MEXICO BACKS FOLLOW-ON TO UNSC 1820

C O N F I D E N T I A L MEXICO 002795 SENSITIVE SIPDIS WHA FOR MEX DIRECTOR LEE AND STAFF, IO/UNP, AND DRL/MLGA E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/11/2019 TAGS: MX PGOV PHUM PREL UNGA SUBJECT: MEXICO BACKS FOLLOW-ON TO UNSC 1820 REF: A. SECSTATE 96047 ¶B. SECSTATE90254 Classified By: Confidential by Deputy Minister Counselor for Political Affairs James P. Merz Reason: 1.4 (b),(d). ¶1. (C) Juan Gonzalez Mijares, the Foreign Ministry's Deputy Assistant Secretary for Multilateral Affairs and Human Rights, underscored to Poloff 9/22 that the Mexican Government strongly supports initiatives that will provide technical support for victims of sexual violence, such as the follow-on to UNSC 1820 (Ref A). The GOM also supports naming a Special Representative of the Secretary General (SRSG) on this matter in order to elevate the issue of victims of post-conflict sexual violence. However, according to Mijares, the GOM has more interest in direct, impact-oriented assistance than dialogue. Therefore, it would prefer to see the creation of a task force rather than a Special Representative. To Mijares' knowledge, the follow-on to UNSC 1820 will be presented October 5. ¶2. (C) Mijares expressed two concerns overall regarding the follow-on measure to UNSCR 1820. The first relates to a potential overlap between the proposed SRSG on Sexual Violence in Conflict proposed in 1820's follow-on and the prospective "composite gender entity" that the USG has proposed replace the four existing UN bodies dealing with gender issues (Ref B). From Ref A talking points, Poloff related to Mijares that a SRSG on sexual violence would potentially preside over the twelve UN entities that deal with this issue. He expressed interest in this anticipated structure. However, he noted that some countries in which these existing twelve entities are currently located, such as the Dominican Republic, which hosts the United Nations International Research and Training Institute for the Advancement of Women (INSTRAW),may request some type of reimbursement and/or seek to host some new UN entity if/when those offices are moved to UN headquarters in NYC. From Mexico's perspective, this kind of settlement could well cancel out any financial or organizational benefit the UN hoped to derive from creating a single institution for gender issues. Mejares asked that the U.S. discuss the possibilities in advance with UN staff and representatives of the countries involved. ¶3. (C) In part due to the 8-9% economic downturn that Mexico has sufferred in the last year, Mijares' second concern related to funding. He asked how the UN and member states would finance the proposed SRSG and Task Force institutions. He stressed that, in its current budget position, the GOM would find it challenging to contribute to any new programs or positions. Poloff noted that we were asking fellow UNSG members to support funding the SRSG position from assessed funds, but that we suggested that salaries for the SRSG's staff and travel for the Task Force be funded from voluntary funds (Ref A). Mijares asked Director for International Women's Issues, Norma Contreras Felix, to take note of this and signaled support for such an arrangement in principle ¶4. (C) Comment: Mijares stressed the GOM's genuine concern about and involvement in gender and discrimination issues in the UN. The only potential hang-up for Mexico is their concern over the USG proposed "composite gender entity" in Ref B. In principle, Mijares said the GOM would support both the SRSG and, particularly, the Task Force. Based on our exchange over this issue, Post suggests we consider looking to Mexico as an ally on gender issues within the UN in the future. Visit Mexico City's Classified Web Site at http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/wha/mexicocity and the North American Partnership Blog at http://www.intelink.gov/communities/state/nap / FEELEY