|
Mr. President,
This year marks the 60th anniversary of the founding of the
United Nations. It is also the year of UN reform. The outcome document adopted
at the recent 2005 Summit has approved of the establishment of the Human Rights
Council and set forth its principal responsibilities. This is an important step
for the reform of UN human rights mechanism. It will undoubtedly produce far-reaching
impacts on UN's future work. At present, negotiations have been conducted at
the General Assembly on the specifics of the Human Rights Council. I am confident
that under the leadership of the GA president and with the assistance of co-chairmen,
negotiations will achieve success through consultations on an equal footing
and in the spirit of seeking common ground while shelving differences. Now,
I wish to present three points on the establishment of the Human Right Council.
1. The Human Rights Council should attach importance to and
solve the long-standing "credibility crisis" faced by the Commission
on Human Rights. The Council, in reviewing human rights violation cases, including
massive and systematic violation of human rights, should formulate fair, objective
and transparent review standards and procedures, and refrain from politicization,
double standard and selective manner. Only by so doing, can the Council properly
handle the related human rights questions, and can the authority of the Council
be effectively preserved.
2. The Human Rights Council should have full representation.
The outcome document has emphasized that it is essential to strengthen the UN
human rights mechanism. To achieve this, it is necessary to ensure full representation
at the Council. Since the founding of the UN, with the continued increase of
its membership, the Commission on Human Rights has been expanded twice from
the original 18 to 43 in 1979, and then to 53 in 1990. Facts have shown that
such increase has played an important role in enabling more countries to understand
and be a part of international human rights cause, enhancing national human
rights capacity building, and promoting regional and international cooperation.
Today, our Organization has 191 Member States, a reality that should be taken
into account in the formation of the Human Rights Council. Currently, the membership
of the Council and that of the Commission can be basically the same. It can
be elected by a simple majority at the General Assembly on the basis of the
principle of equitable geographic distribution.
3. The Human Rights Council should be a forum for dialogue,
exchange and cooperation. To promote and defend human rights through international
cooperation is an important part of the UN Charter. It has been proved by the
past history that due to different historical and cultural background, social
system, and development level, countries also vary in their ways, means, and
processes for achieving human rights goals. The Human Rights Council, in performing
its responsibilities, should be aware of the "diversity of the world",
respect the right of all countries to choose independently their social system
and development road, encourage dialogue and exchange among countries through
establishing appropriate working mode and mechanism, and make joint efforts
to explore effective ways for human rights advancement.
Mr. President,
The Chinese Delegation has studied attentively the report submitted
by Ms. Louise Arbour, High Commissioner for Human Rights, to the current GA
session. The report, in connection with "human rights action" plan,
puts forward some very valuable recommendations and concepts on UN human rights
reform. For this, we wish to express our appreciation. As is affirmed by the
outcome document that in order to reinforce the work of OHCHR, the regular expenditure
for OHCHR will be doubled in the coming five years. This is very encouraging.
We hope that the OHCHR will make good use of this opportunity to enhance its
cooperation with Member States, continue to improve its work, and better fulfill
its responsibilities.
In August this year, Ms. Louse Arbour paid her first visit
to China as the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights. During her visit, she
attended the 13th Asia-Pacific Human Rights Workshop and activities for the
10th anniversary of the 4th World Conference on Women in Beijing, signed a new
memorandum of understanding on human rights cooperation with the Chinese Government,
and met with Chinese NGO representatives. The visit is a complete success. We
look forward to more extensive cooperation with the UN in human rights education,
capacity building and the rule of law.
Mr. President,
China was subject to aggression and humiliation by foreign
powers for quite a long time. We in China are deeply aware of the arduous struggle
for peace, the importance of development and the value of human rights. Today,
"respect and guarantee for human rights" has become an important principle
in China's Constitution. The Chinese Government, guided by the concept of "putting
human interests first and governing for the people", has adopted a series
of effective measures to improve legal system, accelerate democratic process,
and develop economy, thus comprehensively raising the level of various human
rights enjoyed by the Chinese people. China has achieved world-renowned progress
in poverty eradication, compulsory education, health care for women and children,
and protection of the rights and interests of the disabled, the aged and other
vulnerable groups. Naturally, like all other countries in the world, China's
human rights situation is yet to be a perfect picture. As a developing country,
we still have a long way to go before the full realization of all fundamental
freedoms and human rights. The Chinese Government will continue its efforts
to attain an all-round and coordinated economic and social development between
the urban and rural areas and among different regions, and build a harmonious
society characterized by democracy and the rule of law, fairness and justice,
trust and friendship, vitality and stability. It will be a society where man
and nature can co-exist harmoniously, and all people can share the fruits of
reform and development. We will persevere in our strive for new progress in
China's human rights cause.
Thank you, Mr. President.
Source: Permanent
Mission of China to the UN |
