VZCZCXYZ0016
PP RUEHWEB

DE RUEHMO #5146 2981100
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 251100Z OCT 07
FM AMEMBASSY MOSCOW
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 4831
INFO RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK 0367

UNCLAS MOSCOW 005146 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PHUM PREL KTIA UN RS
SUBJECT: ALDIP ON UNGA THIRD COMMITTEE RESOLUTIONS 
 
REF: STATE 145641 
 
¶1. We delivered reftel demarche on October 24 to MFA 
Department for Humanitarian Cooperation and Human Rights 
First Secretary Aleksey Goltyayev.  Goltyaev said that the 
GOR would oppose on principle country-specific resolutions 
condemning the human rights records of Iran, Burma, the DPRK 
and Belarus.  The GOR is against such "politicization" of 
human rights resolutions and the singling out of specific 
countries, which only divides the international community 
into "good guys and bad guys."  Instead, the international 
community should encourage governments to make voluntary 
commitments to promote human rights and hold them accountable 
through the Universal Periodic Review (UPR), in which the 
human rights records of all UN member-states would be subject 
to review under agreed-upon guidelines.  Furthermore, 
Goltyaev explained that the GOR sees the UN Human Rights 
Council as the appropriate forum for such efforts rather than 
the UNGA Third Committee. 
 
¶2. Goltyaev had the following comments on the thematic 
resolutions in reftel: 
 
-- Rape as an Instrument of State Policy 
 
¶3.  The GOR does not have a position on the resolution at 
this time.  Goltyaev added that several MFA officials 
observed that the resolution could be redrafted to include 
language referring to "non-state actors," which would make 
the resolution applicable to private security firms.  This 
could place the U.S. in violation of the resolution because 
of the activities of private security firms the USG uses in 
Iraq. 
 
-- Elections Resolution 
 
¶4.  Goltyaev could not comment on this resolution as the 
issue is handled by another department in the MFA.  Goltyaev 
said he would pass on our points to the appropriate 
department. 
 
-- Defamation of Religion 
 
¶5.  The GOR does not share the U.S. concern that the 
resolution could restrict freedom of expression in the name 
of protecting religion and may support it.  Goltyaev added 
that Russia already has legislation prohibiting the 
defamation of religion. 
 
-- EU Death Penalty Resolution 
 
¶6.  The resolution "goes in the right direction" and the GOR 
could support it so long as the resolution calls only for a 
moratorium and not a ban on the death penalty. 
 
¶7.  Finally, Goltyaev told us that the GOR tabled the 
resolution on Inadmissibility of Certain Practices that 
Contribute to Fueling Contemporary Forms Of Racism, Racial 
Discrimination, Xenophobia, and Related Intolerance.  While 
the GOR introduced this resolution previously, it has since 
added language specifically condemning desecrating the graves 
of and monuments to those who fought against Nazism.  The GOR 
feels strongly that such activities are being used to fuel 
neo-Nazism.  Goltyaev said that the GOR observed these 
activities throughout Eastern and Central Europe and stressed 
that this language was not directed at a specific country. 
Burns