DEMARCHE DELIVERED: PASSING THE RESOLUTION ON

C O N F I D E N T I A L CAIRO 002341 SIPDIS FOR NEA, DRL AND IO E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/12/2028 TAGS: PREL PHUM IR BM KN EG SUBJECT: DEMARCHE DELIVERED: PASSING THE RESOLUTION ON HUMAN RIGHTS IN IRAN REF: A. STATE 118150 ¶B. CAIRO 2037 Classified By: ECPO Mincouns William R. Stewart for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d). (C) We delivered ref A demarche November 12 to MFA Deputy Assistant Minister for Human Rights Wael Aboulmagd who committed to taking U.S. views into consideration, but emphasized that the GOE's "principled position" opposing country specific human rights resolutions remains standing policy. Aboulmagd said the GOE favors the country specific reports under the Universal Periodic Review, as opposed to UNGA Third Committee resolutions which the GOE views as "politicized" and designed to "embarrass" certain countries. We pressed for the GOE to abstain or be absent from the no-action motion votes instead of voting in favor, and to abstain or be absent from the resolution votes instead of voting against. We also noted that in 2007 a number of Arab countries voted with the U.S. on the Burma and DPRK resolutions and the Burma no-action motion, or were absent or abstained from the Iran votes. Aboulmagd replied that other Arab countries usually follow Egypt's lead, not the reverse. SCOBEY