ARMENIA: UN HUMAN RIGHTS COUNCIL DEMARCHE DELIVERED

UNCLAS YEREVAN 000523

SIPDIS

SENSITIVE

DEPARTMENT FOR I/O AND EUR/CARC

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: KUNR OPDC PREL PHUM AM
SUBJECT: ARMENIA: UN HUMAN RIGHTS COUNCIL DEMARCHE DELIVERED

REF: STATE 57036

Sensitive but Unclassified. Please Treat Accordingly.

(SBU) On April 12, DCM met with Deputy Foreign Minister Armen
Baiburtian to discuss Secretary Rice's letter (forwarded the
previous day) requesting that Armenia join the U.S. in
pledging to support for membership in the new UN Human Rights
Council only those candidates with positive track records on
human rights. We urged strongly that Armenia make a similar
pledge. Baiburtian did not answer directly when we asked if
Armenia currently planned to support the candidacy of any
country which systematically abused human rights. When we
asked point-blank if Armenia would logroll with Iran for
election to the Council, Baiburtian answered only that "we
will certainly consider the Secretary's letter carefully"
before taking any decisions.
EVANS