INSTRUCTIONS TO SUPPORT UNITED NATIONS HUMAN

UNCLAS STATE 045238 E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PREL PHUM UN CE SUBJECT: INSTRUCTIONS TO SUPPORT UNITED NATIONS HUMAN RIGHTS COUNCIL SPECIAL SESSION ON THE SITUATION IN SRI LANKA REF: A. CASSAYRE EMAIL (4/30/09 AT 10:32AM) ¶B. CHAMBERS EMAIL (5/1/09 AT 11:22AM) SUMMARY -------------- ¶1. (SBU) This cable is an action request for Mission Geneva to support a UN Human Rights Council (HRC) special session to discuss the human rights situation in Sri Lanka. Please see paras. 3-4. End summary. OBJECTIVE -------------- ¶2. (SBU) To hold a special session in the UN HRC to discuss potential solutions to the current human rights situation in Sri Lanka and to support a resolution resulting from this session. ACTION REQUEST -------------- ¶3. (SBU) Mission Geneva is requested to convey to the Czech Republic and other like-minded members of the HRC that the USG supports a special session on the human rights situation in Sri Lanka and related aspects of the humanitarian situation. Mission is further requested to provide assistance, as needed, to the Czech Republic in obtaining others, signatures to support holding this session. ¶4. (SBU) Mission is also instructed to engage with HRC members to negotiate a resolution as an outcome of this special session, if held. Department believes a special session that does not result in a resolution would be hailed as a victory by the Government of Sri Lanka. Instructions for line edits to the resolution will be provided by Department upon review of a draft. POINT OF CONTACT -------------- ¶5. (U) Please contact Gayatri Patel at (202) 647-3902 with follow-up questions or requests for additional information. CLINTON