MEXICANS FAVOR IMMEDIATE PASSAGE OF INDIGENOUS

UNCLAS MEXICO 002759 SIPDIS SENSITIVE SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PREL PHUM MX SUBJECT: MEXICANS FAVOR IMMEDIATE PASSAGE OF INDIGENOUS RIGHTS DECLARATION DESPITE LACK OF CONSENSUS, PRECEDENT REF: STATE 78740 ¶1. (SBU) As instructed reftel PolMinCouns joined Amb. George Troup of New Zealand and Australian First Secretary Jessica Lucas to demarche Foreign Relations (SRE) officials 5/19 regarding the proposed Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples. Ambassador Troup presented reftel points orally, and left both English and Spanish language copies. Representing SRE, Director General for Human Rights and Democracy Rodrigo Labardini listened carefully to the points, and admitted he was unaware of the trilateral statement delivered in the UN on this topic earlier in the week. Mexico felt that the negotiations had dragged on for far too long, he continued, and believed that the proposed language posted on the internet did a fair job of covering the topics debated. He acknowledged that the mechanism of posting text on the internet could serve as an unfortunate precedent in other international fora. Mexico's preference was to see action move forward on a declaration that had been years in the negotiating, rather than delay it further for a consensus that might be impossible, he concluded ¶2. (SBU) Pressed regarding Mexico's ability to specifically implement key points in the declaration, Labardini asserted that various lawyers in various ministries had studied the implications and felt Mexico could live up to its obligations under the declaration. Labardini said that as a lawyer and negotiator he felt it was imperative that Mexico only sign documents it was prepared to implement -- that was the case in this instance. Amb. Troup raised issues of land and resources as potentially difficult in many contexts, but Labardini reaffirmed that Mexico was prepared to implement the declaration as currently posted. ¶3. (SBU) Labardini said Mexico might be responsive to a specific suggestion for additional meetings or a defined timeframe for consideration, but did not want to see a return to an open-ended process. If there were specific events or deadlines the U.S., Australia or New Zealand wished to propose they could be considered. (Note: Amb. Troup made the same points to Mexico's representative for indigenous peoples, Xochitl Galvez, who could not make an appointment to receive all three representatives but did tell him that Mexico wanted to see early adoption of the declaration). ¶4. (SBU) Comment: The SRE meeting took place even as Mexico was being elected to the presidency of the Human Rights Council, and it was clear that all Labardini's excitement and interest was vested in this achievement. He described at length the extensive lobbying Mexico had done on behalf of the HRC, and expressed full awareness of the importance of this first presidency to the Council's future credibility and efficiency. He did not mention trying to approve the Declaration at the HRC's first meeting in Geneva. He did stress that, as his office would not receive additional support, a great deal of latitude would be given to Amb. de Alba in Geneva. Visit Mexico City's Classified Web Site at http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/wha/mexicocity GARZA