UNITED NATIONS: China supports the creation of the new UN Human Rights
Council, which will strengthen the body's role in this field, Zhang Yishan,
China's deputy permanent representative to the United Nations, said on
Wednesday.
The General Assembly voted overwhelmingly on Wednesday (local time) to
replace the UN's Human Rights Commission with the new council with 170 members,
while only the United States, Israel, the Marshall Islands and Palau voted
against.
Zhang told the General Assembly: "The international community and people all
over the world lay great expectations on the council.
"They all hope that the council will play its due role, and more effectively
enhance all human rights and fundamental freedoms at global level," Zhang said.
Zhang pointed out that the draft resolution stresses that civil, political,
economic, social and cultural rights, and the right to development are
interlinked and equally important.
He stressed that the draft resolution indicates that the human rights issue
should be dealt with impartially and in a non-discriminatory manner to avoid
double standards and politicization, and promote genuine dialogue and
co-operation in the field of human rights.
"The above principles shall become guidelines for the future work of the
council in order to avoid the reoccurrence of political confrontation at the
Human Rights Commission," the Chinese diplomat declared.
However, he also made it clear that the draft resolution failed to fully
reflect the concerns of many developing countries, including China, on some
issues.
"First, it does not provide effective guarantees to prevent political
confrontation caused by a country's specific resolution, which has become a
chronic problem at the Commission on Human Rights," Zhang noted.
"Second, the universal periodic review to be developed by the council may
overlap with the work of human rights treaty bodies and special mechanisms, thus
increasing report burdens for developing countries," he said.
"Third, according to our understanding, recommendations by the council are
limited to the General Assembly."
He said the Chinese side would further express its concerns during
consultations after the council is established.
Zhang promised that China is ready to adopt an active and open attitude,
co-operate closely with all other parties, and play an active part in the
council's work.
UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan called the resolution "historic" and added:
"Now the real work begins. The true test of the council's credibility will be
the use that member states make of it."
US Ambassador to the UN John Bolton said the United States supported Annan's
original proposal for a small permanent council elected by a two-thirds vote of
the General Assembly to deal with its pre-eminent concern of keeping rights
abusers from winning seats.
But the resolution adopted on Wednesday calls for election by an absolute
majority 96 members.
(China Daily 03/17/2006 page2)