VZCZCXYZ0000
RR RUEHWEB

DE RUEHSW #0472 3081655
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
R 041655Z NOV 09
FM AMEMBASSY BERN
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 6158
INFO RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK 0257

C O N F I D E N T I A L BERN 000472 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPT FOR IO/HR (C.NEVILLE), DRL/MLGA (C.SIBILLA), AND 
EUR/CE (Y.SAINT-ANDRE) 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/04/2019 
TAGS: PHUM PREL UN SZ LS
SUBJECT: 64TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY/THIRD COMMITTEE: 
SWITZERLAND/LIECHTENSTEIN ON USG PRIORITIES 
 
REF: STATE 109397 
 
Classified By: A/POLE counselor Chris Buck; reasons 1.4(b) and (d). 
 
¶1. (SBU) Summary:  Switzerland and Liechtenstein reject "no 
action" motions as a matter of principle, and they expect to 
support the UNGA Third Committee resolutions on the human 
rights situations in Iran, Burma, and the DPRK.  They also 
plan to support the USG's biennial resolution on free 
elections, and generally share USG concerns about the concept 
of "defamation of religion."  End Summary. 
 
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SWITZERLAND 
----------- 
 
¶2. (SBU) Responding to reftel message in an October 29 
meeting with A/POLE counselor, Simon Amman, acting Head of 
the Human Rights Policy Section at the Federal Department of 
Foreign Affairs (FDFA), emphasized that Switzerland rejects 
"no action" motions as a matter of principle.  He said that 
he expects Switzerland will again support the 
country-specific resolutions on Iran, Burma, and the DPRK. 
 
¶3. (C) In the context of discussing the country-specific 
resolutions, Amman added that, while he anticipated that 
Switzerland would again co-sponsor the Burma and DPRK texts, 
he thought it likely that Switzerland this year would not 
co-sponsor the Iran resolution -- but still would vote in 
favor of it.  The reason for this, he explained, is rooted in 
the Swiss government's ongoing efforts to assist the 
P5-plus-1 in its talks with Iran on the nuclear issue, as 
Switzerland had done most recently on October 1 in Geneva. 
There is concern at the FDFA that co-sponsorship of the Iran 
resolution could undercut Switzerland's ability to deal with 
Tehran and to support ongoing multilateral diplomatic efforts 
in this area.  The issue of co-sponsorship notwithstanding, 
Amman underlined that the events following Iran's June 
elections had only further isolated the Iranian government, 
and reinforced the basis for the Iran resolution. 
 
¶4. (C) Amman said that he expects that Switzerland will 
support the USG's biennial resolution on free elections, and 
reiterated that Switzerland fully shares USG concerns 
regarding the concept of "defamation of religion."  He 
commended the USG for its success in the UN Human Rights 
Council with the joint U.S./Egypt freedom of expression 
resolution.  However, Amman asked informally why the USG had 
selected Egypt as a partner in this endeavor, given the 
Egyptian government's own relatively poor track-record, he 
argued, in defending freedom of expression within Egypt. 
A/POLE counselor observed that Egypt is an important regional 
actor, and that achieving Egypt's support for the resolution 
resonates in the Muslim world and provides an opening for the 
USG and other like-minded states to continue to press Egypt 
to improve its own human rights record (i.e., to set an 
example).  Amman mentioned that Switzerland has an ongoing 
diplomatic initiative in Saudi Arabia to urge the Saudi 
Arabian government to cease the use of corporal punishment. 
He said that Switzerland is working with Canada, Australia, 
and New Zealand on this effort, and would welcome working 
with the USG as well.  Amman -- who normally covers Middle 
East issues in the FDFA's human rights policy section -- 
concluded by saying that Switzerland, in general, would 
welcome combining efforts with the USG on country-specific 
diplomatic initiatives in the Middle East. 
 
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LIECHTENSTEIN 
------------- 
 
¶5. (SBU) Responding to reftel message on November 3, Andrea 
Hoch, who covers UN human rights issues at the Foreign Office 
in Vaduz, informed A/POLE counselor that Liechtenstein 
opposes "no action" motions and supports the resolutions on 
Iran, Burma, and the DPRK.  She said that Liechtenstein also 
supports the USG thematic resolution on free elections, and 
has always been "very skeptical" about the concept of 
"defamation of religion."  Hoch said that she was not aware 
of the latest details concerning the defamation resolution, 
and noted that the Liechtenstein Mission to the UN in New 
York has the lead in dealing with UNGA resolutions, and 
generally only consults Vaduz regarding topics of immediate 
relevance to Liechtenstein. 
CARTER