Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
09USUNNEWYORK111
2009-02-10 16:25:00
CONFIDENTIAL
USUN New York
Cable title:  

DURBAN REVIEW CONFERENCE: AMBASSADOR RICE'S PHONE

Tags:  PHUM PREL UNHRC 
pdf how-to read a cable
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DE RUCNDT #0111/01 0411625
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FM USMISSION USUN NEW YORK
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 5799
INFO RUEHGV/USMISSION GENEVA PRIORITY 3522
C O N F I D E N T I A L USUN NEW YORK 000111 

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/10/2014
TAGS: PHUM PREL UNHRC
SUBJECT: DURBAN REVIEW CONFERENCE: AMBASSADOR RICE'S PHONE
CALL WITH UNHCHR PILLAY

Classified By: Ambassador Susan E. Rice for reasons 1.4(b) and (d).

C O N F I D E N T I A L USUN NEW YORK 000111

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/10/2014
TAGS: PHUM PREL UNHRC
SUBJECT: DURBAN REVIEW CONFERENCE: AMBASSADOR RICE'S PHONE
CALL WITH UNHCHR PILLAY

Classified By: Ambassador Susan E. Rice for reasons 1.4(b) and (d).


1. (C) Summary: UN High Commissioner for Human Rights
Pillay told Ambassador Rice Feb. 9 that Iran and Syria
inserted anti-Israeli language in the draft outcome document
of the Durban Review Conference, but the rest of the OIC
(including Egypt and Palestine) wants to "knock it out" and
the African and Latin American-Caribbean groups want it out
as well. She said she is "very hopeful" it can be deleted,
and also "fairly confident" Pakistan can be persuaded to back
down on its insistence that the document include language on
defamation of religions. As for language on reparations for
slavery, this is "not an issue at all," said Pillay.
Ambassador Rice said the United States has made no decision
on whether to engage in the drafting process, but she was
grateful for the High Commissioner's letter of Feb. 4 and
wanted to hear her assessment of prospects for progress.
Pillay urged strongly that the United States engage early in
the negotiating process and asked that we "consider very
seriously" any U.S. decision to boycott the review
conference, as Denmark, the Netherlands and the UK are
considering pulling out if the United States does so. "Much
hinges on your decision," said Pillay. End summary.


2. (U) Pillay had written to Ambassador Rice Feb. 4 "in hope
of beginning a dialogue with you" about the Durban Review
Conference. In her letter she praised the 2001 Durban
Declaration and Program of Action (DDPA),which she said
largely "transcended divisive and intolerant approaches" of
the kind that took place in the NGO conference on the
"periphery" of the 2001 conference. She wrote that she hoped
the USG would play a leading role in the review conference
and that, "I have every confidence that we can find
consensus." (Note: UN Secretary-General Ban wrote to
President Obama Jan. 30 inviting him to participate in the
high-level segment of the review conference. On Feb. 9 Ban
stressed to Ambassador Rice the importance of U.S.
participation in the drafting process and echoed Pillay's
optimistic assessment.)


3. (C) High Commissioner Pillay and Ambassador Rice spoke by
telephone Feb. 9 to follow up on the letter. Saying the new

Administration had made no decision yet about participating
in the review conference, the Ambassador said the United
States has three main concerns about the draft outcome
document: the anti-Israeli language, which seemed to have
gone from bad to worse as the drafting process continued; the
language on blasphemy and its implications for freedom of
speech; and the language on reparations for slavery.


4. (C) Pillay noted the importance of the United States
participating in the Feb. 16-19 informal consultations on the
draft outcome document. The meeting will occur, she said, at
the ambassadorial level. Saying she was speaking in
confidence, Pillay attributed the anti-Israeli language in
the draft to Iran and Syria. But it is still bracketed, she
said, and the rest of the OIC countries have agreed to "knock
it out." The outcome in this regard is "looking very
hopeful," said Pillay. Egypt and the Palestinian
representative had committed to her that very day to help get
the language deleted and Mexico's Ambassador Alba (the first
chairman of the Human Rights Council) had told her the GRULAC
had met the same morning, Feb. 9, and agreed to help. The
Africans "don't want any of it," said Pillay.


5. (C) The draft language on defamation of religions, said
Pillay, comes from Pakistan. It is not in the DDPA.
Referring to a seminar her office held last October on
freedom of expression, Pillay said she had urged Pakistan to
use the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights
to address the issue of defamation. "I will put this in my
document, which we're preparing," she told the Ambassador,
explaining that the preparatory committee had asked for a
document on how her office is implementing the DDPA. (She
said she would send Ambassador Rice a copy.) "I am talking
to Pakistan and they're happy with this paragraph in my
document," said Pillay, and "I am fairly confident" this will
resolve the problem in the draft outcome document of the
review conference. She does not believe that Pakistan would
prevail if this language were to come to a vote. As for the
draft language on reparations, Pillay dismissed it as "not an
issue at all," as no one in pressing for it.


6. (C) "It is too soon for me to come up with a text," said
Pillay (meaning an alternative to the draft outcome
document),though she indicated a willingness to do so later,
if necessary. The Ambassador asked Pillay for her reaction
to the idea of a postponement of the review conference.
Pillay responded negatively, saying the conference is
important to Africa, and to Latin America and the Caribbean.
There is no appetite for delay, she said, and she herself
would strongly oppose a delay. "Things are fairly under


control" she reiterated, and "if it comes to the worst" the
language the U.S. objects to could be put to a vote, which
she believes we would win. (Comment: we are far less
confident that the West would prevail in any vote.)


7. (C) Ambassador Rice stressed that if the United States
were to decide to engage, it would be necessary for the U.S.
to have some early proof of real progress to enable it to
continue. Pillay said she would get back to the Ambassador
"well before Feb. 16," when the next informal negotiations on
the outcome document are scheduled to begin. Pillay was
encouraged by Mexican Ambassador Alba's personal interest in
chairing the review conference. Finally, she appealed to the
Ambassador for the United States to "consider very seriously"
any decision not to participate, as a number of countries,
including Denmark, the Netherlands and the UK were
considering pulling out if the United States did so. "Much
hinges on your decision," said Pillay.
Rice