Eliasson Replies to Washingtom Post Article Criticising Reform Plan

Submitted by crinadmin on

 

A Robust UN Reform

[Friday 3 March 2006] - The Feb. 28 editorial "Prodding the UN" suggested that my proposal for the new Human Rights Council was insufficiently robust.

The Post did not mention that candidates for Council membership would make commitments on human rights before their election. Or that elected members would be first in line for scrutiny under the universal periodic review. Or that there would be a way of suspending members that committed gross and systematic violations of human rights. All of these are firsts.

Election to the Council would require the support of at least 96 countries voting by secret ballot; currently members of the Commission on Human Rights can be elected on regional slates or with the support of 28 or fewer countries.

The editorial described the periodic review as vague. In fact, there is an explicit commitment to it, with clear guidelines, and a time limit for getting it up and running. For the first time, every country would be subjected to a review of its fulfillment of its human rights obligations and commitments.

The draft Resolution would bring about a fresh start in the United Nations' work on human rights. It is the product of five months of intensive intergovernmental negotiation. Now member states must decide whether to support it.

JAN ELIASSON

 

President

UN General Assembly

New York

pdf: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/03/02/AR200603...

Attachment Link: 
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/03/02/AR20060302016...
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