Wikileaks - MDLXXXII
245358 1/25/2010 17:03 10STATE7242 Secretary of State UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY VZCZCXRO7251 OO RUEHSL DE RUEHC #7242/01 0251710 ZNR UUUUU ZZH O P 251703Z JAN 10 FM SECSTATE WASHDC TO RUEHAM/AMEMBASSY AMMAN IMMEDIATE 4740 RUEHRL/AMEMBASSY BERLIN IMMEDIATE 5934 RUEHBR/AMEMBASSY BRASILIA IMMEDIATE 0526 RUEHSL/AMEMBASSY BRATISLAVA IMMEDIATE 0895 RUEHBS/AMEMBASSY BRUSSELS IMMEDIATE 6165 RUEHBM/AMEMBASSY BUCHAREST IMMEDIATE 2932 RUEHUP/AMEMBASSY BUDAPEST IMMEDIATE 8530 RUEHBU/AMEMBASSY BUENOS AIRES IMMEDIATE 0545 RUEHBY/AMEMBASSY CANBERRA IMMEDIATE 6321 RUEHCP/AMEMBASSY COPENHAGEN IMMEDIATE 1695 RUEHDL/AMEMBASSY DUBLIN IMMEDIATE 1471 RUEHHE/AMEMBASSY HELSINKI IMMEDIATE 2867 RUEHLI/AMEMBASSY LISBON IMMEDIATE 8521 RUEHLJ/AMEMBASSY LJUBLJANA IMMEDIATE 7123 RUEHLO/AMEMBASSY LONDON IMMEDIATE 8980 RUEHLE/AMEMBASSY LUXEMBOURG IMMEDIATE 0102 RUEHMD/AMEMBASSY MADRID IMMEDIATE 3737 RUEHMK/AMEMBASSY MANAMA IMMEDIATE 7380 RUEHME/AMEMBASSY MEXICO IMMEDIATE 0389 RUEHNC/AMEMBASSY NICOSIA IMMEDIATE 5966 RUEHOT/AMEMBASSY OTTAWA IMMEDIATE 1188 RUEHFR/AMEMBASSY PARIS IMMEDIATE 8155 RUEHPG/AMEMBASSY PRAGUE IMMEDIATE 1738 RUEHRB/AMEMBASSY RABAT IMMEDIATE 8764 RUEHRA/AMEMBASSY RIGA IMMEDIATE 2281 RUEHRH/AMEMBASSY RIYADH IMMEDIATE 4780 RUEHRO/AMEMBASSY ROME IMMEDIATE 3890 RUEHSG/AMEMBASSY SANTIAGO IMMEDIATE 0894 RUEHUL/AMEMBASSY SEOUL IMMEDIATE 2923 RUEHSF/AMEMBASSY SOFIA IMMEDIATE 4609 RUEHSM/AMEMBASSY STOCKHOLM IMMEDIATE 8928 RUEHTL/AMEMBASSY TALLINN IMMEDIATE 0661 RUEHTC/AMEMBASSY THE HAGUE IMMEDIATE 7581 RUEHKO/AMEMBASSY TOKYO IMMEDIATE 2044 RUEHVT/AMEMBASSY VALLETTA IMMEDIATE 7790 RUEHVI/AMEMBASSY VIENNA IMMEDIATE 0639 RUEHVL/AMEMBASSY VILNIUS IMMEDIATE 3192 RUEHWR/AMEMBASSY WARSAW IMMEDIATE 5864 RUEHWL/AMEMBASSY WELLINGTON IMMEDIATE 0960 RUEHGV/USMISSION GENEVA IMMEDIATE 0116 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
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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
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questions to the troika for Iran's UPR session (due no later than February 1).
SUGGESTED TALKING POINTS
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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
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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
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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
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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
