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INFO RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK PRIORITY 9605
UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 STATE 007242
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: IR PHUM PREL
SUBJECT: OUTREACH FOR IRAN UNIVERSAL PERIODIC REVIEW
SESSION
1.(U) Summary: This cable is an action request to share and
seek support for U.S. views and suggested recommendations for
the upcoming U.N. Human Rights Council's (HRC) Universal
Periodic Review (UPR) of Iran with like-minded and interested
countries. Iran's session will be held on February 15, 2010,
in Geneva and will include a thorough review of Iran's human
rights record. Department also requests Post to share U.S.
concern about Iran,s most recent crackdown and how the
international community can respond to best address the
current human rights situation in Iran. END SUMMARY.
ACTION REQUEST
--------------
2. (SBU) For Geneva: Mission is requested to share the
United States' issues of concern and recommendations at the
appropriate level in the permanent missions to the United
Nations in Geneva of South Korea, Japan, Austria, Belgium,
Brazil, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France,
Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania,
Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania,
Slovenia, Slovakia, Spain, Sweden, the United Kingdom,
Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Argentina, Chile, Saudi
Arabia, Jordan, Morocco, Turkey, Ghana, Mauritius, Zambia,
Nigeria, South Africa, Mexico, and Bahrain. Mission is
further requested to seek their support for raising the
issues specified therein during Iran's UPR session. See
para. 5. (NOTE: Mission Geneva may use discretion. END NOTE.)
3. (SBU) For Seoul, Tokyo, Vienna, Brussels, Sofia,
Nicosia, Prague, Copenhagen, Tallinn, Helsinki, Paris,
Berlin, Athens, Brasilia, Budapest, Dublin, Rome, Riga,
Vilnius, Luxembourg, Valletta, Amsterdam, Warsaw, Lisbon,
Bucharest, Bratislava, Ljubljana, Madrid, Stockholm, London,
Ottawa, Canberra, Wellington, Buenos Aires, Santiago, Mexico
City, Riyadh, Amman, Rabat, and Manama: Posts are requested
to share the United States' issues of concern and
recommendations at the appropriate level in the host
government and seek their support for raising issues
specified therein during Iran's UPR session. Posts are also
requested to explore the host government,s views on how to
best influence respect for human rights in Iran. See para. 5.
4. (SBU) Action addressees are strongly encouraged to
deliver this demarche before January 27, 2010 to ensure the
maximum impact of the suggested points below before the
deadline for countries to submit written recommendations and
STATE 00007242 002 OF 003
questions to the troika for Iran's UPR session (due no later
than February 1).
SUGGESTED TALKING POINTS
------------------------
5. (U) Geneva and posts may draw from the following
talking points when engaging with counterparts from the
permanent missions and host government:
-- The United States views the Universal Periodic Review as a
valuable tool for the Human Rights Council. We are hopeful
about the prospects of the UPR process and encouraged by the
example set by many governments that have undertaken the
review process. Moreover, we find the recent Ashura
violence, which resulted in the death of at least eight human
rights activists, to be particularly appalling and part of a
larger trend of the ongoing abuses committed by Iranian
authorities against pro-democracy activists following the
June 12 elections. Those reported abuses, including torture
and rape, extrajudicial arrests, curtailment of media
freedom, and violence against and harassment of human rights
activists, along with ongoing human rights violations warrant
serious concern.
-- Iran is scheduled to undergo its review on February 15.
The United States is eager to provide Iran with
recommendations to ensure a sincere and thoughtful review of
the human rights situation in the country. We are also keen
to promote the broadest possible dialogue on Iran's conduct,
and strongly encourage a wide range of states to participate
in offering recommendations to Iran during its UPR.
-- Iran's participation in the Universal Periodic Review is
an opportunity to address the serious ongoing human rights
issues in Iran. We have included recommendations on the
current crisis as well as points aimed to draw attention to
the broader spectrum of Iran's human rights record. To this
end, we have also identified positive steps that the
Government of Iran can take to further engage with the
international system and promote the advancement of human
rights on a wide selection of human rights issues.
-- Specifically, the U.S. plans to raise the violence,
harassment, extrajudicial detentions, and killings following
the June 12 election; violations of religious freedom,
including discrimination against religious minorities;
torture, cruel and inhumane treatment; undue restrictions on
freedom of expression, including harassment of journalists
and bloggers, and human trafficking. In addition to
recommending that the Government of Iran take steps to
address these issues, the United States plans to urge Iran to
STATE 00007242 003 OF 003
finalize the visit of a delegation from the Office of the
High Commissioner for Human Rights and to invite the Special
Rapporteur on Torture to visit the country.
-- We hope you can support these recommendations and offer
Iran your thoughts by making interventions of your own. The
deadline for countries to submit written recommendations or
questions to Iran is February 1.
-- We are interested in views as to how the international
community can augment existing efforts, through the UN
General Assembly resolution last fall on Iran,s human rights
record and the current emphasis on the UPR, to influence Iran
to show greater respect for the rights of its people and for
international human rights norms.
ADDITIONAL OUTREACH
-------------------
6. (U) In addition to efforts by Mission Geneva, NEA
Deputy Assistant Secretary for Iran affairs John Limbert will
be in Geneva between February 9-10 to conduct diplomatic,
civil society, and media outreach ahead of the Iran UPR
session. Further details regarding Ambassador Limbert's
visit are forthcoming.
BACKGROUND ON THE UPR
---------------------
7. (U) The UPR was established when the Human Rights
Council was created on March 15, 2006 by the UN General
Assembly. This mandated the Council to "undertake a
universal periodic review, based on objective and reliable
information, of the fulfillment by each State of its human
rights obligations and commitments in a manner which ensures
universality of coverage and equal treatment with respect to
all States." All UN Member States take part in the UPR. The
ultimate goal of UPR is the improvement of the human rights
situation in every country with significant consequences for
people around the globe.
The UPR is designed to prompt, support, and expand the
promotion and protection of human rights on the ground. To
achieve this, the UPR involves assessing States' human rights
records and addressing human rights violations wherever they
occur. The UPR provides States with the opportunity to
self-assess areas for improvement and to seek technical
assistance; the UPR provides the United States with the
opportunity to follow up bilaterally with States under review
on the achievements, areas for
improvement, and human rights commitments identified through
the UPR process.
CLINTON