Cablegate: Demarche On U.S. Draft Resolution On Condemning Rape As An

VZCZCXRO8415
RR RUEHGR
DE RUEHSP #1009 2781957
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 051957Z OCT 07
FM AMEMBASSY PORT OF SPAIN
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 8679
INFO RUCNCOM/EC CARICOM COLLECTIVE

UNCLAS PORT OF SPAIN 001009

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

SENSITIVE

DEPT FOR IO/RHS--LUM

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: AORC UN PHUM KWMN SOCI TD
SUBJECT: Demarche on U.S. Draft Resolution on Condemning Rape as an
Instrument of State

REF: State 135255

SENSITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFIED; PLEASE PROTECT ACCORDINGLY.

1. (SBU) PolCouns met October 2 with Delia Chatoor of the MFA's
Multilateral Affairs Division and presented reftel demarche.
Without committing to the specific resolution, Ms. Chatoor noted the
GOTT supported the intention of the draft. She added that she would
forward the text to the Attorney General's office for analysis and
comment, and would also forward the document to the GOTT UN
Mission.

2. (SBU) Chatoor said she fully understood the USG's concern that
the resolution not be loaded down with amendments that would dilute
its intent and make it impossible for the USG to support it. She
did observe that aspects of the resolution appeared to have been
previously addressed in Security Council Resolution 1325 of October,
2000, the Secretary General's Report on Women, Peace and Security
(2002/1154), and Human Rights Council Resolutions 2005/53, 2006/18,
and 2006/21. She further noted that the clause on dissemination
echoed Article 144 of the Fourth Geneva Convention, and that rape
was included in the International Criminal Court's Women's Caucus
commentary on genocide, war crimes, and crimes against humanity.

3. (SBU) Summing up, she stressed that the intent of the draft
resolution was laudable but opined that constant repetition and
revisiting of the same issue tended to dilute its import.
Nonetheless, she promised to get back to us with any further
substantive comment from the Attorney General's office or the GOTT
UN Mission.

AUSTIN

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