Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
06REYKJAVIK162
2006-05-09 15:07:00
UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY
Embassy Reykjavik
Cable title:  

ICELAND/HUMAN RIGHTS: SKEPTICAL OF IRAN, BUT

Tags:  PREL PHUM IR IC 
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VZCZCXRO8560
OO RUEHIK RUEHYG
DE RUEHRK #0162 1291507
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 091507Z MAY 06
FM AMEMBASSY REYKJAVIK
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 2752
INFO RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK IMMEDIATE 0061
RUEHZG/NATO EU COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
UNCLAS REYKJAVIK 000162 

SIPDIS

SENSITIVE, SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREL PHUM IR IC
SUBJECT: ICELAND/HUMAN RIGHTS: SKEPTICAL OF IRAN, BUT
SEEKING CLEARER U.S. VISION

REFS: (A) STATE 55461, (B) STATE 57036, (C) STATE 54484,
(D) STATE 66050

UNCLAS REYKJAVIK 000162

SIPDIS

SENSITIVE, SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREL PHUM IR IC
SUBJECT: ICELAND/HUMAN RIGHTS: SKEPTICAL OF IRAN, BUT
SEEKING CLEARER U.S. VISION

REFS: (A) STATE 55461, (B) STATE 57036, (C) STATE 54484,
(D) STATE 66050


1. (SBU) Since April post has regularly discussed the new UN
Human Rights Council (refs A and B) and Iranian human rights
violations (refs C and D) with Icelandic MFA Minister
Counselor Nikulas Hannigan, who is both the International
Institutions director and Middle East director in Iceland's
small MFA. Hannigan said it would be difficult for Iceland
to offer commitments concerning Icelandic intentions with
respect to the Human Rights Council and related issues so
long as the U.S. does not explicitly name the states "that
systematically abuse human rights" against which we say we
wish to campaign. POLOFF assured Hannigan that Iran would
be one such and encouraged him to draw additional
conclusions based on country human rights practices on which
we have demarched him in the past.


2. (SBU) Hannigan referred POLOFF to Foreign Minister Geir
Haarde's April 6 foreign policy speech to Iceland's
parliament, in which Haarde contended that "states which
systematically violate their human rights commitments, or
are subject to sanctions by the Security Council as a result
of human rights violations, should not be supported for a
seat on the (Human Rights) Council." (Note: Haarde also
said that the Council "did not entirely meet the
expectations of the Icelandic government" and that
"(l)asting peace and security will only be established
through effective democracy and respect for human rights and
international human rights legislation." End note.)


3. (SBU) Comment: Reykjavik would be highly unlikely to
vote for Iranian membership on the Human Rights Council. FM
Haarde clearly shares our antipathy for state violators of
human rights with pretensions to serve in the world's most
important new human rights institution. End comment.

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