CZECHS WILL NOT VOTE FOR BELARUS FOR UNHRC SEAT,

C O N F I D E N T I A L PRAGUE 000498 SIPDIS NOFORN SIPDIS EUR/NCE FOR ERIC FICHTE, IO/RHS, DRL/MLGA, EUR/PGI, UNSUN NEW YORK, USMISSION GENEVA E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/03/2017 TAGS: PHUM PREL UNHR EZ SUBJECT: CZECHS WILL NOT VOTE FOR BELARUS FOR UNHRC SEAT, BUT PREDICT BELARUSIAN SUCCESS NONETHELESS REF: STATE 58036 Classified By: Political-Economic Counselor Mike Dodman for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d). ¶1. (C) Czech MFA Director Human Rights Department Veronika Stromsikova informed Poloff on May 5 that the Czech Republic will vote for Slovenia for a seat on the UNHRC, but will not/not vote for Belarus. Because no other candidate has announced its candidacy, the Czechs plan to cast only one vote. They do not plan to write in a candidate. ¶2. (C/NF) Stromsikova believed the EU will not issue a statement opposing Belarus's candidacy because of the EU's "non-cooperation rule," pursuant to which EU member states agree not to take a common position on the candidacy of any country running for a seat in a multi-lateral organization. She expressed concern that some unidentified EU member states will vote for Belarus. When pressed, she was purposefully vague, saying only that she was thinking of certain counties in southern Europe. ¶3. (SBU) In conclusion, Stromsikova pessimistically predicted that Belarus would be elected. GRABER