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Reference ID	Created	Released	Classification	Origin
08GENEVA636	2008-07-31 09:52	2011-08-26 00:00	UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY	US Mission Geneva

Hana J Ros  10/07/2008 02:10:57 PM  From  DB/Inbox:  Search Results

Cable 
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                  ------------------BED3A8  311001Z /38
R 310952Z JUL 08
FM USMISSION GENEVA
TO SECSTATE WASHDC 6905
INFO HUMAN RIGHTS COUNCIL COLLECTIVE
AMEMBASSY PORT AU PRINCE
USMISSION USUN NEW YORK
USEU BRUSSELS

UNCLAS GENEVA 000636 
 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV PHUM UNHRC PINR HA
SUBJECT: STRATEGIES TO RENEW THE HAITI SPECIAL RAPPORTEUR 
MANDATE 
 
¶1. (SBU) SUMMARY:  The "Group of Friends" of the Haiti 
mandate of the Human Rights Council met to address their 
concerns that some countries might seek to scale back or 
eliminate that mandate when it comes up for renewal in the 
Council.  The Group members focused on gaining the support of 
the GoH for the mandate, and saw good relations between 
Port-au-Prince and the new mandate holder, Michel Forst, as 
vital.  For his part, Forst has, for the moment, taken a 
cautious approach toward his mandate.  Several Group members 
agreed that they would begin lobbying to renew the mandate in 
hopes of ensuring its renewal and making it as strong as 
possible.  END SUMMARY. 
 
¶2. (SBU) Looking to lay the groundwork for next year's 
planned renewal of the mandate on the human rights situation 
in Haiti and to begin working with the recently selected 
special rapporteur on Haiti, Michel Forst, the French Mission 
held two sessions of the "Group of Friends" of that mandate, 
on July 18 and 23.  At the Human Rights Council's June 
session, Forst, who is French, replaced Louis Joinet, who had 
served as special rapporteur since 2002. 
 
PROSPECTS FOR MANDATE RENEWAL 
----------------------------- 
 
¶3. (SBU) While Group of Friends members agreed on the 
importance of ensuring the renewal of a strong mandate, 
several also expressed concern that achieving this may meet 
resistance from Egypt and the African Group as part of their 
general push to eliminate country-specific mandates.  Noting 
that the current political situation in Haiti might also 
present difficulties, the Group stressed the importance of 
securing Haiti's full support before moving ahead with 
demarches requesting the support of other countries, 
including Cuba, China, and Asian Group members.  Without the 
full support of the GoH it would be difficult to persuade 
those countries to support the mandate's renewal. 
 
¶4. (SBU) Participants noted that the GoH had previously 
supported the renewal and had indicated that it found the 
work of Joinet to be beneficial.  The Chilean representative 
said that Joinet had worked hard to gain Haiti's trust, and 
that Forst's relationship with the GoH could bear on its 
support for mandate renewal.  Mexico noted that Haiti's 
upcoming review in 2010 under the Universal Periodic Review 
would assist in renewing the mandate, because Haiti would 
want to show cooperation with international mechanisms. 
 
NEW RAPPORTEUR'S IMPACT 
----------------------- 
 
¶5. (SBU) The July 23 meeting was the first between the Group 
of Friends and the new mandate holder.  Forst also plans to 
meet with Joinet and the new Human Rights Council President, 
Nigerian Ambassador Martin Uhomoibhi, at the end of August. 
A statement endorsing the new mandate from Uhomoibhi would be 
especially helpful in countering opposition within the 
African Group, participants agreed.  Forst told the Group 
that he plans to keep the main recommendations from Joinet's 
most recent report to the Council and would emphasize 
economic, social, and political rights. 
 
¶6. (SBU) Forst demonstrated a cautious approach to his new 
mandate, noting that to date, he had had only one informal 
meeting with the GoH and that he plans to wait until the 
mandate is renewed next year before arranging more formal 
meetings.  Group of Friends members disagreed with that 
approach, urging him to meet with the GoH sooner in order to 
develop better cooperation.  Forst currently plans on two 
trips to Haiti, one in late October or early November 2008 
and one in the beginning of 2009. 
 
¶7.  (SBU) Germany questioned Forst on how he would tie his 
past experience with National Human Rights Institutions 
(NHRIs) to his work as mandate holder.  Forst responded that 
he has already been in contact with Haiti's NHRI and with 
Haitian NGOs to strengthen NHRI involvement.  Strengthening 
GoH institutions, including the country's NHRI, would be 
necessary to follow through on the Special Rapporteur's 
future recommendations, he noted. 
 
¶8.  (SBU) The July 23 meeting ended with plans for Canada, 
Germany, Guatemala, and France to meet with the Haitian 
delegation in Geneva at the end of the month to discuss the 
mandate.   As of July 25, the Group of Friends had received 
word that Port-au-Prince had yet to send guidance, and as a 
result, that meeting was postponed.  In the interim, the 
French Mission sent emails to other Geneva-based delegations, 
 
 
including ours, urging bilateral demarches requesting GoH 
cooperation on the mandate.  At the Group of Friends 
meetings, several delegations urged active U.S. 
participation, citing our influence in the region and our 
past involvement in promoting human rights in Haiti. 
 
BACKGROUND OF THE NEW SPECIAL RAPPORTEUR 
---------------------------------------- 
 
¶9.  (SBU) Michel Forst is the Secretary General of the 
Commission Nationale Consultative des Droits de l'Homme de la 
Republique Francaise (French NHRI).  He is a founding trustee 
of Frontline, the International Foundation for the Protection 
of Human Rights Defenders.  Forst has previously worked in 
the human rights section of UNESCO's headquarters in Paris, 
is a former Director General of Amnesty International 
(France) and was Secretary General of the 1998 Paris Summit 
for Human Rights Defenders.  He has also managed the French 
League Against Cancer and several French NGOs.  A source at 
OHCHR told us that while Forst comes across as reserved and 
very diplomatic, he has been known to be forceful when 
necessary in his position as SyG of the French NHRI. 
TICHENOR 
 
 
NNNN 
 



End Cable Text 
 
Hana J Ros  10/07/2008 02:10:57 PM  From  DB/Inbox:  Search Results 
 
 
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Viewing cable 08GENEVA636, STRATEGIES TO RENEW THE HAITI SPECIAL RAPPORTEUR