VZCZCXYZ0040
PP RUEHWEB

DE RUEHC #7000 0641412
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P R 051403Z MAR 07
FM SECSTATE WASHDC
TO RUEHPG/AMEMBASSY PRAGUE PRIORITY 0000
INFO RUEHBK/AMEMBASSY BANGKOK 0000
RUEHGO/AMEMBASSY RANGOON 0000
RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK 0000
RUEHGV/USMISSION GENEVA 0000

UNCLAS STATE 027000 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV PHUM PREL UNGA UNSC BM
SUBJECT: DEMARCHE REQUEST: URGING THE CZECH REPUBLIC TO 
LEAD EFFORTS FOR A BURMA SPECIAL SESSION AT THE UN HUMAN 
RIGHTS COUNCIL 
 
¶1. (U)  This is an action request.  Please see paragraphs 3-5. 
 
------- 
SUMMARY 
------- 
 
¶2. (U)  On February 26, Assistant Secretary Lowenkron and 
Assistant Secretary 
Silverberg attended an event on Burma hosted by the Czech 
Republic Embassy 
with former President Vaclav Havel, at which they asked the 
Czechs to lead the 
effort to sponsor a Human Rights Council (HRC) Special 
Session on Burma. 
The session would ideally take place immediately following 
the March 12-30 
fourth regular session of the Council.  Through 
consultations, the Department 
has established that the UK and Mexico would support a 
Special Session on 
Burma.  Sixteen signatures of HRC members are needed to get a 
Special 
Session.  The Czech Embassy expressed initial support, but 
noted that 
the decision would have to be taken by the Foreign Ministry. 
(Note: Current 
discussions within the EU are sympathetic but preference is 
for a country 
outside the EU to sponsor the resolution.  End Note.)  With 
the Czech 
Republic's lead effort confirmed, the Department will 
demarche other HRC 
countries asking for their support.  We do not anticipate any 
major difficulties 
in obtaining the needed signatures.  However, to pass a 
resolution at the 
Special Session, we will need 24 votes which will take a more 
intensive lobbying 
effort.  As we will have a large observer delegation in 
Geneva for the three 
weeks of the regular HRC session just prior to a Special 
Session, we will 
concentrate our efforts there.  We are considering a 
resolution that would: 
call attention to the situation on the ground and denounce 
the regime's lack 
of response to the request by the SYG for changes to Burmese 
policies, and stress 
the need for a political opening in Burma; call for 
appointment of a successor 
for former Special Envoy to Burma Razali (if SYG Ban has not 
yet appointed one by 
then); and create a follow-up investigative mission to visit 
Burma and the border 
to prepare a report on the human rights and humanitarian 
situation.  End 
Summary. 
 
---------- 
OBJECTIVES 
---------- 
 
¶3. (U)  Department requests Embassy to urge the Czech 
government to lead 
efforts during the March session of the HRC in Geneva to 
sponsor a Special 
Session on Burma to take place immediately after the regular 
fourth session. 
Post should also appeal to the Czech government to take 
advantage of its 
remaining few months on the Council, before its term expires 
in June, to 
demonstrate internationally the GOCR's commitment to promote 
human rights. 
The U.S. further requests that the Czech Government introduce 
a strongly- 
worded resolution on the human rights situation in Burma 
during the Special 
Session that would accomplish several goals: 
 
      A) Focus international attention on the appalling 
situation on the ground 
      in Burma; 
 
      B) Call on the UNSYG to appoint a strong Special Envoy 
with the mandate 
      to facilitate a transition to democratic rule, better 
respect for human 
      rights, and improved humanitarian conditions inside 
Burma through 
      discussions with the Burmese regime, and to work with 
key countries in the 
      region and beyond to develop concerted international 
pressure to promote 
      national reconciliation in Burma.  (Note: If a Special 
Envoy has already 
      been appointed by the time of this resolution's 
introduction, the HRC 
      could welcome that appointment.  End Note.) 
 
      C) Establish an assessment team or Commission of 
Inquiry to assess 
      current conditions in Burma.  This Commission of 
Inquiry would report its 
      findings to the Council's fifth regular session in June 
¶2007.  In addition, 
      holding a Special Session on Burma at the HRC would 
challenge the Council to 
      fulfill its intended purpose and help improve the 
trajectory of that body, 
      which with its near exclusive focus on Israel to date, 
has proven to be a 
      serious disappointment. 
 
¶4. (U)  Embassy may pass to host government the following 
proposed draft language 
calling for the Special Session on Burma, to be circulated 
for signatures in the 
first week of the fourth session: 
 
HUMAN RIGHTS COUNCIL 
Fourth Session 
28 February 2007 
 
      Letter dated 28 February 2007 from the Permanent 
Representative of the Czech 
Republic to the United Nations Office at Geneva, addressed to 
the President of the 
Human Rights Council 
 
      I hereby request, on behalf of the signatories listed 
in the enclosed document, 
that you convene, as provided for by the General Assembly 
resolution 60/251, a special 
session of the Human Rights Council on the human rights 
situation in Myanmar, to be 
held immediately after the fourth session of the Human Rights 
Council, preferably on 
the 2nd Day, April 2007. 
 
      (Signed): Name 
      Permanent Representative of the Czech Republic 
 
¶5. (U)  Embassy may also share the following possible draft 
resolution for adoption 
during the Special Session on Burma: 
 
      The Human Rights Situation in Myanmar 
 
      The Human Rights Council, 
 
      Recalling that the General Assembly by its resolution 
60/251 of 15 March 2006, 
decided that the Council should address situations of 
violations of human rights, 
including gross and systematic violations, and make 
recommendations thereon, 
 
      Recalling all General Assembly and Commission on Human 
Rights resolutions 
on Burma, and relevant Security Council resolutions, such as 
1674 (2006) on protection 
of civilians in armed conflict, 1325 (2000) on women in armed 
conflict, 1612 (2005) 
on children in armed conflict, and 1308 (2000) on HIV/AIDS. 
 
      Recognizing the need of the Council to continue to be 
provided with clear, 
accurate and substantiated information on the human rights 
situation in Myanmar, 
 
(1).  Deploring the seriousness of the human rights and 
humanitarian situation 
in Burma, including the continued detention of over 1,100 
political prisoners, 
the prolonged house arrest of Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, continued 
attacks 
by members of the Myanmar military in ethnic minority regions 
against civilians, 
including women and children, as well as torture, arbitrary 
execution, 
forced labor, forced displacement, torture, rape and sexual 
violence against 
women, and the widespread recruitment and use of child 
soldiers; 
 
(2.)  Expresses its grave concern that the restrictions by 
the Government of Myanmar 
placed on international humanitarian organizations contribute 
to increased 
hardship for the civilian population and calls on the 
Government of Myanmar to 
remove those restrictions; 
 
(3).  Urgently calls upon the Government of Myanmar to 
release unconditionally all 
political prisoners, including Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, abolish 
forced labor, allow free 
access for international and humanitarian organizations to 
all parts of the 
country, and engage in a genuine political dialogue with all 
parties on a transition 
to democratic rule and respect for human rights; 
 
(4).  Calls upon the Government of Myanmar to fully adhere to 
the Memorandum of 
Understanding of February 26 between the International Labor 
Organization and the 
Government of Myanmar that provides a mechanism to enable 
victims of forced labor to 
seek redress; 
 
(5).  Expresses its grave concern regarding the decision by 
the Government of Myanmar 
not to permit the United Nations Special Rapporteur on the 
situation of human rights 
in Myanmar and the former Special Envoy of the 
Secretary-General to Myanmar to visit 
 
SIPDIS 
the country for almost three years, despite repeated requests; 
 
(6).  Calls upon the Secretary General to appoint a Special 
Envoy to implement 
the Secretary General's good offices mission to facilitate a 
transition to democratic 
rule, better respect for human rights, and improved 
humanitarian conditions in Myanmar. 
(Alternative language: Welcomes the Secretary General's 
appointment of X as Special 
Envoy for Myanmar and expresses its strong support for the 
Special Envoy to promote 
national reconciliation in Myanmar. End alternative language.) 
 
(7).  Decides to establish an assessment mission to examine 
current conditions 
in Myanmar, to be urgently dispatched to Myanmar and 
neighboring countries, and 
requests the mission to report to the Council at its fifth 
session. 
 
------------------ 
REPORTING DEADLINE 
------------------ 
 
¶6. (U)  Post should report the results of their efforts by 
cable slugged for DRL/MLGA 
Laura Jordan, EAP/MLS Aaron Cope, and IO/RHS Deepa Ghosh by 
March 9. 
 
---------- 
BACKGROUND 
---------- 
 
¶7. (U)  On January 12, the UN Security Council voted on a 
resolution on 
Burma tabled by the U.S. and UK.  The vote was 9-3-3. 
Indonesia, Qatar, and 
the DRC abstained, while Russia, China, and South Africa 
voted against.  The 
"no" votes of China and Russia blocked the resolution. 
Despite the veto of 
this resolution, all Council members, even those that 
abstained or opposed, 
expressed their deep concern about the situation in Burma. 
Several countries 
that abstained or opposed, including China, Russia, South 
Africa, and 
Indonesia, also expressed strong support for the appointment 
of a Special 
Envoy and for consideration of Burma in the HRC. 
 
¶8. (SBU)  Since Special Envoy Razali Ismail's resignation in 
January 2006, 
UN Under Secretary General Gambari had taken the lead in 
implementing the good 
offices mission.  With the end of Gambari's appointment as 
Under Secretary 
General, Secretary General Ban is now considering the 
appointment of a new 
Special Envoy.  We have urged the Secretary General to 
appoint an individual 
with suitable international stature and a willingness to deal 
firmly yet 
creatively with the Burmese generals.  It is critical that 
the Special Envoy 
have a mandate that allows him or her to work with key actors 
in the region to 
promote national reconciliation in Burma rather than engage 
solely with the 
Burmese regime.  We understand that Secretary General Ban 
plans to name a 
Special Envoy soon. 
 
¶9. (SBU)  Several UNSC members (including South Africa, 
Russia, and Indonesia), 
in their explanations of vote on the Security Council 
resolution, asserted that 
the UN should best deal with Burma in the HRC.  Given the 
Burmese regime's serious 
and internationally recognized human rights problems, it 
clearly is appropriate 
for the HRC to address Burma.  Although not a member of the 
HRC, the Department 
considered with allies the possible ways in which the HRC 
could most effectively raise 
this issue, and determined that a special session on Burma 
would be the best response. 
In addition, the United States remains committed to working 
through other UN bodies, 
such as ECOSOC and the ILO, to maintain international 
attention on the regime's 
repressive polices, including the use of forced labor, child 
soldiers, and sexual 
violence as a weapon against ethnic minorities. 
 
¶10. (U)  It is important that the regime receive a consistent 
message from the 
international community.  Based on the extensive discussions 
on Burma at the UN 
Security Council and General Assembly, there is consensus on 
some fundamental steps the 
regime needs to take; these steps have also constituted the 
main message of UN U/SYG 
Gambari to the Burmese regime over the past year.  These 
include the unconditional 
release of all political prisoners (including Aung San Suu 
Kyi), engagement in a 
genuine dialogue process that includes the National League 
for Democracy, an end 
to attacks on civilians in ethnic minority regions, and an 
end to restrictions 
on the international humanitarian organizations working in 
Burma. 
RICE