Viewing cable 06PARIS2358, FRENCH MFA URGES CLOSE CONSULTATION ON HUMAN

 

Reference ID	Created	Released	Classification	Origin
06PARIS2358	2006-04-11 07:07	2010-11-30 16:04	CONFIDENTIAL	Embassy Paris

VZCZCXRO8911
OO RUEHFL RUEHKW RUEHLA RUEHROV RUEHSR
DE RUEHFR #2358/01 1010753
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
O 110753Z APR 06
FM AMEMBASSY PARIS
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 6165
INFO RUEHGV/USMISSION GENEVA IMMEDIATE 2322
RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK IMMEDIATE 0710
RUEHZL/EUROPEAN POLITICAL COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
RUEHZJ/HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
RUEHBU/AMEMBASSY BUENOS AIRES PRIORITY 1193
RUEHSB/AMEMBASSY HARARE PRIORITY 0394
RUEHBO/AMEMBASSY BOGOTA 0324

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 PARIS 002358 

SIPDIS 

SIPDIS 

E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/09/2016 
TAGS: KUNR PREL PHUM UNGA FR
SUBJECT: FRENCH MFA URGES CLOSE CONSULTATION ON HUMAN 
RIGHTS COUNCIL 

REF: STATE 55461 

Classified By: Political Minister Counselor Josiah B. Rosenblatt. Reas 
ons 1.4b,d 

¶1. Summary: (C) IO DAS-Equivalent Beatrice Le Fraper du 
Hellen on April 7 regretted that the Human Rights Council 
(HRC) would be a less credible institution without USG 
participation. However, she admitted that she herself had 
urged the MFA not to seek an HRC seat in 2006, but to wait 
until 2007 when members would be elected for full three-year 
terms. With the U.S. absent, Le Fraper urged regular 
French-U.S. dialogue so that USG equities could be taken into 
account. She warned that the EU may put forward a 
Guantanamo-related resolution, but suggested that the EU had 
learned lessons from the fracas over renditions at the 
Council of Europe. Le Fraper lauded the U.S. aim to 
encourage the HRC to address the worst human rights abusing 
nations, including Iran. She suggested that France had lost 
patience with Zimbabwe in the domain of human rights, 
although the French UN delegation in New York chafed at any 
confrontation with the Africa Group. Lastly, Le Fraper 
mentioned that France and Argentina would roll out a draft 
convention on enforced disappearances at the HRC. End 
Summary. 

¶2. (C) IO DAS-Equivalent Beatrice Le Fraper du Hellen on 
April 7 regretted that the Human Rights Council would be a 
less credible institution without USG participation (ref). 
She tempered her disappointment however with the observation 
that she had likewise argued -- but without success -- that 
France not seek an HRC seat in 2006. From a tactical 
standpoint, it was smarter to hold off until 2007 in order to 
obtain a guaranteed a full 3-year term on the Council. 
Candidates this year, she explained to Poloff, were competing 
for 1-year, 2-year or 3-year terms on the newly launched HRC; 
in future, terms would run for three years. Le Fraper 
bemoaned that France now had to launch a worldwide diplomatic 
campaign for a seat without knowing in advance the length of 
the term it would be alloted on the Council, which would be 
determined later by lottery. Le Fraper asked for USG support 
for the French candidacy. Le Fraper believed that the USG 
would have at least as much influence as actual seated HRC 
members on debates about establishing standard HRC procedures 
during the inaugural year, because that policy would be 
articulated through regional groups. 

¶3. (C) With the U.S. absent from the HRC, Le Fraper urged 
regular French-U.S. dialogue so that USG equities could be 
taken into account. She noted the French and American 
Geneva-based delegations enjoyed good relations. Regular 
consulatations were crucial, especially given the possibility 
that some EU member would lobby to advance a resolution on 
Guantanamo detainees. However, Le Fraper believed the fracas 
over renditions at the Council of Europe had been salutary, 
if only for cautioning EU members that they should tread 
lightly, since European governments lacked full awareness of 
what transpired on their own territory, whether with or 
without direct government complicity. 

¶4. (C) Le Fraper lauded the USG aim to actively encourage 
the HRC to address serious cases of human rights abuse in 
countries such as Iran, Cuba, Zimbabwe, Burma, Sudan and 
South Korea. FM Douste-Blazy was now particularly exercised 
about Iran, she said. Moreover, France had lost patience 
with Zimbabwe, Le Fraper insisted, pointing to French support 
for a human rights-related UNGA resolution, a policy 
decision, she added, that had vexed the French delegation in 
New York, which had preferred not to roil the waters with the 
Africa Group. 

¶5. (C) Le Fraper forewarned that France and Argentina would 
be introducing a new draft legal convention about enforced 
disappearances at the HRC. She regretted that the USG would 
not be present at the Council for discussions, but Argentina 
in particular was keen on rolling out the draft this year, 
which marks the 30th anniversary of the launching of the 
so-called "Dirty War." The draft would also be presented at 
the General Assembly. French involvement in the initiative 
dated to 1978, after the disappearance of French citizens in 
Argentina. Le Fraper commented she knew of U.S. 
sensitivities about possible ramifications in the context of 
the detention of non-state actors. The Government of 
Colombia, Fraper added, had also had expressed concerns, yet 
now appeared ready to support the draft. (Note: Human Rights 

PARIS 00002358 002 OF 002 


Desk Officer Donatienne Hissard clarified on April 10 that 
the U.S. had joined consensus on negotiations of the 
convention while nonetheless expressing reserves about the 
"Right to Truth," e.g. the rights of victims to information 
about the circumstances of their detention, as well as other 
rights for detainees.) 

Comment 
------- 

¶6. (C) Comment and BioNote: Le Fraper clearly sees the USG 
as an indispensable player in the advocacy of human rights. 
While worrying the HRC would lack weight without USG 
membership, Le Fraper otherwise discounted the impact of USG 
non-participation, apart from advising there would be a need 
to consult closely in order to take USG equities into 
account. Le Fraper said the MFA made an effort to avoid 
dramatization of the U.S. decision in exchanges with the 
press and with NGOs. Bionote: Le Fraper mentioned that her 
sister, Dorothe Le Fraper du Hellen, was also a dedicated 
human rights advocate, and a lawyer on the defense teams of 
both Jose Bove and Zacarias Moussaoui. Le Fraper mentioned 
she had just accompanied her sister to the U.S. consulate to 
apply for an expedited visa so that she could make an 
emergency trip to the trial. Le Fraper mentioned that MFA, 
especially MFA spokesman Mattei, has been taking great pains 
to work hand in glove with the USG with regard to the 
Moussaoui trial. 

Please visit Paris' Classified Website at: 
http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/eur/paris/index.c fm 

Stapleton