TRIPARTITE DEMARCHE -- SAUDI ARABIA

UNCLAS RIYADH 004854 SIPDIS SIPDIS DEPT FOR NEA/ARPI (BSHUKAN) E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PHUM PREL SA SUBJECT: TRIPARTITE DEMARCHE -- SAUDI ARABIA REF: STATE 91509 STATE 78740 ¶1. (U) PolOff, in coordination with the New Zealand and Australian Embassies, delivered reftel demarche May 31 to Abdulrahman Al-Rassj, First Secretary, International Organizations Department in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Al-Rassj responded that the SAG had not yet formed a position on the declaration, and that it was unlikely that a vote on the declaration would be called at the first session of the UN Human Rights Council. He speculated that it would be closer to November before the Council considered the declaration. He stated that as Chair of the Asian group of the Council, Saudi Arabia would work to build consensus amongst the other Asian members. He concluded that the first meeting would likely focus on setting procedures and developing a mandate for the Council. OBERWETTER