REES DELIVERS UNGA 3RD COMMITTEE 2008 HUMAN RIGHTS

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 NEW DELHI 002558

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PHUM PREL UN IN
SUBJECT: REES DELIVERS UNGA 3RD COMMITTEE 2008 HUMAN RIGHTS
PRIORITIES, MEETS UN AGENCIES

REF: STATE 095334


1. (SBU) Summary: On September 5, visiting Special
Representative for Social Issues Grover Joseph Rees delivered
reftel points to the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) Joint
Secretary (UN - Economic and Social) Manjeev Singh Puri.
Puri took all points on board; periodically rejoined by
underscoring Indian sensitivities vis--vis freedoms of
expression, sovereignty and other NAM themes; and urged the
United States to reconsider its involvement with the UN Human
Rights Council. Special Representative Rees also touched
upon India's leadership role in the Asia Pacific Democracy
Partnership (APDP) and expressed USG disappointment with
India's unhelpful role in the Community of Democracies.


2. (SBU) Rees also met with UN agencies based in New Delhi
and constituent UN offices in Pune. He conducted a number of
site visits throughout India to review the plight of
vulnerable women, children and other oppressed groups and to
assess the effectiveness of UN-supported programs and
activities to protect and assist members of these groups.
End Summary.

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No-Action Motions
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3. (SBU) Rees opened his meeting with JS Puri by noting
that, in terms of shared values and on numerous political
issues, there is no country that the United States tends to
agree more with than India. However, the low voting
coincidence at the UN must be examined. Rees underscored
that, in our efforts to promote human rights, the United
States wants to take a principled stand against all no-action
motions and to permit full and open debate on the merits of
the serious human rights issues that are raised in thematic
and country-specific human rights resolutions. Puri
responded that, "if you and I are willing to talk straight,
then all country-specific resolutions are purely political."
Puri suggested that the United States' judgment of what is
right or wrong, versus the judgment of any other third
country, is the result of politics. "Half the world doesn't
think as you think - don't say you are on the side of right."
Puri noted that no-action motions are largely procedural and
it is not possible, from his perspective, to de-link the
political component.

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Country-Specific Resolutions
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4. (SBU) Rees reviewed the USG position on a number of
country-specific resolutions: On Belarus, Rees said the U.S.
welcomes the recent release of political prisoners by Minsk
in August. He explained that, as in previous years, the U.S.
will strongly support a resolution to be offered by Canada on
the situation of human rights in Iran and will work with
other countries to win its passage. Rees pressed that the
situation in Burma is disintegrating and, while the
international community wants to be helpful, we cannot ignore
the human rights situation. Rees said that the USG
understands the EU plans to offer its annual resolution on
the abysmal human rights situation in the Democratic People's
Republic of Korea. Finally, Rees pressed that the human
rights situations in Sudan and Zimbabwe both merit Third
Committee attention and invited Puri,s views. Unless
current negotiations produce a result that respects the March
29 polling and brings real change to the human rights
situation, the U.S. believes that, depending on how
circumstances in Zimbabwe develop in the coming weeks, a
resolution on Zimbabwe might be useful toward a resolution of
the crisis. Recognizing that the Sudan human rights
situation remains dire, Rees noted that offering resolutions
on both Zimbabwe and Sudan in the 2008 Third Committee could
be problematic and potentially counterproductive.


5. (SBU) Puri said that the GOI would consider all of the
USG's points, but noted that the GOI "takes each resolution
on a case-by-case basis." As a general policy, Puri
explained, India does not favor country-specific resolutions.
Turning first to Burma, Puri noted that the GOI has
consistently believed that interaction and engagement is more
useful and productive than sanctions or isolation. Moving to
Sudan, Puri noted that an argument that Third Committee
consideration of the situation there is not needed since the
matter also lay before the Security Council was dismissive of
the General Assembly's status. Puri continued that there are
54 countries in Africa, 10 of which "want to show up Mr.
Mugabe" and about 45 that do not. While acknowledging the

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merit of Rees's points on Zimbabwe and Sudan, Puri said that
the GOI position (vis--vis the African countries) is
unlikely to change much. Zimbabwe, Puri said, is conscious
of what the world is saying and doing. Finally, circling
back to Iran, Puri noted that "it is a difficult case" and
acknowledged that India understands the USG position. (Note:
Puri had traveled to Iran the previous month. End Note.)

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Thematic Resolutions
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6. (SBU) Rees noted that India was very helpful with the
recent resolution in the UN Human Rights Council renewing the
mandate of the Special Rapporteur for Freedom of Expression
resolution, even withdrawing its co-sponsorship after the
resolution was amended to require that the Rapporteur report
on "abuses" of freedom of expression by individuals. Puri
countered that India looks at this resolution very
differently and views it in the context of India's diverse,
complex society that is hugely pluralistic and often
volatile. In India, Puri explained, "we're very careful and
err on the side of being conservative." Rees rejoined that
the Defamation of Religion resolutions sponsored by Pakistan
have been used by some countries to justify undermining the
freedoms of expression, religion and belief. Puri said that
India had very little problem with the idea of a freedom of
expression resolution, but India must be careful not to do
anything that would be (domestically) provocative. He
illustrated his point by raising Solomon Rushdie,s banned
books and, when Rushdie visits India, he'll "do things
that'll have an impact. Why do his rights trample on the
rights of others? We are 60 years into our democracy and
each little sector feels that their rights are important."

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Human Rights Council
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7. (SBU) Turning to the U.S. decision to withdraw from the
Human Rights Council (HRC),Puri urged the United States to
reconsider its engagement with the UN. "In our view,
non-active engagement, particularly on human rights, doesn't
make sense." Puri asserted that the HRC needs the United
States and pressed Rees to encourage the USG to reconsider
its role as a pillar of the UN community. Rees rejoined that
the USG finds the HRC to be counter-productive and myopic in
its zeal to focus only on Israel.

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APDP
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8. (SBU) Rees thanked the GOI for its involvement with the
Asia Pacific Democracy Partnership (APDP),including India's
support with the Mongolian elections. In October, Rees said,
it is hoped that India could send a senior official to
participate in a meeting in the region - perhaps South Korea
- as well as play a stronger leadership role in APDP. Puri
took copious notes and promised to pass along the suggestion
to his colleague (Joint Secretary Sanjeev Arora) who is the
primary GOI liaison for APDP.

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Community of Democracies
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9. (SBU) Rees noted that, in the Community of Democracies,
everything is done by consensus. However, in recent history,
there are three proposed joint statements of the CD Convening
Group - on Zimbabwe, Mauritania, and Georgia - to which India
(sometimes joined by South Africa) would not agree. Puri
again took down notes, commented that the CD was a great idea
and while India would like to work together, JS Arora was the
more appropriate point of contact. Puri promised to pass his
notes to Arora immediately upon his return to Delhi.

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Other Meetings in India
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10. (SBU) In addition to meeting with the GOI, Rees met with
UNICEF Country Representative Karin Hulshof and discussed the
catastrophic floods in Bihar, progress in inoculating
children against polio, and the status of other at-risk
children in India. The Media Coalition and UNIFEM hosted a
lunch for Special Envoy Rees in which they addressed the
needs of vulnerable women and girls, especially those who are
trafficked or otherwise exploited. Rees conducted a site

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visit at Shakti Shalini Shelter for vulnerable women and
girls, Shakti Vahini's site which works with trafficking
survivors, and Breakthrough, an NGO that works on domestic
abuse and HIV/AIDS. He also traveled extensively with UNIFEM
and UNICEF branch offices in Pune and surrounding areas.


11. (U) Special Representative Grover Joseph Rees cleared
this cable.
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