EP - Preparations for the 60th session of the UN Commission on Human Rights

Motions for resolutions - Preparations for the 60th session of the UN Commission on Human Rights

Debate : 14.01.2004
Vote : 10.02.2004


Vote

In a resolution adopted by the European Parliament highlights the EU's priorities which should be defended at the 60th session of the UN Human Rights Commission, which will take place in Geneva from 15 March to 23 April 2004.

MEPs welcome the action taken by the Union to promote ratification of the statute of the International Criminal Court and they ask the Union to continue this work. They call on the EU, while taking due account of the fact that the following list is not exhaustive and that circumstances differ substantially from country to country, to sponsor or co-sponsor resolutions on around 30 countries or regions where human rights are not respected, including China, North Korea, Iran, Pakistan, India, Indonesia, Iraq, the occupied territories and the area under the control of the Palestinian Authority, Libya, Saudi Arabia, Chechnya, Colombia, Cuba, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Zimbabwe, Sudan and Belarus. MEPs believe it is also necessary to sponsor a resolution calling on the United States to clarify without delay the situation of the detainees at Guantanamo Bay as far as meeting international standards are concerned, as well as a resolution to guarantee that Saddam Hussein has a trial which meets international legal standards. Parliament calls for an independent monitoring system to be set up under UN auspices to analyse the impact on human rights of measures taken in the fight against terrorism.

On the Middle East conflict, MEPs call on the EU to promote a specific initiative regarding the extremely serious situation in the Palestinian territories, in order to achieve a just and lasting solution to the conflict and bring to an end the building of the "wall" Palestinian Authority, Libya, Saudi Arabia, Chechnya, Colombia, Cuba, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Zimbabwe, Sudan and Belarus in violation of international law. MEPs also ask the Council to respect the resolution passed by "an overwhelming majority" in Parliament in December 2003, calling for the arms embargo on China to be maintained. Finally, the EU is asked to support the full integration of a gender perspective throughout the United Nations system.

Regarding the working methods and procedures of the UNCHR, MEPs express their regret at the politicisation of the UN Commission. They say that over the last few years, debates and resolutions reflect less the real situation of human rights than the capacity of the country concerned to mobilise support. MEPs call for reforms to reverse this tendency to maintain the credibility of the forum; they ask the EU to sponsor a resolution seeking to create a system to monitor governments' respect of resolutions. They also call for adhesion to the UNCHR to be possible only on condition that the governments concerned have ratified core human rights treaties.

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