UN HUMAN RIGHTS COUNCIL ELECTION -- GUINEA

C O N F I D E N T I A L CONAKRY 000515 SIPDIS SIPDIS DEPT FOR IO/RHS, DRL/MLGA, EUR/PGI E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/10/2017 TAGS: PHUM PREL UNHRC SUBJECT: UN HUMAN RIGHTS COUNCIL ELECTION -- GUINEA REF: A. STATE 63345 ¶B. STATE 58056 Classified By: Political Officer Jessica Davis Ba. Reasons 1.4 (b) and (d). ¶1. (C) On May 9, we delivered reftel demarche to Ambassador Ousmane Diao Balde, National Director for Legal and Consular Affairs at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, regarding the U.N. Human Rights Council and the candidacy of Belarus. Kabele Camara, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Cooperation, African Integration, and Guineans Abroad is not in the country. We emphasized that the best way to improve the Human Rights Council is to elect strong democratic governments and Belarus is not one. We urged Guinea to support good candidates for the U.N. Human Rights Council, such as Slovenia and Bosnia. ¶2. (C) On May 10, Balde responded that Guinea will not/not oppose the candidacy of Belarus. He said that Russia had made a strong case for Belarus. He claimed that Russia and China have stood with Guinea in the past. Balde said that although Guinea is not a member of the Human Rights Council, it understands the council's mission and importance. Balde said he would communicate our desire for Guinea's support for the bids of Slovenia and Bosnia. However, he noted that Guinea's position is firm. (Note: Balde has been nominated to become Guinea's U.N. Permanent Representative in New York in early 2008.) ¶3. (C) Balde's remarks reflect the archaic attitudes which persist within the Guinean bureaucracy, despite the appointment of a new, more forward-thinking government. The Ambassador has requested a meeting with Prime Minister Lansana Kouyate (since the Foreign Minister is out of the country) specifically to urge Guinea not to support, even tacitly, Belarus's bid for a seat on the Human Rights Council. MCDONALD