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Viewing cable 09OTTAWA153, CANADA WELCOMES U.S. DURBAN WITHDRAWAL AND UN HRC

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Reference ID Created Released Classification Origin
09OTTAWA153 2009-02-27 22:01 2011-08-30 01:44 CONFIDENTIAL Embassy Ottawa
VZCZCXRO5522
OO RUEHDBU RUEHFL RUEHGA RUEHHA RUEHKW RUEHLA RUEHMT RUEHNP RUEHQU
RUEHROV RUEHSR RUEHVC
DE RUEHOT #0153 0582201
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
O 272201Z FEB 09
FM AMEMBASSY OTTAWA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 9149
INFO RUCNCAN/ALL CANADIAN POSTS COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
RUEHZL/EUROPEAN POLITICAL COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
RUEHEG/AMEMBASSY CAIRO PRIORITY 0119
RUEHBY/AMEMBASSY CANBERRA PRIORITY 1407
RUEHIL/AMEMBASSY ISLAMABAD PRIORITY 0847
RUEHTV/AMEMBASSY TEL AVIV PRIORITY 1489
RUEHJM/AMCONSUL JERUSALEM PRIORITY 0524
RUEHGV/USMISSION GENEVA PRIORITY 1314
RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK PRIORITY 0525
C O N F I D E N T I A L OTTAWA 000153 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR DRL (OSTERMEIR), IO/RHS, WHA/CAN 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/27/2014 
TAGS: PHUM PREL PGOV UNHRC CA
SUBJECT: CANADA WELCOMES U.S. DURBAN WITHDRAWAL AND UN HRC 
RE-ENGAGEMENT 
 
REF: STATE 18282 
 
Classified By: PolMinCouns Scott Bellard, reason 1.4 (b) and (d) 
 
1. (C) Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade 
(DFAIT) Deputy Director for Human Rights Policy Chantale 
Walker on February 27 welcomed the U.S. decision to 
discontinue negotiations on the current text of the Durban 
Review Conference (reftel).  Walker noted that Canada shares 
the U.S. concerns with the text, namely the singling out of 
one country, the attempt to regulate "defamation of 
religion," and the language on reparations for slavery. 
Walker said that Ottawa was not surprised by the negative 
direction taken by the Durban Review Conference Working 
Group, adding that it did not expect any better from such a 
tainted process.  Walker stated that Canada will maintain its 
absence from the Durban process, and is pleased that the U.S. 
and Canada are now back on the same page. 
 
2. (C) Walker also welcomed the U.S. decision to resume 
participation as an observer at this month's UN Human Rights 
Council session, noting that it "will be good to have the 
U.S. back again."  Walker emphasized that Canada is strongly 
committed to improving the effectiveness and performance of 
the UN HRC and Universal Periodic Review (UPR) mechanism. 
Canada will soon be engaging with Canadian civil society 
organizations to follow up on the UPR recommendations. 
According to DFAIT Deputy Director for Human Rights Policy 
Michael McCulloch, the October 2008 Canadian federal 
elections had hindered the government's ability to engage 
with civil society in preparation for its UPR.  Walker stated 
that Canada had already observed some positive outcomes from 
the latest UPR round, with some countries making improvements 
in their human rights performance. 
 
3. (C) Comment: Canada closely followed the recent U.S. 
policy review on the Durban process, and viewed the U.S. 
effort to engage with the Durban Review Conference Working 
Group with concern.  Canada looks forward to continued close 
cooperation with the U.S. in the UN HRC and other fora, and, 
as a close friend and partner, always values highly advance 
consultations before any U.S. decision that could leave 
Canada isolated internationally. 
 
Visit Canada,s Economy and Environment Forum at 
http://www.intelink.gov/communities/state/can ada 
 
BREESE