DEMARCHE ON UN REFORM

UNCLAS MASERU 000023 SIPDIS SIPDIS SENSITIVE E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PREL KUNR PHUM UN ADCO LT SUBJECT: DEMARCHE ON UN REFORM REF: (A) STATE 4746 (B) STATE 4745 ¶1. (SBU) Ambassador delivered reftel demarches January 12 to Minister of Foreign Affairs Moleleki. Previous discussions on UN reform have resulted in positive responses from the GOL. The FOMIN supported management reform agenda goals including ECOSOC's role and points on personnel and budgetary priorities. ¶2. (SBU) On the Human Rights Council, MFA responded positively to our specific points regarding necessity of country-specific resolutions and improving membership. However, he alluded to the positions of regional groups on these points. We re-emphasized our strong opposition to regional groups' pressure resulting in unacceptable votes, as in the refusal to condemn Sudan. Moleleki agreed that the HRC would have no teeth if country-specific resolutions were banned. We asked that the GOL instruct its delegation to work with ours to achieve agreement on human rights and effective measures to keep violators off the HRC. The FOMIN stated he would instruct the GOL's PermRep to do so. (Comment: The New York Representative has been difficult; he has ignored capital's stated instructions in the past. Post recommends USDEL follow up with Lesotho's delegation. End Comment.) PERRY