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objection to this initiative would imply we have something to hide. This would not accord with our political emphasis on openness and accountability in government, and our broad foreign policy of promoting respect for universal human rights standards.
4. It may be worth our delegation in Geneva pointing out to the French that they have more to hide on administrative detention, and have not been allowing access by the ICRC to Iraqis in their charge. It may not therefore be a good time for them to take up the running of such a resolution. But it would be inadvisable to be seen to try and scupper our initiative on an important area of human rights which has long been of concern to us.
5. In sum,
we accept that we cannot for domestic reasons co-sponsor the resolution, but we should not oppose it. We are not in any case well placed to influence the outcome, as we have observer status at the Commission. For the reasons stated in this letter, we should not oppose the initiative, but simply see how it fares in the Commission. The consequences in the longer term if it succeeds, may be that HMG will have to explain its domestic legislation in relation to its international human rights obligations, but this is no more than HMG does at present. I therefore intend to instruct our delegation to Geneva along the lines of this letter unless I receive objections by 1800Z 12 February.
Условесет
David Waliy
D S Walwyn
United Nations Department
CC: Ms Lesley Foster, Northern Ireland Office
Mr Michael Wood, Legal Advisers
Mr Dominic Bruce, WH424D SEAD
Ms Pamela Major, HKD
Mr Martin Raven, UKMIS Geneva
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