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DE RUEHC #7242/01 0251710
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O P 251703Z JAN 10
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INFO RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK PRIORITY 9605

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 STATE 007242 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: IR PHUM PREL
SUBJECT: OUTREACH FOR IRAN UNIVERSAL PERIODIC REVIEW 
SESSION 
 
1.(U) Summary: This cable is an action request to share and 
seek support for U.S. views and suggested recommendations for 
the upcoming U.N. Human Rights Council's (HRC) Universal 
Periodic Review (UPR) of Iran with like-minded and interested 
countries.  Iran's session will be held on February 15, 2010, 
in Geneva and will include a thorough review of Iran's human 
rights record.  Department also requests Post to share U.S. 
concern about Iran,s most recent crackdown and how the 
international community can respond to best address the 
current human rights situation in Iran.  END SUMMARY. 
 
ACTION REQUEST 
-------------- 
 
¶2.    (SBU) For Geneva: Mission is requested to share the 
United States' issues of concern and recommendations at the 
appropriate level in the permanent missions to the United 
Nations in Geneva of South Korea, Japan, Austria, Belgium, 
Brazil, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, 
Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, 
Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, 
Slovenia, Slovakia, Spain, Sweden, the United Kingdom, 
Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Argentina, Chile, Saudi 
Arabia, Jordan, Morocco, Turkey, Ghana, Mauritius, Zambia, 
Nigeria, South Africa, Mexico, and Bahrain.  Mission is 
further requested to seek their support for raising the 
issues specified therein during Iran's UPR session.  See 
para. 5. (NOTE: Mission Geneva may use discretion. END NOTE.) 
 
¶3.    (SBU) For Seoul, Tokyo, Vienna, Brussels, Sofia, 
Nicosia, Prague, Copenhagen, Tallinn, Helsinki, Paris, 
Berlin, Athens, Brasilia, Budapest, Dublin, Rome, Riga, 
Vilnius, Luxembourg, Valletta, Amsterdam, Warsaw, Lisbon, 
Bucharest, Bratislava, Ljubljana, Madrid, Stockholm, London, 
Ottawa, Canberra, Wellington, Buenos Aires, Santiago, Mexico 
City, Riyadh, Amman, Rabat, and Manama:  Posts are requested 
to share the United States' issues of concern and 
recommendations at the appropriate level in the host 
government and seek their support for raising issues 
specified therein during Iran's UPR session.  Posts are also 
requested to explore the host government,s views on how to 
best influence respect for human rights in Iran. See para. 5. 
 
¶4.     (SBU) Action addressees are strongly encouraged to 
deliver this demarche before January 27, 2010 to ensure the 
maximum impact of the suggested points below before the 
deadline for countries to submit written recommendations and 
 
STATE 00007242  002 OF 003 
 
 
questions to the troika for Iran's UPR session (due no later 
than February 1). 
 
SUGGESTED TALKING POINTS 
------------------------ 
 
¶5.    (U) Geneva and posts may draw from the following 
talking points when engaging with counterparts from the 
permanent missions and host government: 
 
-- The United States views the Universal Periodic Review as a 
valuable tool for the Human Rights Council.  We are hopeful 
about the prospects of the UPR process and encouraged by the 
example set by many governments that have undertaken the 
review process.  Moreover, we find the recent Ashura 
violence, which resulted in the death of at least eight human 
rights activists, to be particularly appalling and part of a 
larger trend of the ongoing abuses committed by Iranian 
authorities against pro-democracy activists following the 
June 12 elections.  Those reported abuses, including torture 
and rape, extrajudicial arrests, curtailment of media 
freedom, and violence against and harassment of human rights 
activists, along with ongoing human rights violations warrant 
serious concern. 
 
-- Iran is scheduled to undergo its review on February 15. 
The United States is eager to provide Iran with 
recommendations to ensure a sincere and thoughtful review of 
the human rights situation in the country.  We are also keen 
to promote the broadest possible dialogue on Iran's conduct, 
and strongly encourage a wide range of states to participate 
in offering recommendations to Iran during its UPR. 
 
-- Iran's participation in the Universal Periodic Review is 
an opportunity to address the serious ongoing human rights 
issues in Iran.  We have included recommendations on the 
current crisis as well as points aimed to draw attention to 
the broader spectrum of Iran's human rights record.  To this 
end, we have also identified positive steps that the 
Government of Iran can take to further engage with the 
international system and promote the advancement of human 
rights on a wide selection of human rights issues. 
 
-- Specifically, the U.S. plans to raise the violence, 
harassment, extrajudicial detentions, and killings following 
the June 12 election; violations of religious freedom, 
including discrimination against religious minorities; 
torture, cruel and inhumane treatment; undue restrictions on 
freedom of expression, including harassment of journalists 
and bloggers, and human trafficking.  In addition to 
recommending that the Government of Iran take steps to 
address these issues, the United States plans to urge Iran to 
 
STATE 00007242  003 OF 003 
 
 
finalize the visit of a delegation from the Office of the 
High Commissioner for Human Rights and to invite the Special 
Rapporteur on Torture to visit the country. 
 
-- We hope you can support these recommendations and offer 
Iran your thoughts by making interventions of your own.  The 
deadline for countries to submit written recommendations or 
questions to Iran is February 1. 
 
-- We are interested in views as to how the international 
community can augment existing efforts, through the UN 
General Assembly resolution last fall on Iran,s human rights 
record and the current emphasis on the UPR, to influence Iran 
to show greater respect for the rights of its people and for 
international human rights norms. 
 
ADDITIONAL OUTREACH 
------------------- 
 
¶6.    (U) In addition to efforts by Mission Geneva, NEA 
Deputy Assistant Secretary for Iran affairs John Limbert will 
be in Geneva between February 9-10 to conduct diplomatic, 
civil society, and media outreach ahead of the Iran UPR 
session.  Further details regarding Ambassador Limbert's 
visit are forthcoming. 
 
BACKGROUND ON THE UPR 
--------------------- 
 
¶7.    (U) The UPR was established when the Human Rights 
Council was created on March 15, 2006 by the UN General 
Assembly.  This mandated the Council to "undertake a 
universal periodic review, based on objective and reliable 
information, of the fulfillment by each State of its human 
rights obligations and commitments in a manner which ensures 
universality of coverage and equal treatment with respect to 
all States."  All UN Member States take part in the UPR.  The 
ultimate goal of UPR is the improvement of the human rights 
situation in every country with significant consequences for 
people around the globe. 
The UPR is designed to prompt, support, and expand the 
promotion and protection of human rights on the ground.  To 
achieve this, the UPR involves assessing States' human rights 
records and addressing human rights violations wherever they 
occur.  The UPR provides States with the opportunity to 
self-assess areas for improvement and to seek technical 
assistance; the UPR provides the United States with the 
opportunity to follow up bilaterally with States under review 
on the achievements, areas for 
improvement, and human rights commitments identified through 
the UPR process. 
CLINTON