VZCZCXYZ0002
PP RUEHWEB

DE RUCNDT #0203 0620126
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 030126Z MAR 09
FM USMISSION USUN NEW YORK
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 5981
INFO RUEHGG/UN SECURITY COUNCIL COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
RUEHSA/AMEMBASSY PRETORIA PRIORITY 0863
RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC PRIORITY

UNCLAS USUN NEW YORK 000203 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV PREL PHUM UNSC SF
SUBJECT: DEPARTING SOUTH AFRICAN PR KUMALO AND RICE DISCUSS 
THE HUMAN RIGHTS COUNCIL, BILATERAL RELATIONS, AND DURBAN 
II 
 
¶1. (SBU) During Ambassador Rice's introductory meeting with 
South African PermRep Dumisani Kumalo on February 25, Kumalo 
said the Human Rights Council would "die" without U.S. 
participation. 
 
¶2. (SBU) Ambassador Rice said bilateral relations had not 
gone as well as hoped and the U.S. wanted to turn the page 
with South Africa.  Kumalo responded that the relationship 
should improve following South Africa's elections in April, 
since there would be a new foreign minister and deputy 
foreign minister, and he claimed previous points of 
contention, like Zimbabwe, were being resolved. 
 
¶3. (SBU) Ambassador Kumalo shared his thoughts on ways to 
make the Durban Human Rights outcome document acceptable.  He 
suggested pressuring UNSYG Ban to warn of the possibility of 
a mass withdrawal from the conference which could redirect 
those countries pushing for the inclusion of anti-Semitic and 
defamatory language. 
 
¶4. (U)  Kumalo said he was to become the South Africa's 
Special Envoy to the Great Lakes region.  (Note:  Kumalo 
departed his position as PermRep February 27.  End Note). 
Rice