GARCIA MORITAN'S VIEWS ON UN REFORM AND UNHRC

C O N F I D E N T I A L BUENOS AIRES 001045 SIPDIS SIPDIS WHA/BSC FOR BLAKENEY IO FOR LEATHAM AND GLOCKNER 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. -------------- -------------- GM: UN Reform Important; UNHRC Performance Disappointing -------------- -------------- ¶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. -------------- -------------- GM: Concern over UN Deprioritization of Non-Proliferation issues -------------- -------------- ¶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. -------------- Comment: -------------- ¶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