Cablegate: Ukraine to Propose Resolution On "Holodomor" At

VZCZCXRO3397
RR RUEHAT
DE RUEHGV #0254 0951045
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 041045Z APR 08
FM USMISSION GENEVA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 6296
INFO RUEHZJ/HUMAN RIGHTS COUNCIL COLLECTIVE
RUEHKV/AMEMBASSY KYIV 0384
RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK 2705

UNCLAS GENEVA 000254

SIPDIS

SENSITIVE
SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PHUM PREL UNHRC
SUBJECT: UKRAINE TO PROPOSE RESOLUTION ON "HOLODOMOR" AT
HUMAN RIGHTS COUNCIL

ACTION REQUEST - Para 3.

1. (SBU) In a recent meeting with the Ambassador, Ukraine's
Kyiv-based ambassador to the UN in Geneva, Mykola Maimeskoul,
said his government was interested in proposing a resolution
at the September session of the UN Human Rights Council on
the Holodomor, the Great Famine of the early 1930s.
Maimeskoul said the GoU was not seeking to provoke the
Russian Government but simply to lend support to
commemoration of the 75th anniversary of the Holodomor, which
he characterized as a human rights issues appropriate for
consideration in the Council.

2. (SBU) Maimeskoul provided a draft text (emailed to
IO/RHS). It underscores earlier commemorations of that
event, expresses sympathy for victims of the famine, welcomes
GoU efforts to commemorate the 75th anniversary and the need
to increase public awareness, and urges that, given "memories
of past horrors and crimes against humanity," the
international community should redouble its efforts to
respect human rights. The draft makes no mention of the
Soviet Union and does not include the word "genocide."

3. (SBU) Maimeskoul asked for the USG reaction to the idea of
moving ahead with this resolution. We would welcome
Department guidance on what to convey to the Ukrainian
delegation here.
TICHENOR

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