ANGOLA THANKS US FOR SUPPORT TO THE UN HUMAN

UNCLAS LUANDA 000746

SIPDIS

SENSITIVE
SIPDIS

STATE FOR AF/S AND IO

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREL PHUM UN AO
SUBJECT: ANGOLA THANKS US FOR SUPPORT TO THE UN HUMAN
RIGHTS COUNCIL

REF: LUANDA 445


1. (SBU) Angola,s election to the UN Human Rights Council
has proven to be a source of pride to the GRA as well as
playing extensively in the Angolan press. More importantly
it may provide some catalyst for Angola,s ratification of
some core human rights conventions and has spurred the GRA to
invite visits of Special Procedures of the Human Rights
Council. The GRA has transmitted a diplomatic note thanking
the USG for its support on Angola,s election.


2. (SBU) In addition to GRA mention of Angola,s election to
the UN Human Rights Council in private diplomatic meetings,
it has also received significant press coverage in the
Angolan press and on the national television station. The
Jornal de Angola ran an extensive interview with Ambassador
Virgilio de Faria, head of MIREX,s International
Organizations Division, in which he said that Angola will
ratify four core Human Rights Conventions which Angola has
not yet ratified: UN Convention Against Torture, 1975; UN
Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial
Discrimination, 1965; International Convention on the
Protection of the Rights of All Migrant Workers and Members
of Their Families, 1990; International Convention on the
Right of Persons with Disabilities. When asked by P/E chief
about the schedule for ratifying these conventions, de Faria
said that they have all been before the government for quite
some time but had yet to be placed on the agenda for review
and voting. He elaborated that he had hoped that the press
coverage would spur the government to act.


3. (SBU) The Luanda UN Human Rights Office announced this
week that the GRA has invited the following Special
Procedures teams to visit Angola in 2007: The Working Group
on Arbitrary Detentions from September 17-27; the Special
Rapporteur on Freedom of Expression and opinion from October
15-21, and the Special Rapporteur on Freedom of Religion from
November 20-27, 2007.

Officially Thanked
--------------

4. (U) On July 12, 2007 Embassy Luanda received Diplomatic
Note number 128DORINT/MIREX/2007, dated July 5, 2007, from
the Angolan Ministry of External Relations (MIREX) to thank
the US Government for its support during the election of a
member for the Human Rights Council. A copy of the note has
been transmitted to AF/S. An informal translation follows:

The Board of Directors for International Organizations of the
Ministry of External Relations of the Republic of Angola
presents its compliments to Embassy Luanda and would like to
enthusiastically thank the Government of the United States of
America for its valued contribution to Angola,s election as
a member of the Human Rights Council.

Complimentary Closing.
FERNANDEZ