Human Rights Council’s report to GA – GA Third Cttee debate – Press release (excerpts)

Third Committee

35^th Meeting (PM)

THIRTY TWO MEMBER STATES TO COME UNDER MICROSCOPE OF HUMAN RIGHTS COUNCIL’S

UNIVERSAL PERIODIC REVIEW MECHANISM BY JUNE 2008, THIRD COMMITTEE TOLD

Review Can Reduce Selectivity, Politicisation of Human

Rights That Characterised Now-Defunct Commission on Human Rights

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Background

The Third Committee (Social, Humanitarian and Cultural) met today to take up the Report of the Human Rights Council (document A/62/53).

The report, which was before the Committee, contains resolutions and decisions adopted by the Council from 18 September 2006 to 22 June 2007, at its second, third, fourth and fifth sessions, at its first organizational meeting, and at its third and fourth special sessions.

DORU-ROMULUS COSTEA, President of the Human Rights Council, told the Third Committee that he would be presenting an update about the most recent developments during the first part of the Council’s sixth session as well as the outcome of its fifth special session.  The Council’s first year was one of transition and beginning.  Those challenges were compounded by human rights situations, crises, and problems that had to be addressed in the substantive work of a body that was “under construction” for the better part of the period, he said.

Most of the Council’s decisions were targeted and operational, he said, and that was a trend that should be reinforced.  Questions which had been examined during the first year were the right to the truth as well as questions related to the judiciary and transitional justice.  The Council had held two special sessions to deal with serious human rights violations in the Occupied Palestinian Territory and in Darfur.  He highlighted a new approach that had been promoted when dealing with situations of such gravity:  resorting to more than one special rapporteur to seek the appropriate ways and means to improve the respective cases.

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Statements

SUSANA VAZ PATTO (Portugal), speaking on behalf of the European Union, …

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…  While the European Union reiterated its strong concern about human rights in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, it doubted whether a repetition of unbalanced and divisive resolutions on that issue had contributed to improving the situation.  In the future, proposals should be more results-oriented and negotiated in a spirit of openness.  Turning to the institutional-building process, she said, like all other stakeholders, the Union did not see all its objectives reflected in the final package agreed by the Council in June; however, by focusing on one particular situation -– the one in the Occupied Palestinian Territory –- the Council had contradicted the spirit of non-selectivity.  Without a doubt, the situation in the Territory had to be addressed, but it should be done through the same agenda item as all other situations.  In fulfilling its mandate, the Council had to expand the attention it gave to grave human rights situations.  The European Union said, however, that it would be extremely counterproductive to reopen the institutional building package, which the Union would support despite its shortcomings.

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The Chairman, RAYMOND WOLFE ( Jamaica), invited the Secretary of the Committee and then Mr. Costea to respond.

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Mr. COSTEA said the point of order reflected the attention being given to the report.  The statement he had given had not been an account of all the activities of the Council; it only contained a few ideas that he felt he should share with the Committee.  But, his statement would be distributed once it was posted on the Council’s website.  That body did nothing in secrecy.  Regarding the dialogue, he said that was the prerogative of the Secretary.  As President of the Council, any working method decided by the Committee would be respected.

RODRIGO MALMIERCA DIAZ ( Cuba) said that the creation of the Human Rights Council was brought about by the pressing need to put an end to the deep disrepute into which the Commission on Human Rights had plunged, due to political manipulation, hypocrisy and double standards imposed on its work by the United States and its Western accomplices.  His country had voted for the creation of the Council, and upheld that its agenda should remain balanced putting economic, social and cultural rights on the same level as civil and political rights.  The realization of the right to development; the Palestinian people’s right to self-determination; the violations of human rights in the occupied Arab territories; the fight against racism; and technical assistance for developing countries should also be considered at the same level.

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For information media • not an official record