Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
06THEHAGUE1857
2006-08-24 09:12:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy The Hague
Cable title:  

NETHERLANDS/HRC: DUTCH FOLLOWING EU LEAD AT NEW HRC

Tags:  PHUM PREL UNHRC NL 
pdf how-to read a cable
VZCZCXYZ0026
PP RUEHWEB

DE RUEHTC #1857 2360912
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
P 240912Z AUG 06
FM AMEMBASSY THE HAGUE
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 6617
INFO RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK 4149
RUEHGV/USMISSION GENEVA 1352
C O N F I D E N T I A L THE HAGUE 001857 

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/23/2016
TAGS: PHUM PREL UNHRC NL
SUBJECT: NETHERLANDS/HRC: DUTCH FOLLOWING EU LEAD AT NEW HRC

REF: A. A) STATE 136467


B. B) GENEVA 2030

Classified By: Political Counselor Andrew J. Schofer; reasons 1.4 (b) a
nd (d).

C O N F I D E N T I A L THE HAGUE 001857

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/23/2016
TAGS: PHUM PREL UNHRC NL
SUBJECT: NETHERLANDS/HRC: DUTCH FOLLOWING EU LEAD AT NEW HRC

REF: A. A) STATE 136467


B. B) GENEVA 2030

Classified By: Political Counselor Andrew J. Schofer; reasons 1.4 (b) a
nd (d).


1. (C) The Dutch see no end to OIC efforts to tar Israel at
the HRC. Moreover, they see little prospect of successfully
blocking these attempts, given the OIC's 17 votes and the
willingness of other HRC members to vote with the OIC.


2. (C) Poloff delivered ref A demarche August 23 to Peter van
der Vliet, head of Political and Legal Affairs, MFA UN and
IFIs Department. Van der Vliet expressed Dutch dismay at the
OIC's tactics but offered no ideas for steering the HRC in a
more productive direction.


3. (C) Comment: Ref B, in our view, correctly describes how
the EU's emphasis on finding consensus positions at the HRC
dilutes the effectiveness of traditional Human Rights
advocates, such as the Netherlands. So far, at least, the
Dutch appear inclined to follow the EU lead at the HRC rather
than steer a separate course, although they recogize how this
"lowest-common denominator" approach undermines the
principles they are seeking to uphold. End Comment.
BLAKEMAN