslam said that
member states must have an opportunity for normal discussion
and debate of the Chair's text, as it is important that the
final document is fair and balanced. The GOP will not
support any document that erodes the authority of the state.
She agreed that the text must clearly define what groups can
claim status as "indigenous people." In its present form,
Aslam observed, the Chair's text would cause member states
more problems than it would solve. Pledging that the GOP
will take a closer look at the text, Aslam stressed that the
GOP wants the new Human Rights Commission (HRC) to operate by
consensus; there is no point in moving forward with a text
that does not enjoy the support of many member states,
particularly those with indigenous populations.


2. (C) Aslam said that she believed that the first two weeks
following the opening of the HRC session on June 19 would
focus on high-level meetings and procedural issues. She
indicated that she would ask the Pakistani delegations in
Geneva and in New York to be alert for any effort to move the
Chair's text forward in either of those venues.
BODDE