Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
07MADRID897
2007-05-11 16:20:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Madrid
Cable title:  

SPAIN: UN HUMAN RIGHTS COUNCIL ELECTION

Tags:  PHUM PREL UNHRC SP 
pdf how-to read a cable
VZCZCXRO2783
OO RUEHAG RUEHROV
DE RUEHMD #0897 1311620
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
O 111620Z MAY 07
FM AMEMBASSY MADRID
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 2499
INFO RUEHGV/USMISSION GENEVA IMMEDIATE 0847
RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK IMMEDIATE 0346
RUCNMEM/EU MEMBER STATES COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
RUEHLA/AMCONSUL BARCELONA PRIORITY 2693
C O N F I D E N T I A L MADRID 000897 

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

DRL/MLGA FOR LYNN SICADE/SYLVIA HAMMOND, EUR/WE, EUR/PGI,
IO/RHS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/11/2017
TAGS: PHUM PREL UNHRC SP
SUBJECT: SPAIN: UN HUMAN RIGHTS COUNCIL ELECTION

REF: A. STATE 63345


B. STATE 64169

C. MADRID 835

Classified By: DCM Hugo Llorens for reasons 1.4 (B) and (D)

C O N F I D E N T I A L MADRID 000897

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

DRL/MLGA FOR LYNN SICADE/SYLVIA HAMMOND, EUR/WE, EUR/PGI,
IO/RHS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/11/2017
TAGS: PHUM PREL UNHRC SP
SUBJECT: SPAIN: UN HUMAN RIGHTS COUNCIL ELECTION

REF: A. STATE 63345


B. STATE 64169

C. MADRID 835

Classified By: DCM Hugo Llorens for reasons 1.4 (B) and (D)


1. (C) DCM raised with Spanish MFA PolCouns Rafael
Dezcallar May 10 the USG's strong desire for Spain's support
in countering the Belarus candidacy for a seat on the UN
Human Rights Council and its active efforts in favor of the
candidacies of Slovenia and Bosnia. DCM underscored that the
request for support had come from Under Secretary Nick Burns
and that this was a high priority for the USG. DCM referred
to Spain's positive response to our earlier demarche (ref C)
in which the MFA made clear Spain's opposition to the Belarus
candidacy and support for Slovenia. Dezcallar was not aware
of the issue and suggested we touch base with Deputy Director
for Human Rights Fernando Fernandez-Arias who has the lead in
the MFA on this issue.


2. (C) PolCouns followed up morning of May 11 with
Fernandez-Arias, and provided information in ref B that
Bosnia had formally put forward its candidacy.
Fernandez-Arias had not yet heard that Bosnia had come
forward and was relieved to hear the news. He said that this
would help the EU, as EU Missions in New York were to meet
May 11 under the auspices of the German Presidency to
determine next steps. He pointed toward the recent EU
decision not to support a candidate that is in violation of
human rights standards. He said that while the UK and France
were actively campaigning against Belarus by name, the EU,
while making its position clear, had decided not to
specifically name Belarus. For Spain, Fernandez-Arias said,
this was appropriate, since as CiO of the Organization for
Cooperation in Europe, Spain felt it inappropriate to
actively campaign against another OSCE member by name; he
pointed out, however, that Spain had made its opposition to
Belarus well-known.


3. (C) Fernandez-Arias said the Bosnia candidacy was a
positive development because this provided those who were
voting for Slovenia a clear choice for the other seat. Arias
was pessimistic, however, that the effort to prevent Belarus
from winning a seat would be successful, since Belarus
chaired the Non-Aligned Movement and could count on their
numerous votes.


4. (C) Nonetheless, Fernandez-Arias reiterated that Spain
strongly opposed Belarus, would vote for Slovenia and almost
certainly would vote for Bosnia and would make this
recommendation to MFA senior leaderhship. Polcouns
underscored that this issue was of great concern to the USG's
senior leadership and that the DCM's discussion with
Dezcallar reflected the USG's strong investment in doing
everything possible to prevent Belarus from winning a seat on
the UN Human Rights Council. Arias agreed this would be a
disaster and indicated that Spain was fully in line with
efforts to ensure Belarus did not get elected.
Aguirre