UK "DISAPPOINTED" WITH USG DECISION ON POLICY

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 LONDON 001632

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C O R R E C T E D C O P Y - DECLASSIFICATION DATE CHANGED

E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/13/2018
TAGS: PREL PGOV PHUM UN UK
SUBJECT: UK "DISAPPOINTED" WITH USG DECISION ON POLICY
TOWARD UNHRC

REF: STATE 61034

LONDON 00001632 001.2 OF 002


Classified By: Classified by Political Minister Counselor Maura Connell
y for reasons 1.4 (b,d)


1. (C) Summary: The British Government is "disappointed
with the USG decision to 'disengage'" with the UNHRC. POLOFF
delivered reftel demarche June 12 to Foreign Office Head of
Human Rights, Democracy and Governance Group Susan Hyland and
Human Rights UN officer Paul Edwards. The British Government
had already been made aware of the USG decision not to
participate in the UN Human Rights Council through
discussions in Geneva. Hyland lamented that the USG has
decided not to remain active within the body, saying the USG
had been the strongest player in the minority team (of which
HMG is a part) seeking to reform the body. Hyland pledged
HMG will continue to work with the USG in the UN General
Assembly and elsewhere to strengthen the UN's commitment to
human rights. End Summary.

FCO "Sorry" Over U.S. Disengagement
--------------


2. (C) Hyland said the Foreign Office was "sorry" to learn
of USG "disengagement" with the UN Human Rights Council. She
said the USG had been the strongest player among the minority
group of UN Member States who had sought to reform how the UN
handles human rights affairs during the creation of the UN
Human Rights Council. POLOFF underscored the USG commitment
to upholding human rights and noted that the USG would engage
in the UNHRC on legal or other matters where there was no
other appropriate fora. Hyland said the USG, and other
Member States interested in reform including HMG, had made
limited progress in making the UNHRC an improved body
compared to its predecessor. This included keeping "some of
the worst" nations in terms of human rights records from
seeking seats on the Council. Hyland acknowledged British
Government frustrations with the Council, including the
removal of some individual mandates, the unbalanced criticism
of Israel, and the ability of countries with a poor human
rights record to "mobilize blocks" within the UN to keep the
Council from examining their human rights record. On the
plus side, she said the "universal review" of country human
rights records was having effect.


3. (C) Hyland and Edwards said the U.S. media tended to
focus on how the Council behaved toward Israel, but argued
that the bulk of the Council's time and work was dedicated to
other matters. POLOFF said it was the position of the USG
that the Council had been unbalanced in its criticism of
Israel and in its focus on that country. Hyland said HMG was
of the view that "where there has been criticism of Israel,
it has been unbalanced" but reiterated that the FCO does not
take the view that the Council spends the bulk of its time on
this issue.

HMG will Continue to Work in UNHRC
--------------


4. (C) Hyland said the Foreign Secretary and Ministers had
taken the decision to continue to work on human rights issues
in both the UN General Assembly and the UNHRC. Edwards said
HMG felt "working from within the Council" was how HMG could
best move the Council in the right direction. This is why
the UK had sought a UNHRC seat. Hyland said HMG was
"disappointed" in the USG decision, as the USG had been the
strongest player in efforts to reform how the UN addresses
human rights issues and had led in building the minority
coalition seeking to shape the UNHRC.


5. (C/NF) Speaking personally, and not on behalf of HMG,
Hyland said she was uncertain how the USG decision would
strengthen the USG (or HMG's) ability to change how the UN
handles human rights matters. She said that, as a
negotiating tactic, any fresh effort to reform the UN,
including through the UNGA in 2011 during the five-year
review would encounter the "same players, and same voting
patterns." She said the tendency in UN negotiations is for
Member States to repeat their voting histories. The USG and
HMG would again find themselves in a minority position.
Hyland thought the USG and HMG had done a good job "battling
from within" the Council and that the USG exit risked
"raising the threshold" both governments would need to cross
to reconstitute a better performing organization. Hyland
said "we'll have to bake the cake with the same ingredients."


6. (C) Hyland and Edwards told POLOFF the British Government

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is committed to working with the USG on improving how the UN
manages human rights issues. Hyland said HMG will work with
the USG in the UNGA, and elsewhere, to achieve this aim.

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