153464            5/12/2008 14:07          08ISLAMABAD1832 Embassy Islamabad      CONFIDENTIAL            08ISLAMABAD1747|08STATE46477           "VZCZCXRO1901

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DE RUEHIL #1832 1331407 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting 1832 1331407 end_of_the_skype_highlighting

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O 121407Z MAY 08

FM AMEMBASSY ISLAMABAD

TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 6911

INFO RUEHBUL/AMEMBASSY KABUL PRIORITY 8569

RUEHLO/AMEMBASSY LONDON PRIORITY 7892

RUEHNE/AMEMBASSY NEW DELHI PRIORITY 3244

RUEHKP/AMCONSUL KARACHI PRIORITY 9717

RUEHLH/AMCONSUL LAHORE PRIORITY 5462

RUEHPW/AMCONSUL PESHAWAR PRIORITY 4201

RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK PRIORITY 8060

RUEHGV/USMISSION GENEVA PRIORITY 3829

RUMICEA/USCENTCOM INTEL CEN MACDILL AFB FL PRIORITY

RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY

RHMFISS/CDR USCENTCOM MACDILL AFB FL PRIORITY

RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC PRIORITY"           "C O N F I D E N T I A L ISLAMABAD 001832

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/12/2018

TAGS: PGOV, PK, PREL, PHUM, UNHCR-1

SUBJECT: PAKISTAN CAMPAIGNING FOR SEAT ON UN HUMAN RIGHTS

COUNCIL

REF: (A) STATE 46477 (B) ISLAMABAD 1747

Classified By: Anne W. Patterson, Reasons 1.4 (b), (d)

1. (U)  On May 7, A/DCM delivered Ref A points to Hasan Javed, MFA Director General of the UN and Economic Cooperation Division. Hasan confirmed that Pakistan did plan to run for one of the four Asian-designated seats on the Human Rights Council (HRC) and said he was confident of victory.

2. (C) Reiterating what DRL Assistant Secretary David Kramer told Foreign Secretary Riaz Khan (Ref B), A/DCM stressed U.S. disappointment with the HRC.  More specifically, we were concerned, she said, that the Pakistani Ambassador in Geneva had been pro-active in encouraging unhelpful resolutions, especially on issues relating to religious freedom and the Middle East.  She asked if Hasan believed there would be a change in MFA policy now that Pakistan had a new government in place.

3.  (C)  Hasan stated that the only reason that Pakistan took the lead on certain resolutions is that the other members of the Organization of the Islamic Council (OIC) do not draft well in English.  He reiterated Pakistan concern that freedom of expression be balanced with respect for religion as ""we are not as advanced as you are"" in terms of respect for freedom of religion and could not always control the reactions of sometimes ignorant crowds.  Hasan said that the new government could change some of the nuances of the current UN policy, but that the Geneva delegation was conveying the current will of the Pakistani people.

PATTERSON

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