IRAN'S UN HUMAN RIGHTS COUNCIL CANDIDACY: KUWAIT

C O N F I D E N T I A L KUWAIT 001639 SIPDIS SIPDIS FOR NEA/ARP AND IO E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/07/2016 TAGS: PHUM PGOV PREL KUNR KU SUBJECT: IRAN'S UN HUMAN RIGHTS COUNCIL CANDIDACY: KUWAIT SAYS, "MANY COUNTRIES HAVE TO BE ELIMINATED" REF: A. STATE 68575 ¶B. STATE 66050 Classified By: DCM Matthew H. Tueller for reasons 1.4(b) and (d) (C) PolChief raised Iran's candidacy for a seat on the new Human RIGHTS COUNCIL (HRC) with Ministry of Foreign Affairs Director for International Organizations Ambassador Abdullah Al-Murad on May 9. (Note: Al-Murad has been nominated to succeed Nabilla Al-Mullah as Kuwait's UN PermRep. End note.) Drawing from reftels, PolChief stressed that it would be inappropriate for Iran or other serious HUMAN violators to be elected to the HRC. Al-Murad explained that he had just returned from Jeddah and had not seen Kuwait's final position on the various candidates. When asked whether Kuwait would support Iran, which he described as a very close neighbor, he simply said, "I don't think so." When asked to clarify whether Kuwait would vote no or abstain, he spoke at length about the 18 Asian candidates for HRC seats and commented, "Many countries have to be eliminated." He added that Iran's presence on the HRC would not be a good beginning for the body. ********************************************* * For more reporting from Embassy Kuwait, visit: http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/nea/kuwait/?cable s Visit Kuwait's Classified Website: http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/nea/kuwait/ ********************************************* * LEBARON