90. Draft Telegram From the Department of State to Secretary of State Shultz1
From: USUN—Vernon Walters, IO—Alan L. Keyes, ARA—Elliot Abrams, HA—Richard Schifter. Subject: UN Human Rights Commission: U.S. Initiative on Cuban Human Rights Abuses (S/S No. 5704623).
1. (C) Issue for Decision:
Our principal goal at the February 2–March 13 Human Rights Commission meeting is adoption of a U.S. resolution to place Cuban human rights abuses under the Commission’s scrutiny. We need your personal intervention, in the form of a letter to your colleagues in key Commission member states, to overcome the deep reluctance of many members to confront this issue.
2. (C) Essential Factors:
The implications of the U.S. initiative extend well beyond the Human Rights Commission. The initiative is a test case of our ability to begin to translate the institutional improvements obtained at the 41st UNGA into the political sphere throughout the UN system. In addition, it is a rare opportunity to undermine one of Cuba’s most important international assets, the protective cover of its regional and non-aligned groups. It is also a means of escalating pressure on Cuba to ameliorate abuses in individual human rights cases. As such, this initiative amply merits your personal intervention.
Our initial contacts with member state governments indicate deep reluctance to confront Cuba, despite private agreement that the human rights situation on the island is one of the worst in the world. Latin American and non-aligned member states are particularly vulnerable to Cuban and Soviet pressures. The key to success is the attitude of our Western allies. Among these, the Australians and Belgians have been forthcoming, the British very negative, with the rest in between. The British attitude, which may be related to their wish not to jeopardize their chances of re-election to the Human Rights Commission at the Spring 1987 ECOSOC Session, is the most disturbing and potentially damaging.
Despite the expected initial reluctance, we believe there is a good chance to obtain Western support and to achieve our objective at this [Page 271] session of the Commission, with sustained high-level U.S. input. A letter from you to your counterparts in key Commission member governments will be an important link in our overall effort.
We have prepared letters in cable form tailored to the circumstances of the twenty five key countries involved. The countries are:
African States: Gambia, Lesotho, Liberia, Rwanda, Somalia, Togo.
Asian States: Bangladesh, Japan, Pakistan, Philippines, Sri Lanka.
Latin American States: Argentina, Brazil, Colombia, Costa Rica, Mexico, Venezuela.
Western European States: Australia, Austria, Belgium, France, Ireland, Netherlands, Norway, UK.
4 [3]. (C) Recommendation:
That you approve the dispatch of letters to the Foreign Ministers of the 25 countries, based on the representative texts attached at Tabs A through F (Australia, Belgium, Great Britain, Venezuela, Liberia and Bangladesh.)2
[Omitted here are Tabs A–F.]
- Source: Department of State, Correspondence File—Ambassador Richard Schifter CHRON and Subject Files, 1984–1991, Lot 94D411, R. Schifter’s Monthly Chron—Feb. 1987. Confidential. Drafted by Jacobs on February 21 and cleared in IO, IO/UNA, HA/MLP, P, ARA/RPP, NEA/PAB, and ARA/CCA.↩
- Below this sentence on the draft telegram, Quinn wrote: “Approved by C Hill per KQ—2/21/87.”↩