ALBANIA SEEKS SEAT ON UN HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION

C O N F I D E N T I A L TIRANA 000434 SIPDIS SIPDIS STATE FOR EUR/SCE (MBENEDICT/DSAINZ) AND IO/UNP NSC FOR BRAUN E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/02/2016 TAGS: KUNR PREL OPDC PHUM PINR UNGA AL SUBJECT: ALBANIA SEEKS SEAT ON UN HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION Classified By: AMBASSADOR MARCIE RIES. REASONS: 1.4 (B) AND (D). ¶1. (C) FM Minister Mustafaj told Ambassador May 1 that Albania would put its name forward for a spot on the UN Human Rights Commission, and asked for USG support. Mustafaj told the Ambassador that former UN SecGen Boutros-Boutros Ghali had written to Francophone countries in support of Albania's candidacy and is also seeking OIC support. Earlier, Deputy FM Harxhi told DCM that Albania is very serious about seeking this position and was committed to doing a good job should it be chosen for the commission. ¶2. (C) Comment: We believe Albania is a serious candidate for a seat on the HRC, and should be given strong USG consideration. Albania's human rights record is, by and large, a good one despite its admitted problems with pre-detention holding cells and judicial corruption. A moderate, very pro-western Muslim country, Albania seems exactly the type of country to promote for this types of commission -- a) It has good values when it comes to human rights and an excellent record when it comes to human rights issues at the UN. (The Foreign Minister was himself a founder of a human rights NGO.) b) We believe we can rely on it consistently to vote the right way on key issues such as Venezuela and Iran. c) It has an excellent record in the GWOT, including votes at the UN. d) In the region it has been calling for attention to human rights of minorities in Kosovo. RIES