ARGENTINA URGES SUPPORT FOR ITS CANDIDACY TO UN

C O N F I D E N T I A L BUENOS AIRES 000515 SIPDIS SIPDIS FOR IO/RHS FOR ROHN DRL/MLA FOR WHA/BSC DRUCKER, FRIEDMAN, SHOWELL E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/21/2018 TAGS: PREL PHUM UNHRC AR SUBJECT: ARGENTINA URGES SUPPORT FOR ITS CANDIDACY TO UN HUMAN RIGHTS COUNCIL REF: A. 01/18/08 GOMEZ-DRUCKER EMAIL ¶B. 04/17/08 COUGHLIN-ROHN PHONE CALL ¶C. 2007 BUENOS AIRES 913 ¶1. (C) The Argentine MFA convoked all resident Ambassadors April 17 to solicit support for Argentina's candidacy to the UN Human Rights Council in the May 16 vote. The meeting followed up on the MFA's January Diplomatic Note announcing the candidacy, which was forwarded via e-mail to WHA/BSC in January (ref A). In the MFA's request for support, Under Secretary for Multilateral Affairs, Ambassador Raul Ricardes SIPDIS underscored Argentina's unwavering commitment to defending human rights. He outlined Argentina's participation in the first year of the Council's creation, noting its efforts to urge the Council to consider the human rights violations occuring in Darfur and Burma. He also noted that Argentina was among the first countries to participate in the Universial Periodic Review of its human rights situation, and he provided additional supporting materials that post is forwarding to the Department. Ambassador Wayne attended. ¶2. (C) Post recommends that the Department favorably consider Argentina's request for support of its UNHRC candidacy. Post understands that only Argentina, Brazil, and Chile have announced their candidacies for the three seats on the Council open to Latin America and the Caribbean (ref B). Argentina's performance in its first year on the Council was generally responsible. Argentina was helpful on the Belarus membership vote (Ref C),and it voted for country-specific resolutions against Burma, Belarus, CUBA and the DPRK. In addition, Argentina supported our candidate for the UN Committee for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination. WAYNE