Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
09HELSINKI76
2009-02-27 14:00:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Helsinki
Cable title:
FINLAND: POSTURE TOWARDS THE DURBAN REVIEW
how-toVZCZCXYZ0004 RR RUEHWEB DE RUEHHE #0076 0581400 ZNY CCCCC ZZH R 271400Z FEB 09 FM AMEMBASSY HELSINKI TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASDC 4841 INO RUEHGV/USMISSION GENEVA 0390 RUCNT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK 0107
C O N F I D E N T I A L HELSINKI 000076
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958 DECL: 02/28/2019
TAGS: PHUM PREL FI
SUBJECT: FINLAND: POSTURE TOWARDS THE DURBAN REVIEW
CONFERENCE
REF: A. STATE 18282
B. STATE 14201
C. 08 STATE 60306
Classified By: CDA Michael Butler for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d)
C O N F I D E N T I A L HELSINKI 000076
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958 DECL: 02/28/2019
TAGS: PHUM PREL FI
SUBJECT: FINLAND: POSTURE TOWARDS THE DURBAN REVIEW
CONFERENCE
REF: A. STATE 18282
B. STATE 14201
C. 08 STATE 60306
Classified By: CDA Michael Butler for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d)
1. (SBU) PolOff delivered subject talking points to Charlotta
Spolander and Kirsti Pohjankukka in the Finnish MFA Unit for
Human Rights Policy on February 27. Spolander said that the
Human Rights Council (HRC) will continue planning for the
Durban Review Conference. Spolander said GoF welcomes US
engagement and remarked "you've been missed." She expects
some UN regional groups may try to link self-serving
resolutions and statements to the Durban Review Conference.
2. (C) Spolander expressed surprise at what the GoF sees as
an aggressive stance by South Africa and fear they may weaken
the conference with difficult proposals. She commented that
Egypt was formerly their headache, but South Africa has
polarized the climate by making it EU versus South Africa.
In this regard, she sees the US as having a constructive role
in bilaterally discovering what South Africa's aims are.
Spolander further said that the general rhetoric has become
repetitive and the positions entrenched and the GoF is
concerned over the state of negotiations: "It is daunting to
have a 350 paragraph document where 100 paragraphs added in
January and February are mostly unacceptable due to the
strength of the language used." She said that the US and the
EU share the freedom of expression concerns. She also noted
that while 20 to 30 paragraphs cover migration, little covers
vulnerable groups such as women and children.
BUTLER
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958 DECL: 02/28/2019
TAGS: PHUM PREL FI
SUBJECT: FINLAND: POSTURE TOWARDS THE DURBAN REVIEW
CONFERENCE
REF: A. STATE 18282
B. STATE 14201
C. 08 STATE 60306
Classified By: CDA Michael Butler for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d)
1. (SBU) PolOff delivered subject talking points to Charlotta
Spolander and Kirsti Pohjankukka in the Finnish MFA Unit for
Human Rights Policy on February 27. Spolander said that the
Human Rights Council (HRC) will continue planning for the
Durban Review Conference. Spolander said GoF welcomes US
engagement and remarked "you've been missed." She expects
some UN regional groups may try to link self-serving
resolutions and statements to the Durban Review Conference.
2. (C) Spolander expressed surprise at what the GoF sees as
an aggressive stance by South Africa and fear they may weaken
the conference with difficult proposals. She commented that
Egypt was formerly their headache, but South Africa has
polarized the climate by making it EU versus South Africa.
In this regard, she sees the US as having a constructive role
in bilaterally discovering what South Africa's aims are.
Spolander further said that the general rhetoric has become
repetitive and the positions entrenched and the GoF is
concerned over the state of negotiations: "It is daunting to
have a 350 paragraph document where 100 paragraphs added in
January and February are mostly unacceptable due to the
strength of the language used." She said that the US and the
EU share the freedom of expression concerns. She also noted
that while 20 to 30 paragraphs cover migration, little covers
vulnerable groups such as women and children.
BUTLER