UN HUMAN RIGHTS COUNCIL: RESPONSES OF SWITZERLAND

UNCLAS BERN 000199 SENSITIVE SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PHUM AORC PREL SZ LS SUBJECT: UN HUMAN RIGHTS COUNCIL: RESPONSES OF SWITZERLAND AND LIECHTENSTEIN TO U.S. CANDIDACY REF: A. STATE 36629 ¶B. STATE 31175 -------------- SWITZERLAND -------------- ¶1. (SBU) Poloff delivered the reftel B advance notice of U.S. candidacy on April 1 to Ralf Heckner, Head of the Human Rights Section at the Swiss Federal Department of Foreign Affairs (FDFA). On April 17, poloff delivered the reftel A diplomatic note to Heckner. He informally welcomed the U.S. candidacy, saying he thought it was "great" that the United States was prepared to re-engage in the UNHRC in this fashion. Heckner undertook to obtain a formal Swiss government response. ¶2. (SBU) On May 1, post received from the FDFA a positive response to reftel A, in the form of FDFA diplomatic Note 0.815.81-2/0.815.81-1DBC/SAA dated April 27. In its diplomatic note, the FDFA conveyed that Switzerland would support the candidature of the United States, and noted that Switzerland would appreciate receiving the support of the USG for Switzerland's candidature to the UNHRC for the term 2010-2013 Full text of the diplomatic note follows in paragraph 3. ¶3. (SBU) BEGIN TEXT OF NOTE: The Federal department of Foreign Affairs presents its compliments to the Embassy of the United States of America in Bern and has the honor to acknowledge receipt of its note No. 39 of 16 April 2009 regarding the decision of the Government of the United States of America to present its candidature to Human Rights Council for the term 2009-2012. The elections will take place during the 63rd session of the United Nations General Assembly in May 2009 in New York. The Department has the pleasure to inform the Embassy that Switzerland will support the mentioned candidature of the United States of America and would highly appreciate receiving the valuable support of the United States of America for Switzerland's candidature to the Human Rights Council for the term 2010-2013. The Federal Department of Foreign Affairs avails itself of this opportunity to renew to the Embassy of the United States of America in Bern the assurances of its highest consideration. END TEXT OF NOTE. -------------- LIECHTENSTEIN -------------- ¶4. (SBU) Poloff delivered the reftel B advance notice of U.S. candidacy on April 1 to Doris Frick, Deputy Chief of Mission at the Embassy of Liechtenstein in Bern. On April 16, poloff provided the diplomatic note in reftel A to Frick, who undertook to pass along the message to Vaduz. On May 4, Frick informed poloff that she could convey orally that Liechtenstein has the "intention to vote" in favor of the U.S. candidacy. She clarified that she could not convey this positive news yet in writing as the government of Liechtenstein had not yet taken the formal decision. Post will convey the formal reply of the GOL as soon as it is available. CARTER