GVN OPPOSES COUNTRY-SPECIFIC HUMAN RIGHTS RESOLUTIONS

UNCLAS HANOI 001961 SIPDIS SENSITIVE SIPDIS DEPT FOR DRL/MLGA SICADE,PAZ; IO/RHS OSTERMEIER,GHOSH E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PREL PHUM UNGA UN VM SUBJECT: GVN OPPOSES COUNTRY-SPECIFIC HUMAN RIGHTS RESOLUTIONS REF: State 157024 (SBU) On November 19, Poloff met with MFA International Organizations Department Human Rights Desk Officers Nguyen Cam Linh and Phung Thi Lan Huong to discuss reftel points on country-specific human rights resolutions and to deliver the related non-paper. Linh and Huong were familiar with the resolutions. They emphasized that, as in previous years, GVN policy does not support country-specific resolutions, and that this has been a consistent GVN policy for many years. Lan Huong noted that this does not mean the GVN is not concerned about human rights in other countries, but that it does not consider country-specific resolutions to be the best way to effect change. According to Linh, the GVN approach is based on promoting dialogue between countries and between the involved parties in order to find peaceful solutions. Referring specifically to Burma, Lan Huong said that, while the GVN supports UN engagement in Burma, the Burmese government must be the first source to address the country's human rights situation. She added that, since the GVN is opposed to country-specific resolutions, it could support no-action resolutions introduced to defeat them. MICHALAK