UKRAINE TO PROPOSE RESOLUTION ON "HOLODOMOR" AT

UNCLAS GENEVA 000254 SIPDIS SENSITIVE SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PHUM PREL UNHRC SUBJECT: UKRAINE TO PROPOSE RESOLUTION ON "HOLODOMOR" AT HUMAN RIGHTS COUNCIL ACTION REQUEST - Para 3. ¶1. (SBU) In a recent meeting with the Ambassador, Ukraine's Kyiv-based ambassador to the UN in Geneva, Mykola Maimeskoul, said his government was interested in proposing a resolution at the September session of the UN Human Rights Council on the Holodomor, the Great Famine of the early 1930s. Maimeskoul said the GoU was not seeking to provoke the Russian Government but simply to lend support to commemoration of the 75th anniversary of the Holodomor, which he characterized as a human rights issues appropriate for consideration in the Council. ¶2. (SBU) Maimeskoul provided a draft text (emailed to IO/RHS). It underscores earlier commemorations of that event, expresses sympathy for victims of the famine, welcomes GoU efforts to commemorate the 75th anniversary and the need to increase public awareness, and urges that, given "memories of past horrors and crimes against humanity," the international community should redouble its efforts to respect human rights. The draft makes no mention of the Soviet Union and does not include the word "genocide." ¶3. (SBU) Maimeskoul asked for the USG reaction to the idea of moving ahead with this resolution. We would welcome Department guidance on what to convey to the Ukrainian delegation here. TICHENOR