GREECE SUPPORTS US CANDIDACY FOR UN HUMAN RIGHTS COUNCIL

UNCLAS ATHENS 000513 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PHUM PREL GR UN SUBJECT: GREECE SUPPORTS US CANDIDACY FOR UN HUMAN RIGHTS COUNCIL REF: SECSTATE 31175 ¶1. (U) On April 6, Poloffs delivered reftel points on the U.S. candidacy for the UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC) to Ambassador Tryphon S. Paraskevopoulos, Director of UN and International Specialized Organizations and Conferences at the Greek Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) and George Panagiotidis, Embassy AttachC) for the UN Directorate at the MFA. Paraskevopoulos opened by noting with great delight that he had just transmitted instructions that Greece would support this U.S. candidacy. Following this, Panagiotidis confirmed Paraskevopoulos's sentiments by immediately expressing his pleasure for the U.S. candidacy, which he believed would increase the prestige of the UNHRC. He also mentioned that he was greatly looking forward to this new cooperation with the U.S. Panagiotidis finally added that Greece would also be a candidate to the UNHRC in 2012, in hopes of U.S. backing. SPECKHARD