Letter to President-Elect Obama from UN High Commissioner

UNCLAS GENEVA 000006 DEPARTMENT FOR S/ES-CR and S/ES-O E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: OPDC PREL OVIP SUBJECT: Letter to President-Elect Obama from UN High Commissioner for Human Rights ¶1. Mission has received a message from the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights to President-Elect Obama. We have inserted below the text of the diplomatic cover note (para 2) and the letter itself (para 3). Mission Geneva will transmit the original to the Department by diplomatic pouch. ¶2. Begin text of diplomatic note. The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights in Geneva presents its compliments to the Permanent Representative of the United States of America to the United Nations Office and Specialized Institutions in Geneva and has the honour to transmit herewith a letter addressed to the President-Elect, His Excellency Mr. Barack Obama. The Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights avails itself of this opportunity to renew to the Permanent Mission of the United States of America to the United Nations Office and Specialized Institutions in Geneva, the assurances of its highest consideration. Geneva, 22 December 2008 19 December 2008 End text of diplomatic note. ¶3. Begin text of letter. Dear Mr. President-Elect, It is with pleasure that I take this opportunity to congratulate you on your election as President of the United States of America. As the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, and greatly encouraged by your campaign messages regarding human rights, I look forward to working with you and your administration for the promotion and protection of human rights around the world. Indeed, there is much expectation in the human rights community that you will place the rule of law and human rights at the centre of your domestic and international policies. In particular, I hope that under your leadership the United States will promptly return to active engagement with the UN Human Rights Council. The absence of the United States in the Council has been sorely felt, and many are now looking to your administration to restore the leadership of the United States in the intergovernmental deliberations on human rights. The Council has been met with much criticism, while its successes have been less publicized. The Council's new work in Universal Periodic Review (UPR),where every Member State of the UN is being reviewed for its human rights records, has gotten off to a very positive start. I do believe that the active engagement of the United States will be pivotal to ensuring the Council's credibility and effectiveness as well as to strengthening the moral authority of the United States to lead the global community. I equally urge you to engage and help steer the preparatory work for the upcoming Durban Review Conference in April 2009 in a constructive direction. The Conference is mandated to review progress on the implementation of the 2001 Durban Declaration and Programme of Action, which is a thorough and comprehensive document that should guide policies on racism and related issues. While some have expressed doubts about the review process, and understandably so, there has also been a worrying increase in misinformation and distortions about it. I remain convinced that with proper engagement, much benefit can be achieved from a successful outcome for the fight against racism and intolerance. My Office, as the Secretariat of the review conference, is sparing no effort to support the intergovernmental process, and I myself am prepared to actively facilitate and intervene for a successful outcome. But States first and foremost need to remain engaged in this intergovernmental process. In particular, the constructive engagement of the United States would without doubt create much positive dynamic. The cost of non-engagement is too high for all of us and credits the argument that Western democracies are selective in their approach to human rights and shy away from dialogue on the issue of racism. This would leave the scene free for a minority of extreme voices, and deprive the victims of racism a much deserved debate. On domestic policies and legislation, I hope that concerted efforts will also be made under your leadership to ensure that counter-terrorism measures are carried out strictly in accordance with international legal standards, particularly with regard to the prohibition of torture and cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment, which should not be permitted under any circumstances. In this context, I welcome the announcement of your intention to close the detention centre at Guantanamo Bay, and count on your administration to ensure that the closure is undertaken in compliance with international human rights law and standards. There are many other human rights issues and challenges that will call for the active consideration and action of your administration, such as the ratification of outstanding core international human rights treaties. My Office stands ready to support and work with your administration on all of these issues. I personally look forward to an early opportunity to visit the United States and meet with you and your officials who would be charged with carrying forward your human rights agenda and program of action. Please accept, Mr. President-Elect, my heartfelt and best wishes as you embark on your tenure as President of the United States of America. Navanethem Pillay, High Commissioner for Human Rights. End text of letter.