ALDIP ON UNGA THIRD COMMITTEE RESOLUTIONS

UNCLAS MOSCOW 005146 SIPDIS SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PHUM PREL KTIA UN RS SUBJECT: ALDIP ON UNGA THIRD COMMITTEE RESOLUTIONS REF: STATE 145641 ¶1. We delivered reftel demarche on October 24 to MFA Department for Humanitarian Cooperation and Human Rights First Secretary Aleksey Goltyayev. Goltyaev said that the GOR would oppose on principle country-specific resolutions condemning the human rights records of Iran, Burma, the DPRK and Belarus. The GOR is against such "politicization" of human rights resolutions and the singling out of specific countries, which only divides the international community into "good guys and bad guys." Instead, the international community should encourage governments to make voluntary commitments to promote human rights and hold them accountable through the Universal Periodic Review (UPR),in which the human rights records of all UN member-states would be subject to review under agreed-upon guidelines. Furthermore, Goltyaev explained that the GOR sees the UN Human Rights Council as the appropriate forum for such efforts rather than the UNGA Third Committee. ¶2. Goltyaev had the following comments on the thematic resolutions in reftel: -- Rape as an Instrument of State Policy ¶3. The GOR does not have a position on the resolution at this time. Goltyaev added that several MFA officials observed that the resolution could be redrafted to include language referring to "non-state actors," which would make the resolution applicable to private security firms. This could place the U.S. in violation of the resolution because of the activities of private security firms the USG uses in Iraq. -- Elections Resolution ¶4. Goltyaev could not comment on this resolution as the issue is handled by another department in the MFA. Goltyaev said he would pass on our points to the appropriate department. -- Defamation of Religion ¶5. The GOR does not share the U.S. concern that the resolution could restrict freedom of expression in the name of protecting religion and may support it. Goltyaev added that Russia already has legislation prohibiting the defamation of religion. -- EU Death Penalty Resolution ¶6. The resolution "goes in the right direction" and the GOR could support it so long as the resolution calls only for a moratorium and not a ban on the death penalty. ¶7. Finally, Goltyaev told us that the GOR tabled the resolution on Inadmissibility of Certain Practices that Contribute to Fueling Contemporary Forms Of Racism, Racial Discrimination, Xenophobia, and Related Intolerance. While the GOR introduced this resolution previously, it has since added language specifically condemning desecrating the graves of and monuments to those who fought against Nazism. The GOR feels strongly that such activities are being used to fuel neo-Nazism. Goltyaev said that the GOR observed these activities throughout Eastern and Central Europe and stressed that this language was not directed at a specific country. Burns