GOI SEEKS PERMANENT MEMBERSHIP OF UN HRC

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 03 NEW DELHI 000095

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DEPT FOR IO, S/UNR, USUN FOR E TUNIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/03/2016
TAGS: PREL PHUM KUNR IN
SUBJECT: GOI SEEKS PERMANENT MEMBERSHIP OF UN HRC


Classified By: PolCouns Geoff Pyatt for Reasons 1.4 (B, D)


1. (U) This message contains an ACTION REQUEST. Please see
para 7.


2. (C) Summary: MEA's UN Economic and Social division
reiterated the GOI's support for the creation of the UN Human
Rights Commission (HRC),and requested that the USG engage in
a closer dialogue with New Delhi on UN reform in a January 4
meeting with PolCouns and Poloff. GOI officials expressed
concern over press reports that the US will seek P-5
permanent representation on the HRC, and stressed that India
would be more deserving of permanent representation than some
of the P-5. Based on reporting from USUN, it is clear that
the MEA and India's Mission in New York are not singing off
the same page on UN reform, and more discussion in Washington
and New Delhi could help clarify our positions and find
common ground. End Summary.

GOI Supports HRC
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3. (C) MEA Joint Secretary (UN Economic and Social) Manjeev
Puri, accompanied by Director (UNES) Dammu Ravi and Deputy
Secretary (UNES) Prashant Pise, told PolCouns and PolOff that

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the US and India are "in this together" on seeing through the
establishment of the HRC. Echoing the earlier remarks of his
UN Political colleague (septel),he urged that the US and
India work more closely together to push for its creation.
It would be inconceivable for India to "scuttle" the HRC, he
explained, given India's self-image as the world's largest
democracy, with a judiciary as independent and credible as
anywhere in the world, and "absolute" support for human
rights. Any perception of Indian reluctance to move forward
is mistaken, he assured us, as India is completely committed
to the concept, but is only raising concerns about
"nitty-gritty details."

Why Autocratic China and Not Democratic India?
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4. (C) Puri raised recent media reports of Ambassador Bolton
calling for P-5 representation on the HRC and pointed out
that New Delhi may not be able to support that idea if
submitted as a formal proposal. It would be difficult to
justify permanent membership for Russia and China while
trying to block other human rights violators from serving on
the Council, he noted. However, the Joint Secretary
continued, if the US advanced a proposal for certain
permanent representation that included a role for the world's
largest democracy, "we couldn't say no." Puri noted that
Ambassador Bolton's remarks had drawn attention from Foreign
Secretary Saran.

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Some Concern on US Goals
--------------


5. (C) When the UNES division internally charted out its
positions on the HRC, Puri said, on each point there was
broad agreement with US goals. Even on issues on which India
has reservations, such as the existence of a shaming or
punitive mechanism, New Delhi is ready to go along for the
sake of creating the Council. One area of concern, however,
is the proposal to allow a mechanism for excluding some UN
Members from standing for election. It would be "hard to

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support" the US idea to exclude certain egregious human
rights violators from this Council, when there are no
objective criteria for exclusion from any other UN bodies.
PolCouns pressed this point regarding egregious violators,
asking how India could countenance HRC membership for
countries like the DPRK. "We need a more subtle method of
excluding" states with poor records, Puri replied, but did
not offer any idea of how to accomplish this.

India Will Play Ball Even If Others Do Not
--------------


6. (C) Looking toward the next round of negotiations, Puri
warned that positions of countries opposed to changing the
current Commission on Human Rights will be "more hardened"
starting January 11. An agreement could have been pushed
through on December 21, he speculated, when only a few lines
remained bracketed, but after the break some countries may
turn out to be less willing to "play ball," and we might be
in for a "bit of a showdown" with undesirable outcomes for
both sides of the disagreement. However, he assured us, if
progress stalls it will not be because of India.

COMMENT AND ACTION REQUEST: Let's Pursue This
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7. (C) Puri emphasized several times his desire for greater
coordination and dialogue with the US on both HRC and
management reform, a plea we also heard from his counterpart
in UN Political on December 30. From New Delhi, it appears
that India's PermRep in New York is staking out positions far
more confrontational than his Ministry would endorse. Having
more of the political dialogue take place between Washington
and New Delhi, avoiding the problematic channel in New York,
may help close the gaps faster on divergences and allow
better coordination in moving the HRC and management reform
forward together. ACTION REQUEST: Puri will be in Sydney for
the Asia Pacific Climate Ministerial from January 10-14,
overlapping the next round of HRC consultations in New York
on January 11. Post requests guidance from Department on USG
positions in the consultations by January 9 in order to
encourage helpful instructions from New Delhi to India's New
York Mission.


8. (C) Comment Continued: India's softer approach to US
priorities for the Council, including spotlighting egregious
abuses and focusing attention on cr)sis situations, as well
as its recognition that some states do not qualify for
membership on the HRC, signal New Delhi's growing comfort
with an international advocacy role for human rights and
democracy. USG backing for permanent Indian representation
on the HRC, tied to Indian reformation of its stubbornly
non-aligned ways, would bring India's voting closer to that
of its natural liberal democratic allies and provide support
for USG human rights and democratization goals in the UN
system. We have begun a quiet dialogue with the senior
levels of MEA's UN divisions on the need to soften India's
traditional positions as it pursues its ultimate goal of a
larger global role and permanent representation on the
Security Council. US encouragement of Indian leadership on
the HRC would be a concrete boost to Indian goals for a
greater role in the UN, and strengthen the hand of those in
the GOI who are moving India's UN positions closer to our
own.


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