VZCZCXRO8949
OO RUEHCHI RUEHCN RUEHDT RUEHHM
DE RUEHML #0716 0790940
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 190940Z MAR 08
FM AMEMBASSY MANILA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 0206
INFO RUEHZS/ASSOCIATION OF SOUTHEAST ASIAN NATIONS IMMEDIATE
RUEHGV/USMISSION GENEVA IMMEDIATE 2214
RHHMUNA/CDRUSPACOM HONOLULU HI IMMEDIATE
RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK IMMEDIATE 0263
UNCLAS MANILA 000716
SIPDIS
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
DEPT FOR EAP/MTS
DEPT ALSO FOR DRL/MLGA (PAZ)
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV PHUM PREL RP DPRK
SUBJECT: DEMARCHE ON UN HUMAN RIGHTS RAPPORTEUR:
PHILIPPINES REVIEWING COUNTRY-SPECIFIC PRACTICES
REF: A. STATE 27281
B. 2007 MANILA 3710
1. (SBU) Human Rights Division Director Josephine Reynante
of the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) Office for United
Nations and International Organizations (UNIO) told poloff
March 17 that the DFA is currently reviewing its practice of
supporting exceptional country-specific resolutions. As a
general rule the Philippines does not support
country-specific resolutions (ref B). After listening to
points about the important role that the Philippines plays on
the UN Human Rights Council as a leader among Southeast Asian
democracies (ref A), Reynante said the Philippine position
supporting the Special Rapporteur for the human rights
situation in North Korea had not changed. Reynante framed
that support, however, as being based on the June 2007
"compromise package," which included rapporteurs for other
countries (excluding Cuba and Belarus) and, she carefully
noted, had been adopted by consensus. Post will continue to
follow up with the DFA on this issue.
Visit Embassy Manila's Classified SIPRNET website:
http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/eap/manila/index. cfm
You can also access this site through the State Department's
Classified SIPRNET website:
http://www.state.sgov.gov/
KENNEY