DEMARCHE DELIVERED: UNHRC CANDIDACY OF BELARUS

C O N F I D E N T I A L GEORGETOWN 000447 SIPDIS SENSITIVE SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/04/2017 TAGS: PHUM PREL UNHRC GY SUBJECT: DEMARCHE DELIVERED: UNHRC CANDIDACY OF BELARUS REF: STATE 58056 Classified By: DEPUTY CHIEF OF MISSION MICHAEL D. THOMAS FOR REASONS 1. 4(B) AND (D) ¶1. (C) Poloff delivered demarche on UN Human Rights Council Candidacy of Belarus on May 4, 2007 to Jacqueline Hamer, Director of Multilateral and Global Affairs at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Ms. Hamer stated that Guyana was currently looking at many different candidates for UNHRC seats, but they have yet to decide on any particular nation. Ms. Hamer stated that she would pass the talking points on to the Minister of Foreign Affairs and discuss the U.S. position with him. ¶2. (C) Prior to meeting with Ms. Hamer, Poloff contacted Malcolm Kirk, Deputy High Commissioner at the British High Commission in Guyana, to request that he join us in discussing the issue with the GOG. Mr. Kirk thanked Poloff for calling, but stated that the High Commission had been instructed not to specifically name Belarus when engaging the GOG about upcoming UNHRC vacancies. He asked that Poloff deliver the U.S. demarche first, so that he could then bring up the issue when he met with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Robinson