Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
06ISLAMABAD15766
2006-08-09 12:45:00
UNCLASSIFIED
Embassy Islamabad
Cable title:  

DEMARCHE DELIVERED ON DERAILING UN HUMAN RIGHTS

Tags:  IS LE MOPS PHUM PK PREL PTER 
pdf how-to read a cable
VZCZCXRO5204
OO RUEHLH RUEHPW
DE RUEHIL #5766 2211245
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 091245Z AUG 06
FM AMEMBASSY ISLAMABAD
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 7355
INFO RUEHBUL/AMEMBASSY KABUL IMMEDIATE 5946
RUEHKL/AMEMBASSY KUALA LUMPUR IMMEDIATE 0727
RUEHNE/AMEMBASSY NEW DELHI IMMEDIATE 9041
RUEHTU/AMEMBASSY TUNIS IMMEDIATE 0330
RUEHKP/AMCONSUL KARACHI IMMEDIATE 2310
RUEHLH/AMCONSUL LAHORE IMMEDIATE 9774
RUEHPW/AMCONSUL PESHAWAR IMMEDIATE 7728
RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK IMMEDIATE 5667
RUEHGV/USMISSION GENEVA IMMEDIATE 3735
UNCLAS ISLAMABAD 015766 

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: IS LE MOPS PHUM PK PREL PTER
SUBJECT: DEMARCHE DELIVERED ON DERAILING UN HUMAN RIGHTS
COUNCIL SPECIAL SESSION ON LEBANON

REF: STATE 130145

UNCLAS ISLAMABAD 015766

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: IS LE MOPS PHUM PK PREL PTER
SUBJECT: DEMARCHE DELIVERED ON DERAILING UN HUMAN RIGHTS
COUNCIL SPECIAL SESSION ON LEBANON

REF: STATE 130145


1. Polcouns delivered reftel demarche on August 9 to Tariq
Osman Hyder, Additional Secretary for UN Affairs at the MFA.


2. Hyder responded that the decision to appeal to the Human
Rights Council (HRC) was made at the August 3 meeting in
Malaysia of the Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC).
He noted that to address perceived Israeli violations of
humanitarian law, the Putrajaya Declaration of August 3 calls
for "the immediate convening of a special session of the
United Nations Human Rights Council as well as a meeting of
the High Contracting Parties to the 4th Geneva Convention."
The request to the HRC had been submitted by Tunisia, on
behalf of both the OIC and the Arab League, but Pakistan had
also played a role in its position as coordinator of the OIC
human rights subgroup.


3. Hyder defended the appeal to the HRC on a number of
grounds:

-- He argued that it did not in any way preclude action by
the Security Council. "We deal with human rights, they deal
with peace and security," he observed, adding that there
should not be any contradiction between the two.
-- He maintained that the intrinsic nature of Israel's
actions, namely killing of civilians and targeting of
civilian infrastructure, put them under the purview of the
HRC.
-- The appeal was, he said, in keeping with the "declared
position of the United States, which is for the quickest
possible cessation of hostilities." Hostilities had now
continued for more than three weeks and it was appropriate
for the HRC to become engaged. The objective of the
resolution was to encourage an end to the fighting and
attendant human suffering.
-- The U.S. had engaged in a "long process" to establish the
HRC, he said, in order to ensure that it would play a "more
useful, practical role." With over 500 people killed on both
sides it was time for the HRC to play this role.
-- He added that political sentiment in the Moslem world was
at an extremely high pitch over the death and destruction in
Lebanon. It was preferable, and in the interest of western
countries, that this sentiment be channeled via appropriate
international mechanisms, rather than allow it to move in a
"volatile, destabilizing and anti-western direction."


4. Polcouns reiterated that the United States views the
engagement of the HRC at this sensitive juncture as highly
unhelpful, and urged that Pakistan reconsider its position
and withdraw its support from the effort.

CROCKER