DEMARCHE DELIVERED: URUGUAY PLEASED AT U.S.

C O N F I D E N T I A L MONTEVIDEO 000127 SIPDIS WHA/BSC FOR MDASCHBACH IO/HRS FOR AMY OSTERMEIER AND GAYATRI PATEL E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/04/2018 TAGS: PHUM PREL UY SUBJECT: DEMARCHE DELIVERED: URUGUAY PLEASED AT U.S. RENEWED PARTICIPATION IN UNHRC REF: STATE 18282 Classified By: Charge d'Affaires Robin Matthewman for reasons 1.4 (B) and (D) ¶1. (U) Post delivered reftel demarche February 27 to the MFA's Human Rights Director, Laura Dupuy. The MFA's Human Rights Department accepted the points but did not immediately offer a substantive response. ¶2. (C) On March 2, Dupuy offered a more detailed response. She noted that the GOU is pleased at the USG's renewed participation in the UN Human Rights Council. With regard to the Durban Review Conference, the GOU shares USG concern about references to "defamation of religion." Dupuy stated that this topic has also come up in regional meetings with the Arab League and that the GOU has prepared and could offer alternative text that addresses this issue. Dupuy agreed with the other requested textual changes (a shortened declaration that doesn't reaffirm all elements of the 2001 declaration and does not contain any specific references to any one country or any single conflict),but found them unrealistic. Matthewman