Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
09BRASILIA426
2009-04-06 20:07:00
UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY
Embassy Brasilia
Cable title:
BRAZIL WELCOMES USG CANDIDACY FOR UN HUMAN RIGHTS
how-toVZCZCXRO0894 RR RUEHRG DE RUEHBR #0426 0962007 ZNR UUUUU ZZH R 062007Z APR 09 FM AMEMBASSY BRASILIA TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 4007 INFO RUEHAC/AMEMBASSY ASUNCION 7481 RUEHBU/AMEMBASSY BUENOS AIRES 6171 RUEHMN/AMEMBASSY MONTEVIDEO 7725 RUEHSG/AMEMBASSY SANTIAGO 0911 RUEHRG/AMCONSUL RECIFE 9346 RUEHRI/AMCONSUL RIO DE JANEIRO 7541 RUEHSO/AMCONSUL SAO PAULO 3844 RUEHUB/USINT HAVANA 0065 RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC RUEHGV/USMISSION GENEVA 1568 RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK 0301
UNCLAS BRASILIA 000426
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PHUM PREL BR
SUBJECT: BRAZIL WELCOMES USG CANDIDACY FOR UN HUMAN RIGHTS
COUNCIL
REF: SECSTATE 31175
UNCLAS BRASILIA 000426
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PHUM PREL BR
SUBJECT: BRAZIL WELCOMES USG CANDIDACY FOR UN HUMAN RIGHTS
COUNCIL
REF: SECSTATE 31175
1. (SBU) Summary. Brazil is pleased that the US will seek a
seat on the UN Human Rights Council (reftel),but the
director of the Human Rights Division in the Ministry of
Exterior relations could not state whether Brazil will vote
for the U.S. End summary.
Pleased U.S. Is Coming Back
- - - - - - - - - - - - - -
2. (SBU) Counselor Marcia Adorno, director of the Division
of Human Rights in the Ministry of External Relations, told
poloff that Brazil was pleased at the U.S.'s intention to
return to the HRC and was certain our intention would be
well-received at senior levels in the Ministry. She said
Brazil's vote would be decided at a more senior level. She
added that our presence on the Council would be helpful to
its work.
More Brazilian Representation in Geneva
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
3. (SBU) Adorno noted that Brazil recently increased its
staffing in Geneva from two to five or six diplomats working
on human rights, and installed a new ambassador to the UN in
Geneva. (Note: This is Maria Nazareth Farani Azevedo, one
half of a Foreign Ministry power couple, who was Foreign
Minister Amorim's chief of staff before being named to
Brazil's UN Mission in Geneva. Her husband, Roberto Azevedo,
is Brazil's PermRep to the WTO. End note.) Brazil is trying
to be more proactive on human rights, Adorno said, and cited
the examples of voluntary contributions to the work of the
High Commissioner for Human Rights and Brazil's offers to
help countries wishing to improve their human rights records,
such as Burkina Faso, Haiti, and Guinea Bissau.
Brazil's Mantra: Cooperation, not Confrontation
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
4. (SBU) Adorno repeated Brazil's standing policy of
generally opposing country resolutions, while preferring a
policy of cooperation as the most productive way to engage
offending states. She said countries need to "improve
negotiation" with those states and take a "more cooperative
approach to violators." The Brazilian goal is to "bring a
more constructive view" to the way countries engage on human
rights. Asked what steps Brazil had taken or might take to
engage North Korea or Burma, Adorno dodged the issue and said
Brazil was waiting to see how cooperative North Korea would
be with the Council and how it will receive its upcoming
Universal Periodic Review. (Note: Scheduled for November
30-December 11, 2009. End note.) She claimed that the
cooperative approach recently bore fruit when, shortly after
the Special Rapporteur presented the report on Cuba, Cuba
signed the Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and
International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural
Rights. Adorno said, "This was a clear sign that the
Government of Cuba seemed to want a more constructive
approach, and Brazil doesn't see country resolutions as
achieving positive results."
KUBISKE
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PHUM PREL BR
SUBJECT: BRAZIL WELCOMES USG CANDIDACY FOR UN HUMAN RIGHTS
COUNCIL
REF: SECSTATE 31175
1. (SBU) Summary. Brazil is pleased that the US will seek a
seat on the UN Human Rights Council (reftel),but the
director of the Human Rights Division in the Ministry of
Exterior relations could not state whether Brazil will vote
for the U.S. End summary.
Pleased U.S. Is Coming Back
- - - - - - - - - - - - - -
2. (SBU) Counselor Marcia Adorno, director of the Division
of Human Rights in the Ministry of External Relations, told
poloff that Brazil was pleased at the U.S.'s intention to
return to the HRC and was certain our intention would be
well-received at senior levels in the Ministry. She said
Brazil's vote would be decided at a more senior level. She
added that our presence on the Council would be helpful to
its work.
More Brazilian Representation in Geneva
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
3. (SBU) Adorno noted that Brazil recently increased its
staffing in Geneva from two to five or six diplomats working
on human rights, and installed a new ambassador to the UN in
Geneva. (Note: This is Maria Nazareth Farani Azevedo, one
half of a Foreign Ministry power couple, who was Foreign
Minister Amorim's chief of staff before being named to
Brazil's UN Mission in Geneva. Her husband, Roberto Azevedo,
is Brazil's PermRep to the WTO. End note.) Brazil is trying
to be more proactive on human rights, Adorno said, and cited
the examples of voluntary contributions to the work of the
High Commissioner for Human Rights and Brazil's offers to
help countries wishing to improve their human rights records,
such as Burkina Faso, Haiti, and Guinea Bissau.
Brazil's Mantra: Cooperation, not Confrontation
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
4. (SBU) Adorno repeated Brazil's standing policy of
generally opposing country resolutions, while preferring a
policy of cooperation as the most productive way to engage
offending states. She said countries need to "improve
negotiation" with those states and take a "more cooperative
approach to violators." The Brazilian goal is to "bring a
more constructive view" to the way countries engage on human
rights. Asked what steps Brazil had taken or might take to
engage North Korea or Burma, Adorno dodged the issue and said
Brazil was waiting to see how cooperative North Korea would
be with the Council and how it will receive its upcoming
Universal Periodic Review. (Note: Scheduled for November
30-December 11, 2009. End note.) She claimed that the
cooperative approach recently bore fruit when, shortly after
the Special Rapporteur presented the report on Cuba, Cuba
signed the Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and
International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural
Rights. Adorno said, "This was a clear sign that the
Government of Cuba seemed to want a more constructive
approach, and Brazil doesn't see country resolutions as
achieving positive results."
KUBISKE