UNHRC LEBANON RESOLUTION: GOJ TO MAKE LAST MINUTE

C O N F I D E N T I A L TOKYO 004512 SIPDIS SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/09/2016 TAGS: PHUM PREL KPAO UNHRC JA SUBJECT: UNHRC LEBANON RESOLUTION: GOJ TO MAKE LAST MINUTE DECISION REF: STATE 130904 Classified By: Deputy Chief of Mission Joe Donovan. Reasons 1.4 (b),( d) ¶1. (C) Embassy delivered reftel demarche to MOFA Human Rights and Humanitarian Affairs Division Principal Deputy Director Yoriko Suzuki August 10. Suzuki said Japan was unconvinced that Article 12 precludes UNHRC jurisdiction over the conflict in Lebanon. She said that Japan shares U.S. concerns about the one-sidedness of the resolution, and that Japan would weigh this issue heavily during deliberations about how to vote on the resolution, which she expects will conclude immediately before the vote. ¶2. (C) Drawing from reftel talking points, DCM Donovan subsequently raised this issue with Deputy Vice Foreign Minister Masaharu Kohno. The DCM stressed that the United States does not believe the Human Rights Council is the appropriate body to discuss these issues, especially when the UNSC is seized of the matter. We believe that the current draft contains unsubstantiated factual allegations and conclusions that are not supported by fact or analysis. The U.S. Government requests that Japan make statements in Council and publicly that the resolution is not balanced and that it unfairly singles out Israel. DVFM Kohno was noncommittal, saying only that he "took note" of U.S. views on the issue. SCHIEFFER