Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
07COLOMBO1407
2007-10-11 09:51:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Colombo
Cable title:
ARBOUR PROVIDES INTERIM READOUT OF HER VISIT TO
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C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 COLOMBO 001407
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/11/2017
TAGS: PHUM PREL AORC CE
SUBJECT: ARBOUR PROVIDES INTERIM READOUT OF HER VISIT TO
SRI LANKA
Classified By: Ambassador Robert O. Blake, Jr. for reasons 1.4 (b) and
(d).
C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 COLOMBO 001407
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/11/2017
TAGS: PHUM PREL AORC CE
SUBJECT: ARBOUR PROVIDES INTERIM READOUT OF HER VISIT TO
SRI LANKA
Classified By: Ambassador Robert O. Blake, Jr. for reasons 1.4 (b) and
(d).
1. (C) Summary: At a working lunch on October 11 UN High
Commissioner for Human Rights Louise Arbour expressed doubt
that she will be able to negotiate during this trip an
increase in the staff of the office of the High Commissioner
for Human Rights in Colombo with a broad mandate. She wants
to leave on good terms and intends to pursue the idea
however. She commented that the upcoming Human Rights
Council meeting in Geneva on December 10 provides some
leverage. She has informed the GSL that she will brief the
HRC on the outcome of her visit to Sri Lanka and that an
unsatisfactory outcome could trigger renewed efforts by the
EU and others to pursue a statement on the Sri Lankan human
rights situation. End Summary.
Seeking Expanded Presence with Broad Mandate
--------------
2. (C) The Canadian Ambassador hosted a working lunch for
the Ambassadors of the U.S., EU, U.K. (representing the
Portuguese EU Presidency),Germany, Netherlands, Australia,
Norway, Switzerland and India with Arbour and her key staff.
Arbour expressed doubt that she will be able to negotiate in
increase in the OHCHR presence with a broad mandate during
this visit. She said her message to President Rajapaksa and
other members of the government has been that she wants to
see a strengthened presence coupled with a robust mandate for
this new personnel, a mandate that includes the office's
right to speak publicly. Arbour noted that the government
has expressed an interest in increasing technical cooperation
and capacity building, but has not responded on the sensitive
questions of whether new OHCHR personnel would be permitted
nor whether they would have a broad mandate. Arbour briefed
luncheon participants that she thinks it would be a mistake
to only pursue technical cooperation because that would make
OHCHR "yet another mute human rights institution in Colombo".
She further commented that Sri Lanka would benefit from a
substantial increased presence and a robust mandate, but she
will settle for a more limited presence provided they have a
strong mandate.
Human Rights Council
--------------
3. (C) Arbour commented that one source of leverage she has
is the upcoming Human Rights Council meeting in Geneva on
December 10. She noted that Sri Lanka had been fortunate
that events in Burma had focused attention away from Sri
Lanka. But she said she had informed her interlocutors that
she would brief the HRC on the outcome of her visit to Sri
Lanka and that an unsatisfactory outcome could trigger
renewed efforts by the EU and others to pursue a statement on
the Sri Lankan human rights situation.
COI and IIGEP
--------------
4. (C) Asked for her views about whether countries supporting
the International Independent Group of Eminent Persons who
are observing the work of Sri Lankan's Commission of Inquiry
should support a renewal of the IIGEP when its mandate
expires in November, Arbour responded that the Commission of
Inquiry should never have accepted a one-year mandate to
accomplish the complicated task of holding hearings on 16
separate cases and publishing their findings. She said that
based on her experience with Commissions elsewhere, such a
task would take at least 2 to 3 years, but acknowledged
prospects for a two year renewal were "zero".
Next Steps
--------------
COLOMBO 00001407 002 OF 002
5. (C) Arbour plans to travel to Jaffna on October 12 and
then conclude her visit with a joint press conference with
Human Rights Minister Samarasinghe on Saturday, October 13.
Ambassadors agreed to meet with local UN Officials early the
week of October 15 for a more detailed readout of the visit
and to discuss strategy and next steps that we can recommend
to capitals for both the December 10 Human Rights Council
meetings and future support for the IIGEP/COI process. Post
will provide an additional report following that meeting.
BLAKE
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/11/2017
TAGS: PHUM PREL AORC CE
SUBJECT: ARBOUR PROVIDES INTERIM READOUT OF HER VISIT TO
SRI LANKA
Classified By: Ambassador Robert O. Blake, Jr. for reasons 1.4 (b) and
(d).
1. (C) Summary: At a working lunch on October 11 UN High
Commissioner for Human Rights Louise Arbour expressed doubt
that she will be able to negotiate during this trip an
increase in the staff of the office of the High Commissioner
for Human Rights in Colombo with a broad mandate. She wants
to leave on good terms and intends to pursue the idea
however. She commented that the upcoming Human Rights
Council meeting in Geneva on December 10 provides some
leverage. She has informed the GSL that she will brief the
HRC on the outcome of her visit to Sri Lanka and that an
unsatisfactory outcome could trigger renewed efforts by the
EU and others to pursue a statement on the Sri Lankan human
rights situation. End Summary.
Seeking Expanded Presence with Broad Mandate
--------------
2. (C) The Canadian Ambassador hosted a working lunch for
the Ambassadors of the U.S., EU, U.K. (representing the
Portuguese EU Presidency),Germany, Netherlands, Australia,
Norway, Switzerland and India with Arbour and her key staff.
Arbour expressed doubt that she will be able to negotiate in
increase in the OHCHR presence with a broad mandate during
this visit. She said her message to President Rajapaksa and
other members of the government has been that she wants to
see a strengthened presence coupled with a robust mandate for
this new personnel, a mandate that includes the office's
right to speak publicly. Arbour noted that the government
has expressed an interest in increasing technical cooperation
and capacity building, but has not responded on the sensitive
questions of whether new OHCHR personnel would be permitted
nor whether they would have a broad mandate. Arbour briefed
luncheon participants that she thinks it would be a mistake
to only pursue technical cooperation because that would make
OHCHR "yet another mute human rights institution in Colombo".
She further commented that Sri Lanka would benefit from a
substantial increased presence and a robust mandate, but she
will settle for a more limited presence provided they have a
strong mandate.
Human Rights Council
--------------
3. (C) Arbour commented that one source of leverage she has
is the upcoming Human Rights Council meeting in Geneva on
December 10. She noted that Sri Lanka had been fortunate
that events in Burma had focused attention away from Sri
Lanka. But she said she had informed her interlocutors that
she would brief the HRC on the outcome of her visit to Sri
Lanka and that an unsatisfactory outcome could trigger
renewed efforts by the EU and others to pursue a statement on
the Sri Lankan human rights situation.
COI and IIGEP
--------------
4. (C) Asked for her views about whether countries supporting
the International Independent Group of Eminent Persons who
are observing the work of Sri Lankan's Commission of Inquiry
should support a renewal of the IIGEP when its mandate
expires in November, Arbour responded that the Commission of
Inquiry should never have accepted a one-year mandate to
accomplish the complicated task of holding hearings on 16
separate cases and publishing their findings. She said that
based on her experience with Commissions elsewhere, such a
task would take at least 2 to 3 years, but acknowledged
prospects for a two year renewal were "zero".
Next Steps
--------------
COLOMBO 00001407 002 OF 002
5. (C) Arbour plans to travel to Jaffna on October 12 and
then conclude her visit with a joint press conference with
Human Rights Minister Samarasinghe on Saturday, October 13.
Ambassadors agreed to meet with local UN Officials early the
week of October 15 for a more detailed readout of the visit
and to discuss strategy and next steps that we can recommend
to capitals for both the December 10 Human Rights Council
meetings and future support for the IIGEP/COI process. Post
will provide an additional report following that meeting.
BLAKE