HUMAN RIGHTS DISCUSSIONS WITH MEXICO AT COMMUNITY

C O N F I D E N T I A L STATE 089275

SENSITIVE
SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/23/2019
TAGS: KDEM PREL PHUM MX
SUBJECT: HUMAN RIGHTS DISCUSSIONS WITH MEXICO AT COMMUNITY
OF DEMOCRACIES LISBON MINISTERAL

Classified By: DRL A/S Karen B. Stewart, Acting, Reasons 1.4 (b) & (d)


1. (U) DRL Acting Assistant Secretary Karen B. Stewart met
with Mexican Undersecretary for Multilateral Affairs and
Human Rights Juan Manuel Gomez-Robledo July 11 on the
sidelines of the Lisbon Community of Democracies (CD)
Ministerial to discuss human rights and democracy priorities.
This was Gomez-Robledo's first time at a CD Ministerial; he
came on the advice of the Mexican Embassy in Washington that
the Obama Administration continues to support the CD, but the
GOM remains critical of the way it is run. Gomez-Robledo
observed that the CD is perceived to be too close to the USG,
suggesting that the Convening Group rotate locations; the
closed nature of the Convening Group's leadership has shut
out potential allies; the declarations fail to add much to
the political discourse; and the GOM abhors the invitation
process, preferring inclusiveness. Instead, Gomez-Robledo
would like to see the CD interact more in other international
fora, such as IDEA, and saw the roundtables as useful for
fostering open debate owned by all CD participants and
observers. AA/S Stewart expressed the USG goal to move
away from the perception of the CD as "our baby and our
responsibility," and hinted at internal debates over
inclusiveness and the risk of becoming so inclusive as to
lose the meaning in the name of the organization. AA/S
Stewart encouraged Mexico to speak with Lithuania regarding
ideas for the future of the CD, including the possibility of
moving Convening Group locations.


2. (U) Mexico will host the next U.S.-Canada-Mexico human
rights trilateral consultation September 10. The full day
consultations will focus primarily upon the Human Rights
Council (HRC),as the USG is a new member. Mexico's new
ambassador to Geneva is an expert on human rights and was
involved in the former Commission - Juan Jose Gomez Camacho.
France and Mexico plan to host a reflection session on HRC
reform at the end of October, to which the USG will be
invited among 15 other countries - civil society and High
Commissioner Pillay will also be invited to participate.
Mexico has developed a concept paper on the 2011 HRC review
to guide discussions, with the goal of developing a report to
the UN General Assembly to contribute to the 2011 review.
(Note: On August 19, provided the list of invitees and a copy
of the concept paper, after consulting with France: the
United States, Switzerland, the United Kingdom, France,
Romania, Ukraine, Mexico, Brazil, Costa Rica, Republic of
Korea, India, Jordan, Morocco, Nigeria, and Ghana. End Note.)


3. (SBU) With regard to defamation of religions, Mexico had
a bilateral consultation with Pakistan; GOM noted dislike of
the resolution and intent to continue abstaining. Mexico
advised USG reach out to Pakistan, as Gomez-Robledo believed
the GOP seemed to get the message. In terms of the GRULAC,
he advised outreach to Brazil as key to bringing along
others. (Note: In an aside, Gomez-Robledo cautioned that
Brazil's ambitions for the UN Security Council are leading to
inconsistent policies, siding with the "bad guys," and
expressed amazement at Brazil's negative behavior at the HRC
special session on Sri Lanka. End Note.) Gomez-Robledo has
bilateral discussions with Brazil at the end of July, and
plans to be "very frank" with them. The Holy See should be
encouraged to be more active. AA/S Stewart expressed thanks
for Mexican efforts on the Russian "traditional values"
resolution, and warned that the delayed resolution may
resurface at the September HRC session. Gomez-Robledo took
this under advisement for his bilaterals with Russia, also
scheduled for the end of July, and noted France's intention
to do more work on sexual orientation, using the same
approach they used on death penalty to garner gradual support
for stronger protections.


4. (U) AA/S Stewart referenced trouble in the ECOSOC NGO
Committee over consultative status applications for Democracy
Coalition Project and the Dynamic Christian World Mission
Foundation. Gomez-Robledo noted that NGO Committee
obstruction of consultative status for civil society
organizations is not unique to U.S. NGOs, remembering the
experience of Egypt blocking International IDEA's status for
three years before it became an international organization.
(Note: Mexico is to host a meeting November 2009 for IDEA -
the International Institute for Democracy and Electoral
Assistance. End Note.) Mexican NGOs are becoming
increasingly internationally active, and more in future may
seek consultative status at the UN - this could become a
problem for Mexico as well. Mexico has been considering
joining the ECOSOC NGO Committee; Gomez-Robledo may push
harder for a firm commitment from the SRE.


5. (C) Given the negotiations on the CD Honduras statement,
Gomez-Robledo noted his concern with the lack of progress to
Arias' mediation efforts, but nonetheless finds it needful as
a path to peace vice Venezuela's and Nicaragua's talk of
reinstating the democratic order by force. The Bolivarians
are "delighted" with what has happened, now in the position
to argue that any elections held without Zelaya's return will
be tainted because they will be run by an "illegal"
government. (Note: Gomez-Robledo assumes whoever wins the
elections in Honduras will pull GOH out of ALBA. End Note.)
Mexico believes they and others will soon face pressure to
take the situation to the UN Security Council. Mexico
maintains the argument that the region already has
alternative mechanisms to address the situation, and notes
that neither Russia nor China want the Honduras situation to
come up in the Security Council for reasons of the Iran
elections and internal domestic concerns.


6. (SBU) Comment: Gomez-Robledo's observations regarding
the Community of Democracies and the ECOSOC NGO Committee
reflect greater high level interest on the part of Mexico
than has been expressed in quite some time. While still
expressing considerable skepticism as to the CD's utility,
this discussion presents an open door for further reflection
together, particularly in light of USG review of our future
policies and positions regarding the CD. On multilateral
human rights priorities, ongoing USG policy review and
outreach efforts may result in greater opportunities for
cooperation with Mexico both within a trilateral format with
Canada, and bilaterally at the UN General Assembly and the
Human Rights Council in particular. With regard to the
ECOSOC NGO Committee, Mexico ought to be strongly encouraged
to pursue membership as one tactic in addressing the access
problems for civil society members to the UN system. We plan
to further explore these issues at the next
Mexico-Canada-United States human rights trilateral
consultations in September. End Comment.
CLINTON