MAURITIUS CONSIDERS NEW EU PROPOSED INDEPENDENT

C O N F I D E N T I A L PORT LOUIS 000183 IO/RHS FOR OSTERMEIER AND PATEL DRL/MLGA FOR MCGEENEY E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/17/2019 TAGS: PHUM PREL SU MP SUBJECT: MAURITIUS CONSIDERS NEW EU PROPOSED INDEPENDENT EXPERT FOR SUDAN HUMAN RIGHTS REF: STATE 59451 Classified By: Charge d'Affaires Virginia M. Blaser for reasons 1.4(b) and (d) ¶1. (C) On June 17, CDA, accompanied by POLOFF as notetaker, used reftel demarche to push the GOM for a decision on the UN Special Rapporteur mandate renewal. The MFA delegation, which included First Secretary Nivedita Sohawon and First Secretary Martine Young Kim Fat, confirmed that despite recent communication with their Geneva Mission, GOM had not decided on the GOM stance regarding the mandate renewal. Sohawon added that she did expect more information from their Geneva mission shortly, as she had indications that the vote would likely take place tomorrow, June 18. ¶2. (C) In a same day follow-up call, Ms. Young Kim Fat informed POLOFF that the GOM Geneva mission reported a new development on the issue. According to the Geneva mission, on 17 June, the EU forwarded a new proposal for an independent expert in lieu of the Special Rapporteur; the GOM now plans to await the official EU proposal before determining how it will vote on the special rapporteur issue. Young Kim Fat further noted that she had provided USG reftel points to her Geneva mission and these points will be taken into account by the MFA as the consider their final vote. When pressed on the likely outcome of the GOM vote, Ms. Young Kim Fat said that GOM will be favorable to an outcome that kept some entity in Sudan to report on the human rights situation. While she could not confirm anything today, she agreed to inform the Embassy before they submit voting directions to Geneva. BLASER