CANADA SHARES CONCERNS ABOUT UN HRC, BUT URGES US

C O N F I D E N T I A L OTTAWA 000793 SIPDIS STATE FOR DRL/MLGA LYNN SICADE AND IO/RHS AMY OSTERMEIER E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/12/2018 TAGS: PREL PHUM CA SUBJECT: CANADA SHARES CONCERNS ABOUT UN HRC, BUT URGES US ENGAGEMENT ON SPECIFIC ISSUES REF: A. STATE 61034 ¶B. OTTAWA 00758 Classified By: PolMinCouns Scott Bellard, reasons 1.4 (b) and (d) ¶1. (C) In response to ref A demarche, Canadian Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade (DFAIT) HUMAN RIGHTS Deputy Director Rob Sinclair underlined that Canada had a similar "laundry list" of complaints about the UN HUMAN Rights COUNCIL (HRC),but that Canada hoped the U.S. would -- as it has said it would -- continue to support Canada and other allies on issues of particular importance. Sinclair said that Canada would flag for the U.S. the issues it believes are of importance, and noted that, despite its own many disappointments with the HRC, Canada would continue to be an active member and would "see through" its remaining year of membership. He added that Canada, like the U.S., was looking forward to the UNGA review of the HRC, currently scheduled for 2011. ¶2. (C) Sinclair reiterated that Canada would likely again sponsor a resolution on Iran in the UNGA Third Committee this year, as it has done the past five years (ref B). He predicted that the government would make a formal decision to this effect in the next three to four weeks. He added that Canada was continuing to push the Office of the UN Secretary General to release its report on the HUMAN RIGHTS situation in Iran in the near future, as the report will be relevant to a Canadian resolution against Iran. ¶3. (C) Action request: Sinclair requested an update on U.S. priorities at the UNGA Third Committee this fall. Please advise. Visit Canada,s Economy and Environment Forum at http://www.intelink.gov/communities/state/can ada WILKINS