MAURITIAN IDEAS CONCERNING THE UN HUMAN RIGHTS

C O N F I D E N T I A L PORT LOUIS 000280 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/10/2019 TAGS: PHUM PREL MP SUBJECT: MAURITIAN IDEAS CONCERNING THE UN HUMAN RIGHTS COUNCIL 12TH SESSION REF: SECSTATE 93373 Classified By: CDA VIRGINIA BLASER FOR REAONS 1.4 (B) ¶1. (U) A/DCM delivered reftel demarche to Ambassador Patrice Cure, Head of the Multilateral Division at the Mauritian Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Cure noted that the Mauritian mission to the Human Rights Council had sent him some suggestions and proposals, which he was considering. The reelection of Mauritius to the Council shows, he said, that it is considered "a worthy member," and Mauritius is taking its responsibilities seriously, strengthening its human rights framework at home and considering how to strengthen the Council. ¶2. (C) Cure then raised two sets of issues: on the one hand, with "the financial crisis pervading" discussions, the "right to development" and related ideas of basic economic rights may need to be considered, even if that takes away some of the focus from the classic ideas of human rights. Both approaches to human rights have validity, but both can be "manipulated and perverted," and objective criteria need to be debated. On the other hand, he acknowledged that the system of voting by regional blocs for representation on the Council could lead to membership of "unworthy" states such as North Korea, but did not have a solution. This tradition of voting regionally is historically motivated and has reasons, but "we will try to resist undermining" of the Council," he said. -------------- It's Known We Would Arrest Bashir -------------- ¶3. (C) As an example of the Mauritian attitude, Cure noted the African Union's "late-night" rejection in July of the arrest warrant for Sudanese President Bashir issued by the International Criminal Court. Several AU states spoke out against that decision, he said. Mauritius made its rejection of the decision clear in the AU, he added, but without publicity. If Bashir came to Mauritius, "he would be arrested," because "we will do nothing to undermine the 'Rome Statute'" of the ICC, of which Mauritius is a signatory. -------------- Comment -------------- ¶4. (C) Post sees Mauritius moving in the right direction on this and other issues, although sometimes more slowly than we would like. The reluctance to speak publicly on such issues is deeply ingrained here. BLASER