Cablegate: Demarche Delivered: Unga Country Specific Human

VZCZCXYZ0000
OO RUEHWEB

DE RUEHEG #2137 3201407
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
O 161407Z NOV 09
FM AMEMBASSY CAIRO
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 4199
INFO RUEHOT/AMEMBASSY OTTAWA PRIORITY 0001
RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK PRIORITY 0321

C O N F I D E N T I A L CAIRO 002137

SIPDIS

FOR IO/RHS, DRL/MLGA, NEA/ELA AND NEA/IR

E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/16/2029
TAGS: PREL PHUM UNGA EG
SUBJECT: DEMARCHE DELIVERED: UNGA COUNTRY SPECIFIC HUMAN
RIGHTS RESOLUTIONS

REF: A. STATE 116270 B. CAIRO 2044 Classified By: Economic-Political Minister-Counselor Donald A. Blome for reason 1.4 (b).
1.(C) On November 16, we delivered ref A points to MFA Deputy Assistant Minister for Human Rights Wael Aboulmagd, requesting Egyptian support for the upcoming UNGA country-specific human rights resolutions on Iran, Burma and the DPRK. We stressed that the Iran resolution is the USG's top priority, and asked for the GOE to oppose expected "no action" votes on the Iran and Burma resolutions, and to support all three substantive resolutions. We also requested that the GOE abstain or be absent from the votes if it cannot oppose the "no action" votes or support the resolutions.

2.(C) Aboulmagd responded that Egypt would continue its principled opposition to country specific resolutions in the UN General Assembly (UNGA). He said that Egypt does not believe the UNGA should single out particular countries for condemnation. Aboulmagd noted that Egypt continues to favor the Universal Periodic Review as the appropriate instrument to consider specific countries' human rights records. Scobey

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