Wikileaks - MDXXXI
238048 12/4/2009 8:32 09BUCHAREST806 Embassy Bucharest CONFIDENTIAL 09STATE120835 VZCZCXRO7499 OO RUEHDBU RUEHFL RUEHKW RUEHLA RUEHNP RUEHROV RUEHSL RUEHSR DE RUEHBM #0806 3380832 ZNY CCCCC ZZH O 040832Z DEC 09 ZDK FM AMEMBASSY BUCHAREST TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 0133 INFO RUEHZL/EUROPEAN POLITICAL COLLECTIVE PRIORITY C O N F I D E N T I A L BUCHAREST 000806
SIPDIS
EUR/CE FOR ASCHEIBE AND IO/HR COLLEEN NEVILLE
E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/03/2019 TAGS: PHUM, PREL, KDEM, RO SUBJECT: DEMARCHE RESPONSE: SUPPORTING ROMANIA'S CANDIDACY FOR UN HUMAN RIGHTS COUNCIL
REF: STATE 120835
Classified By: DCM JERI GUTHRIE-CORN FOR REASONS 1.4 (B) and (D)
1. (C) Poloff delivered reftel demarche to Razvan Rotundu, Director of the Human Rights and Council of Europe Division at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Romania, on December 2. Rotundu stated Romania will run for the Human Rights Council in May 2010, competing against Georgia and the Czech Republic as representative for Eastern Europe. Romania already served on the Council from 2006 until 2008 and is well-qualified for the position with experienced staff, said Rotundu.
2. (C) Based on criteria outlined in reftel, Post believes Department should support Romania's candidacy. Romania has adequate resources both in Geneva and for frequent travel. Romania shares our concern that the Council has not focused sufficiently on country-specific issues, and Rotundu noted the exception of disproportionate, biased criticism of Israel. He also intimated that Romania would be willing to act independently from its regional group, commenting that such regional groupings are "rigid." There was "room for improvement" in the Council's performance, he said.
3. (C) Romania was supportive of our prior candidacy for the UN Human Rights Council and has contributed troops to Iraq and Afghanistan. Our reciprocal support on the HRC candidacy would signal to Romania our commitment to continuing and strengthening our strong partnership on a broad range of issues. GITENSTEIN
