Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
09SANAA1659
2009-09-12 11:39:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Sanaa
Cable title:
DEMARCHE RESPONSE: CANDIDATES FOR UN HUMAN RIGHTS
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C O N F I D E N T I A L SANAA 001659
SIPDIS
FOR NEA/ARP AMACDONALD AND IO/RHS CNEVILLE
E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/09/2019
TAGS: PHUM PREL IR YM
SUBJECT: DEMARCHE RESPONSE: CANDIDATES FOR UN HUMAN RIGHTS
COUNCIL
REF: STATE 90247
Classified By: Ambassador Stephen Seche for reasons 1.4(b) and (d).
C O N F I D E N T I A L SANAA 001659
SIPDIS
FOR NEA/ARP AMACDONALD AND IO/RHS CNEVILLE
E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/09/2019
TAGS: PHUM PREL IR YM
SUBJECT: DEMARCHE RESPONSE: CANDIDATES FOR UN HUMAN RIGHTS
COUNCIL
REF: STATE 90247
Classified By: Ambassador Stephen Seche for reasons 1.4(b) and (d).
1. (C) PolOff delivered reftel demarche to Liza Khaled in
the Ministry of Foreign Affairs' (MFA) UN Department on
September 9. Khaled said that Yemen is considering running
for a seat on the UN Human Rights Council (HRC) and that the
Yemeni Ambassador to the UN and other relevant ROYG officials
were planning to hold a meeting during the 64th session of
the UN General Assembly this fall to decide whether or not to
run for a seat. Khaled expected a decision in late 2009.
She added that the ROYG would also discuss the suitability of
other countries in the Asia group for the HRC, and mentioned
Jordan and Qatar as two possible candidates that Yemen might
support.
2. (C) Post believes that Yemen is unlikely to decide to run
for a seat on the Human Rights Council given a lack of
high-level commitment to human rights and other leadership
responsibilities in the international arena (see below on
Yemen's NAM presidency). The ROYG has permreps in Geneva and
New York, but is facing serious financial difficulty and may
not possess the resources for additional travel related to
HRC discussions. While Yemen is in line with the United
States on some human rights issues, it has struggled in
recent years to maintain a clean record domestically, and,
given popular support for the Palestinians, is unlikely to
steer the council away from a country-specific focus on
Israel. Yemen generally toes the Arab League line on most
issues at the UN, but has on occasion taken different
positions from other countries in the region.
OTHER IO NEWS FROM YEMEN
--------------
3. (SBU) Khaled told PolOff that Yemen, which underwent the
UN's Universal Periodic Review (UPR) of human rights, had
thus far implemented 109 of the recommendations from UN
member states, including U.S. recommendations on improving
gender equality. Yemen rejected 22 of the recommendations,
such as abolishing the death penalty, because they violated
Islamic law and / or the Yemeni constitution. There are 12
recommendations that the ROYG is still considering, and,
according to Khaled, is likely to implement.
4. (SBU) Yemen will hold the presidency of the Non-Aligned
Movement (NAM) starting in January 2010, according to Khaled.
This is the first time that Yemen has assumed any such
leadership position in the international community, and the
MFA is devoting significant efforts to ensure that the
presidency is successful. Yemen has no particular plans for
NAM, but "hopes to learn from the international experiences
of the U.S. and other states."
SECHE
SIPDIS
FOR NEA/ARP AMACDONALD AND IO/RHS CNEVILLE
E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/09/2019
TAGS: PHUM PREL IR YM
SUBJECT: DEMARCHE RESPONSE: CANDIDATES FOR UN HUMAN RIGHTS
COUNCIL
REF: STATE 90247
Classified By: Ambassador Stephen Seche for reasons 1.4(b) and (d).
1. (C) PolOff delivered reftel demarche to Liza Khaled in
the Ministry of Foreign Affairs' (MFA) UN Department on
September 9. Khaled said that Yemen is considering running
for a seat on the UN Human Rights Council (HRC) and that the
Yemeni Ambassador to the UN and other relevant ROYG officials
were planning to hold a meeting during the 64th session of
the UN General Assembly this fall to decide whether or not to
run for a seat. Khaled expected a decision in late 2009.
She added that the ROYG would also discuss the suitability of
other countries in the Asia group for the HRC, and mentioned
Jordan and Qatar as two possible candidates that Yemen might
support.
2. (C) Post believes that Yemen is unlikely to decide to run
for a seat on the Human Rights Council given a lack of
high-level commitment to human rights and other leadership
responsibilities in the international arena (see below on
Yemen's NAM presidency). The ROYG has permreps in Geneva and
New York, but is facing serious financial difficulty and may
not possess the resources for additional travel related to
HRC discussions. While Yemen is in line with the United
States on some human rights issues, it has struggled in
recent years to maintain a clean record domestically, and,
given popular support for the Palestinians, is unlikely to
steer the council away from a country-specific focus on
Israel. Yemen generally toes the Arab League line on most
issues at the UN, but has on occasion taken different
positions from other countries in the region.
OTHER IO NEWS FROM YEMEN
--------------
3. (SBU) Khaled told PolOff that Yemen, which underwent the
UN's Universal Periodic Review (UPR) of human rights, had
thus far implemented 109 of the recommendations from UN
member states, including U.S. recommendations on improving
gender equality. Yemen rejected 22 of the recommendations,
such as abolishing the death penalty, because they violated
Islamic law and / or the Yemeni constitution. There are 12
recommendations that the ROYG is still considering, and,
according to Khaled, is likely to implement.
4. (SBU) Yemen will hold the presidency of the Non-Aligned
Movement (NAM) starting in January 2010, according to Khaled.
This is the first time that Yemen has assumed any such
leadership position in the international community, and the
MFA is devoting significant efforts to ensure that the
presidency is successful. Yemen has no particular plans for
NAM, but "hopes to learn from the international experiences
of the U.S. and other states."
SECHE