GARCIA MORITAN'S VIEWS ON UN REFORM AND UNHRC

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E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/30/2017
TAGS: PREL UNHRC UNAUS PHUM KNNP PARM AR
SUBJECT: GARCIA MORITAN'S VIEWS ON UN REFORM AND UNHRC
PERFORMANCE AT FAREWELL LUNCH FOR NEW ARGENTINE AMBASSADOR
TO THE UN

Classified By: AMBASSADOR E. ANTHONY WAYNE FOR REASONS 1.4 (B) AND (D)


1. (C) Summary. On May 24, Ambassador Wayne hosted a lunch
in honor of new Argentine Ambassador to the United Nations
Jorge Arguello, with Deputy Foreign Minister Garcia Moritan
present, among others. The Ambassadors discussed the
importance of UN reform and stressed the need to work
together to strengthen the institution. The Ambassadors also
discussed the importance of building a strong UN Human Rights
Council and exchanged their assessment of the Council's
performance in its first year. During the meeting, Garcia
Moritan also expressed concern that the UN no longer
prioritizes disarmament issues. Atmospherics were warm and
collegial less than a day after DFM Garcia Moritan called in
the Ambassador to register the GOA's displeasure with the
latest publication of our Consular Information Sheet (see
septel). End Summary.


2. (C) On May 24, Ambassador Wayne hosted a farewell lunch
in honor of new Argentine Ambassador to the United Nations
Jorge Arguello. Other participants included Deputy Foreign
Minister Roberto Garcia Moritan; Ambassador Raul Ricardes,
MFA Director General for International Organizations;
Ambassador of Japan Shinya Nagai; Ambassador of Brazil Mauro
Vieira; Ambassador of Canada Yves Gagnon; and Ambassador of
Mexico Maria Cristina de la Garza Sandoval. DCM and poloff
were also in attendance.

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GM: UN Reform Important; UNHRC Performance Disappointing
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3. (C) Ambassador Wayne stressed the importance of UN
reform and that the USG looks forward to working with
Arguello in his new capacity to build an organization that is
results-oriented; cultivate a culture of ethical conduct; and
institute practices of accountability and transparency.
Arguello, who has most recently served as President of the
Foreign Relations Committee in the Lower House, pledged to
work closely with us on UN reform and other issues.
Ambassador Wayne also underscored the importance of building
a strong UN Human Rights Council that brings attention to
human rights situations of concern, such as Darfur and
Myanmar, in the next year. Ambassador Wayne thanked
Argentina for its leadership role in the UN Human Rights
Council and expressed hope that it would run for the Council
in the near future.


4. (C) DFM Garcia Moritan agreed that UN reform is
important and expressed disappointment with the UNHRC's
performance in its first year. He lamented that the Council
failed to reach agreement on peer review of Council members
which he viewed as critical. He also regretted that Burma
was not taken up by the Council and noted that there was
"excessive politicization" in the Council on other issues.
Ambassador Wayne noted the importance of having contested
slates for UNHRC elections and pointed out that Belarus would
have won a seat on the Council had Bosnia not presented its
candidacy at the last minute. DFM Garcia Moritan agreed,
adding that the quality of members on the Council is very
important. Mexican Ambassador de la Garza observed that
"automatic majorities in the Council" makes it difficult to
reach consensus on many issues. The UNHRC's raison d'etre is
to evaluate a country's human rights situation on the basis
of its merits, she stated, and voting by regional blocs often
make it impossible to move forward on certain cases. IO
Director Ambassador Ricardes reiterated Argentina's belief
that the United States should run for the Council, arguing
that it would be better to influence the Council from within
than from without. Ambassador Wayne explained that the USG
believed that the UNHRC should first demonstrate results
before it would consider running for a seat.


5. (C) DFM Garcia Moritan asserted that it is important to
have a strong UNHRC so that the UN Security Council does not
have to consider all issues. The UNSC should focus
exclusively on matters of "extreme concern to international
security". Ambassador Wayne replied that, unfortunately,
many UNSC members use this as an excuse to avoid addressing
egregious human rights situations by claiming that it is an
"internal problem" only.

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GM: Concern over UN Deprioritization of Non-Proliferation
issues
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6. (C) Turning to non-proliferation issues, DFM Garcia
Moritan also expressed concern over the UN Disarmament
Commission inactivity over the last 7-8 years, and that
nuclear disarmament no longer seems to be a priority now that
the Cold War is over. He also argued that UNSC resolutions
should be binding on all member states, otherwise it loses
its credibility.

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Comment:
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7. (C) Atmospherics were warm and collegial less than a
day after DFM Garcia Moritan called in the Ambassador to
register the GOA's displeasure with the latest publication of
our Consular Information Sheet (see septel).
WAYNE