VZCZCXYZ0017
RR RUEHWEB
DE RUEHHE #0416 3101447
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 061447Z NOV 09
FM AMEMBASSY HELSINKI
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 5262
INFO RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK 0117
UNCLAS HELSINKI 000416
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: FI PREL
SUBJECT: FINLAND: (UN) ACTION REQUEST: 64TH UN GENERAL
ASSEMBLY THIRD COMMITTEE
1. Pol/Econoff delivered reftel points to Kirsti
Pohjankukka and Janne Jokinen, First Secretaries in the Unit
for Humans Rights Policy at the Ministry for Foreign Affairs.
Pohjankukka thanked the USG for its help with the Convention
on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against
Women, adding that the support was very much appreciated
coming from a country not bound by the convention as a
ratifier.
2. Regarding the use of no-action motions, Pohjankukka
stated that the GOF is against the use of these motions and
will actively support the USG on this topic.
3. Regarding the Defamation of Religion Resolution,
Pohjankukka supports the
E.U.,s position that religion is not an institution and thus
this resolution is faulty. E.U. usually proposes a
resolution on religious tolerance and it is important to keep
the E.U. resolution separate from the Defamation resolution.
Pohjankukka suggested that if the resolution does get tabled
that the best way to mount a successful campaign against it
would be to reach out to wider regional groups. She asserted
that it will be important to have as many diverse voices as
possible against the resolution.
4. Regarding Rights of the Child Convention, Pohjankukka
stated that there is not much room to amend the proposed text
about the resolution being the standard for this issue.
Jokinen added that the text cannot be changed because the
Convention so widely ratified that it has become the
pinnacle of the ideal of universal ratification.8 Jokinen
is sure that the sentence about this convention being the
standard on the rights of children will stay in the text.
Both GOF officials gave positive statements at the thought of
USA ratifying this resolution. Jokinen stated that some
countries are proposing language to weaken this resolution.
He was adamant that the text cannot be changed or the U.N.
standard will be viewed as weakening.
5. Both Pohjankukka and Jokinen had questions regarding the
Third Committee. Post requests guidance on how to respond to
the following questions:
--What is the U.S. strategy on the stereotyping resolution?
--Has the U.S. discussed the possibility of country-specific
resolutions in the future?
--What are the responses from the Latin American countries
regarding country-specific resolutions? GOF wants to steer
the conversation so that country-specific resolutions become
a trend to help basic attitudes change.
--What is the USG,s thinking regarding the review of the HRC
in Geneva? Pohjankukka and Jokinen both followed up this
question by stating that the HRC is living in its own little
bubble and that it needs to be more grounded in reality.
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