VZCZCXRO8122
PP RUEHAG RUEHAST RUEHDA RUEHDBU RUEHDF RUEHFL RUEHIK RUEHKW RUEHLA
RUEHLN RUEHLZ RUEHPOD RUEHROV RUEHSR RUEHVK RUEHYG
DE RUEHWR #2148 2971421
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 241421Z OCT 07
FM AMEMBASSY WARSAW
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 5392
INFO RUEHZL/EUROPEAN POLITICAL COLLECTIVE PRIORITY

UNCLAS WARSAW 002148 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
DRL/MLGA FOR LYNN SICADE AND SYLVIA HAMMON, IO/RHS AMY 
OSTERMEIER AND DEEPA GHOSH 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PHUM PREL UNHCR UN PL
SUBJECT: POLAND'S VIEWS ON THE UPCOMING UNGA THIRD COMMITEE 
RESOLUTIONS 
 
REF: STATE 145641 
 
   ¶1.  (SBU) SUMMARY: On October 22, PolOff met with Mariusz 
Lewicki, Head of the Human Rights Section in the MFA,s UN 
Department, to  discuss reftel issues to be tabled at the UN 
Third Committee next month. Lewicki reaffirmed that Poland 
will continue to support country specific resolutions, which 
is the common EU position, as well as support the U.S. 
position on a majority of the thematic resolutions.  He did 
indicate that Poland will support the EU's death penalty 
resolution, a top priority for Brussels.   END SUMMARY. 
 
¶2. (SBU) On the specific issues, Lewicki provided the 
following comments: 
 
-No Action Motions: Poland agrees with the principal against 
no-action motions, and supports the open discussion of all 
human rights issues raised at the Third Committee. 
 
--Country Specific Resolutions: Lewicki stated that the U.S. 
can count on Polish support and a common EU position on the 
proposed Burma, DPRK, Iran and Belarus resolutions discussed 
in reftel. In the case of Belarus, Lewicki himself raised the 
importance of the resolution, especially since the 
elimination of the Special Rapporteur on Human Rights in 
Belarus. 
 
--Rape as an instrument of state policy: According to 
Lewicki, there is no common EU position due to disagreements 
over specific language in the draft resolution.  In 
principal, it is supported by the EU and the EU intends to 
adopt it. Although Poland along with Ireland and Malta have 
some concerns about the language related to "Sexual Health 
and Reproductive Rights," Lewicki assured us that they will 
work with the U.S. on appropriate language and Poland will 
not block the resolution. 
 
--Election Resolution: Poland will continue to back the 
biannual resolution to support the UN Elections Program. 
 
--Religious Intolerance:  Lewicki was not familiar with the 
specifics of this resolution, but noted our comments and 
offered to get back to us with Polish reactions. 
 
--Defamation of Religion: Poland,s position remains in 
agreement with the U.S. on this issue. Poland and the EU will 
continue to vote against the OIC text. 
 
--EU Death Penalty Resolution: Lewicki indicated that it is 
the priority EU issue within the Third Committee, which calls 
for the abolition of the death penalty. He stated that it was 
not only part of the EU Acquis, but also important for the 
EU,s external policy. 
ASHE