Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
06PARIS5697
2006-08-24 17:23:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Paris
Cable title:
FRENCH SHARE CONCERNS ON HRC; NOTE NOMINATION FOR
VZCZCXYZ0009 OO RUEHWEB DE RUEHFR #5697 2361723 ZNY CCCCC ZZH O 241723Z AUG 06 FM AMEMBASSY PARIS TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 0680 INFO RUEHAR/AMEMBASSY ACCRA PRIORITY 0713 RUEHBP/AMEMBASSY BAMAKO PRIORITY 0802 RUEHRL/AMEMBASSY BERLIN PRIORITY 6302 RUEHSW/AMEMBASSY BERN PRIORITY 1813 RUEHBR/AMEMBASSY BRASILIA PRIORITY 1663 RUEHBM/AMEMBASSY BUCHAREST PRIORITY 0463 RUEHBU/AMEMBASSY BUENOS AIRES PRIORITY 1286 RUEHGT/AMEMBASSY GUATEMALA PRIORITY 0070 RUEHHE/AMEMBASSY HELSINKI PRIORITY 1205 RUEHKV/AMEMBASSY KIEV PRIORITY 0484 RUEHLP/AMEMBASSY LA PAZ AUG 0251 RUEHPE/AMEMBASSY LIMA PRIORITY 0471 RUEHLO/AMEMBASSY LONDON PRIORITY 6213 RUEHME/AMEMBASSY MEXICO PRIORITY 0404 RUEHMN/AMEMBASSY MONTEVIDEO PRIORITY 0089 RUEHNK/AMEMBASSY NOUAKCHOTT PRIORITY 0815 RUEHOT/AMEMBASSY OTTAWA PRIORITY 1961 RUEHPG/AMEMBASSY PRAGUE PRIORITY 0455 RUEHQT/AMEMBASSY QUITO PRIORITY 0454 RUEHRB/AMEMBASSY RABAT PRIORITY 0928 RUEHTC/AMEMBASSY THE HAGUE PRIORITY 2573 RUEHWR/AMEMBASSY WARSAW PRIORITY 0803 RUEHYD/AMEMBASSY YAOUNDE PRIORITY 0990 RUEHGV/USMISSION GENEVA PRIORITY 2476 RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK PRIORITY 0864
C O N F I D E N T I A L PARIS 005697
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/01/2016
TAGS: PREL PHUM UNHRC FR
SUBJECT: FRENCH SHARE CONCERNS ON HRC; NOTE NOMINATION FOR
INTERNATIONAL LAW COMMISSION
REF: A. STATE 136467
B. STATE 137429
Classified By: CDA Josiah Rosenblatt for reasons 1.4 (B & D).
Human Rights Council
---------------------
C O N F I D E N T I A L PARIS 005697
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/01/2016
TAGS: PREL PHUM UNHRC FR
SUBJECT: FRENCH SHARE CONCERNS ON HRC; NOTE NOMINATION FOR
INTERNATIONAL LAW COMMISSION
REF: A. STATE 136467
B. STATE 137429
Classified By: CDA Josiah Rosenblatt for reasons 1.4 (B & D).
Human Rights Council
--------------
1. (C) Acting Polcouns shared ref A points August 21 with
newly arrived MFA DAS-equivalent for UN Human Rights Affairs
Jacques Pellet and discussed ref A demarche with him August
24, highlighting growing U.S. concerns with the Council's
lack of balance and objectivity, particularly as demonstrated
in the two recent extraordinary sessions' treatment of Israel
(on Gaza and Lebanon). He added that the unwillingness of
other Council members to take issue with the OIC's refusal to
compromise further threatened to undermine the credibility of
the Council.
2. (C) Speaking informally, Pellet assured A/Polcouns that
France shared U.S. concerns, and he claimed that, on the Gaza
resolution, the French permrep in Geneva had made clear in a
separate statement following the presentation of the agreed
EU position by the Finnish presidency that the EU statement
had not gone far enough. (Comment: We understand that
USMission Geneva may have a different understanding of the
French intervention and its motivation.) France had found
the HR Council's initial session satisfactory, but was
displeased with the results of the two extraordinary
sessions. The OIC's tactics were inconsistent with the
spirit of dialogue and cooperation that was supposed to
characterize the HRC, but how to address the problem was far
from clear. He said the OIC states had done the arithmetic
and concluded that they could ask for a session and pass a
resolution with little or no debate.
3. (C) A/Polcouns noted that GRULAC passivity was also a
problem, but suggested the Europeans could also show a little
more spine; he expressed disappointment that the Swiss had
abstained on the resolution after failing to change it.
Pellet agreed that the EU could do more, but lamented the
failure of the EU to achieve consensus on a tougher approach.
He did not elaborate on the extent to which France was
pushing other member states in that direction.
4. (C) Pellet said he would be open to U.S. views on how to
improve the situation, noting that the new PDAS-equivalent
for IO Affairs, Ambassador Giacomini, until recently the
French permrep in Geneva, would prepared to join such a
discussion.
International Law Commission election
--------------
5. (C) A/Polcouns used the occasion to deliver ref B
demarche in support of Michael Matheson. Pellet undertook to
pass it to the appropriate people in the IO bureau and said
he would ask them to communicate the French response.
Please visit Paris' Classified Website at:
http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/eur/paris/index.c fm
Rosenblatt
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/01/2016
TAGS: PREL PHUM UNHRC FR
SUBJECT: FRENCH SHARE CONCERNS ON HRC; NOTE NOMINATION FOR
INTERNATIONAL LAW COMMISSION
REF: A. STATE 136467
B. STATE 137429
Classified By: CDA Josiah Rosenblatt for reasons 1.4 (B & D).
Human Rights Council
--------------
1. (C) Acting Polcouns shared ref A points August 21 with
newly arrived MFA DAS-equivalent for UN Human Rights Affairs
Jacques Pellet and discussed ref A demarche with him August
24, highlighting growing U.S. concerns with the Council's
lack of balance and objectivity, particularly as demonstrated
in the two recent extraordinary sessions' treatment of Israel
(on Gaza and Lebanon). He added that the unwillingness of
other Council members to take issue with the OIC's refusal to
compromise further threatened to undermine the credibility of
the Council.
2. (C) Speaking informally, Pellet assured A/Polcouns that
France shared U.S. concerns, and he claimed that, on the Gaza
resolution, the French permrep in Geneva had made clear in a
separate statement following the presentation of the agreed
EU position by the Finnish presidency that the EU statement
had not gone far enough. (Comment: We understand that
USMission Geneva may have a different understanding of the
French intervention and its motivation.) France had found
the HR Council's initial session satisfactory, but was
displeased with the results of the two extraordinary
sessions. The OIC's tactics were inconsistent with the
spirit of dialogue and cooperation that was supposed to
characterize the HRC, but how to address the problem was far
from clear. He said the OIC states had done the arithmetic
and concluded that they could ask for a session and pass a
resolution with little or no debate.
3. (C) A/Polcouns noted that GRULAC passivity was also a
problem, but suggested the Europeans could also show a little
more spine; he expressed disappointment that the Swiss had
abstained on the resolution after failing to change it.
Pellet agreed that the EU could do more, but lamented the
failure of the EU to achieve consensus on a tougher approach.
He did not elaborate on the extent to which France was
pushing other member states in that direction.
4. (C) Pellet said he would be open to U.S. views on how to
improve the situation, noting that the new PDAS-equivalent
for IO Affairs, Ambassador Giacomini, until recently the
French permrep in Geneva, would prepared to join such a
discussion.
International Law Commission election
--------------
5. (C) A/Polcouns used the occasion to deliver ref B
demarche in support of Michael Matheson. Pellet undertook to
pass it to the appropriate people in the IO bureau and said
he would ask them to communicate the French response.
Please visit Paris' Classified Website at:
http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/eur/paris/index.c fm
Rosenblatt