YOUR HELP IS NEEDED TO ENSURE PASSAGE OF THE

C O N F I D E N T I A L STATE 117881


TO THE AMBASSADOR OR CHARGE FROM ASSITANT SECRETARIES BOUCHER
HOOK AND KRAMER

E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/04/2018
TAGS: PHUM PREL
SUBJECT: YOUR HELP IS NEEDED TO ENSURE PASSAGE OF THE
RESOLUTION ON HUMAN RIGHTS IN IRAN.

REF: STATE 93981

Classified By: David J. Kramer per E.O. 12948 1.4 (b) and (d)

SUMMARY


1. (SBU) Department requests that posts encourage host
governments to vote against no-action motions and for
the resolutions on Iran, Burma, and DPRK. Votes on these
resolutions and on any associated no-action motions
are expected later this month in the Third Committee of the
United Nations General Assembly (UNGA). Ambassador
or Charge is requested to engage at the highest appropriate
level, drawing on host country's past voting record
and on the background and key priorities outlined below.
Adoption of the Iran resolution is Department,s highest
Third Committee priority, though the Burma and DPRK
resolutions are also very important. End Summary.

Objective


2. (U) Department requests that posts pursue the following
objectives. If post believes this demarche would be
counterproductive, Post is requested to so advise Department
and not demarche.

-- For Embassy Kathmandu: Express the United States,
gratitude for abstention across the board in the 2007
session of the General Assembly on country-specific human
rights resolutions and on associated motions for no
action, and encourage host government to abstain once again.

-- For Embassy Kabul: Express gratitude for support on Burma
in 2007 and seek support again this year.
Encourage host government to be absent on the Iran votes
(no-action motion and the resolution itself).

-- For Embassy New Delhi: Encourage host government to
re-examine its policy of opposition to country specific
resolutions. On Bhutan: Encourage host government to
continue its abstentions on Iran (on the no-action motion
and on the resolution itself).

-- For all other SCA Embassies: Your host government has a
mixed record. Please see para 8 below. Where
possible encourage host governments to abstain or be absent
on both Iran votes.

-- For all posts: Emphasize that the use of no-action
motions is a serious problem for the UNGA that all countries
must continue to fight. The U.S. and numerous other
countries strongly oppose the use of such motions to prevent
discussion of and action on the very human rights issues that
the Third Committee is supposed to address.
Where possible encourage host governments to vote against or
abstain on the no-action motion on Burma
and to support or abstain on the substantive resolution.
Host governments should also be encouraged to
vote in favor of the resolution on DPRK and to oppose a
no-action motion in the unlikely event such a motion is
offered (it has not been in the past).

REPORTING DEADLINE


3. (U) The Department requests a response via front channel
cable by Wednesday, November 12. Please
copy USUN on all responses. Ambassador or Charge is asked to
include any thoughts on necessary next steps,
such as a call from an Assistant Secretary or a Seventh Floor
principal. Posts, thoughts on how to best frame the
US argument are welcomed. Ideas on other incentives Post may
think useful are also welcomed.

BACKGROUND


4. (U) The United States agenda for the UNGA Third
Committee necessitates concerted, high-level lobbying for
every potential vote in order to achieve success. Votes from
countries in your region were crucial last year and
will be even more important this year.


5. (U) The top USG priority is the adoption of a
Canadian-led resolution condemning the deteriorating
situation
of human rights in Iran. Other important initiatives include
the EU-led resolutions on the human rights situations
in Burma and DPRK.


6. (U) Both the Iran and Burma resolutions face certain
no-action motions, a procedural maneuver used to
stifle debate and voting. It is the firm U.S. position that
countries voting in favor of no-action motions on country
resolutions are voting to support the violation of human
rights in those countries. The U.S. opposes no-action
motions in the Third Committee as a matter of principle.


7. (U) The 2007 no-action motion on Iran failed by only one
vote; we have every reason to believe this will be a
more difficult fight this year. Every vote counts.
Therefore, we must praise and thank countries that have stood
firm and voted &no8 against no action motions, appeal to
those who have abstained to vote no, and encourage
those who have voted &yes8 in support of the no action
motions to at least abstain or be absent.


8. (C) In SCA the critical swing countries are Nepal,
Afghanistan and Bhutan. A non-inclusive background
summary of country voting histories from the 2007 Iran, Burma
and DPRK resolutions and no action motions follows:

-- On the Iran no-action motion, Bhutan and Nepal abstained.
All other SCA countries supported no-action.
On substance Bhutan and Nepal abstained, the Maldives were
absent. All other SCA countries voted against
the Iran resolution.

-- Burma: On the Burma no-action motion, Afghanistan
opposed. Nepal and Turkmenistan abstained. Kazakhstan,
Tajikistan, the Maldives and Kyrgyzstan were absent. On
substance, Afghanistan and Kazakhstan supported the
resolution. Bhutan, Kyrgyzstan, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Tajikistan
and Turkmenistan abstained. All other SCA countries
opposed.

--- DPRK: There was no no-action motion in 2007. Uzbekistan
voted against the DPRK resolution. India, Kyrgyzstan,
Nepal, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Tajikistan and Turkmenistan
abstained. All other SCA posts voted in favor of the DPRK
resolution.


9. (U) Countries should be encouraged not only to oppose
no-action motions, but also to support the substantive
resolutions for which these motions are called. Votes will
likely be the week of November 24, but could come as
early as November 18. (Note: The UNGA Third Committee, which
meets for seven weeks each October and November,
is comprised of all 192 UN member states.)


10. (C) When delivering the demarche, posts are urged to
consult UN and/or Bureau of International Organization
Affairs
(IO) records on past voting practices of host countries. UN
voting sheets for all Third Committee resolutions for 2006
and 2007 are available on the IO/RHS unclass intranet website
at
http://www. io.state.gov/index.cfm?fuseaction=public.
display&shortcut=4Y5P.


11. (C) Posts may also use the non-papers on Iran, Burma
and the DPRK found at the Bureau of International
Organization,s SBU intranet site as background and if useful
as a handout. These are found at the same site as the
voting material. Posts may also find additional
information on the SIPRANet Intellpedia Wiki site at the
International
Organizations page at http://www.intelink.sgov.gov/wiki/
International Organizations Team.


12. POINTS OF CONTACT: Please contact DRL/MLGA Lynn Sicade
(sicadelm@state.gov, 647-2362 or Alyson
Grunder (grunderal@state.gov, 647-4380) with any questions or
further information or justification for additional
argumentation.
RICE