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Cablegate: High Commissioner for Human Rights Addresses Un

Published: Thu 15 Nov 2007 12:43 PM
VZCZCXYZ0003
PP RUEHWEB
DE RUCNDT #1015 3191243
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 151243Z NOV 07
FM USMISSION USUN NEW YORK
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 3086
INFO RUEHKM/AMEMBASSY KAMPALA PRIORITY 0323
RUEHKT/AMEMBASSY KATHMANDU PRIORITY 0390
RUEHGV/USMISSION GENEVA PRIORITY 2936
UNCLAS USUN NEW YORK 001015
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PHUM NP UG
SUBJECT: HIGH COMMISSIONER FOR HUMAN RIGHTS ADDRESSES UN
GENERAL ASSEMBLY
REF: USUN 834
1. (U) On October 24, the Third Committee of the UN General
Assembly heard reports by the High Commissioner for Human
Rights, Louise Arbour. She highlighted the pervasiveness of
impunity for gross violations of human rights, noting a lack
of will and resources to address the issue. Without
elaborating, Arbour also made a statement expressing her
concern for "individuals incarcerated without adequate
judicial review."
3. (U) Several countries asked Arbour about the division of
labor between the Third Committee and the Human Rights
Council (HRC). Countries also frequently commented on treaty
body reform and the imbalance of geographical distribution of
employees in the Office of the High Commissioner for Human
Rights (OHCHR). Many noted that as much attention should be
given to economic, social and cultural rights as is given to
political and civic rights.
4. (U) In response to questions about the respective roles of
the Third Committee and the HRC, Arbour noted dipomatically
that member states will decide the nature of this
relationship. She took the opportunity to clarify the
circumstances regarding the introduction of her reports on
Uganda and Nepal on the first day of the current Third
Committee session, Oct. 8, which the Third Committee after
fractious debate voted to delete from the agenda (reftel).
She stated that the OHCHR offices in Uganda and Nepal have
MOUs with the respective governments. Both MOUs contemplate
that the OHCHR will present reports to the Third Committee
and the HRC. She stated that her actions in presenting the
reports to the Third Committee were taken in compliance with
bilateral agreements and that the reports were shared for
comments prior to being circulated.
5. (U) Uganda replied that the MOU does exist, but neither
the Ugandan government nor the Ugandan mission in Geneva had
prior knowledge that the report was to be presented in the
62nd session of the General Assembly. The delegate reiterated
her claim that Uganda had been ambushed.
6. The full report of the High Commissioner for Human Rights
can be found at:
http://daccessdds.un.org/doc/UNDOC/GEN/N07/46 1/09/PDF/
NO746109.pdf?openelement
Khalilzad
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