CHINESE MFA ON UNGA THIRD COMMITTEE RESOLUTIONS

C O N F I D E N T I A L BEIJING 006730 SIPDIS SIPDIS DEPT FOR DRL/MLGA, IO/RHS, EAP/CM E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/18/2017 TAGS: PHUM PREL KTIA CH SUBJECT: CHINESE MFA ON UNGA THIRD COMMITTEE RESOLUTIONS REF: STATE 145641 Classified By: Political Minister Counselor Aubrey Carlson for reasons 1.4 (b/d). ¶1. (U) This cable contains an action request. See paragraph ¶4. ¶2. (C) Poloff on October 18 conveyed to MFA International Organizations and Conferences Department Human Rights Division Director Dong Zhihua reftel points soliciting support for U.S. priority resolutions in the UN General Assembly's Third Committee. Dong said "China's position on the country-specific resolutions is well-known." China will "study the content of each and every resolution" but takes a "very cautious" attitude toward country-specific resolutions in the Third Committee. Dong noted that the UN Commission on Human Rights conducts periodic universal reviews of every country and can adopt country-specific resolutions. Dong said that a Third Committee resolution should be considered only after "comprehensive and thorough consultations taking into account all parties' opinions, including those of the concerned country." In general, she added, Third Committee country-specific resolutions should be adopted only by consensus. ¶3. (C) Dong also commented on the thematic resolutions. She said she was not prepared to comment substantively on the resolution concerning rape as an instrument of state policy. (Zeng Zhengli of the MFA International Organization Department's UN Specialized Agencies Division told poloff separately that China's Permanent Mission in New York is still studying the draft text.) Dong asked for more information in the form of a non-paper on the elections resolution. Dong said that she would check China's position in past years on the "Defamation of Religion" resolution, but speculated that if the OIC sponsors the resolution then China will probably support it. Finally, Dong noted without prompting that the United States and China share a common position on the death penalty resolution. ¶4. (U) Action request: As requested by Dong, please provide points in the form of a non-paper on the U.S.-sponsored elections resolution. Randt