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EU Presidency Statement - Explanation of Vote: Contemporary forms of Racism, Discrimination, Xenophobia and Related Intolerance

Sommaire: EU Presidency Statement - Explanation of Vote: Contemporary forms of Racism, Discrimination, Xenophobia and Related Intolerance (17 November 2005: New York)

EU Presidency Explanation of vote on the INADMISSIBILITY OF CERTAIN PRACTICES THAT CONTRIBUTE TO FUELLING CONTEMPORARY FORMS OF RACISM, RACIAL DISCRIMINATION, XENOPHOBIA AND RELATED INTOLERANCE, by the UK Mission to the UN on behalf of the European Union, UN General Assembly, Third Committee, New York

Mr Chairperson,

I am speaking on behalf of the European Union and Bulgaria, Romania, Turkey, Croatia, Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Serbia and Montenegro, Ukraine and the Republic of Macedonia. Andorra, Liechtenstein, San Marino and Iceland also align themselves with this statement.

The European Union believes that neo-Nazism represents a particularly abhorrent manifestation of racism and xenophobia which afflicts many societies, including within the European Union, and those of the main sponsors. The threat of neo-Nazism needs to be tackled by effective measures at the national, regional and international levels. This call is particularly relevant as we commemorate the horrors of the Holocaust at this 60th Session of the General Assembly. The EU firmly believes that neo-Nazism does a grave injustice to the memory of the victims of Nazism.

The European Union has participated in extensive consultations with the main sponsors of L.60 with a view to agreeing a strong call for action against neo-Nazism today. We were able to do this at the recent session of the Commission on Human Rights, where the EU was able to support a text in line with the broad objectives of its title.

Unfortunately, the consensus we reached at the Commission on Human Rights no longer seems workable for the main sponsors. This text goes well beyond the text adopted at the Commission on Human Rights. It is with regret, therefore, that the EU cannot support L.60 as drafted. The text subjects the enjoyment of human rights to unacceptable conditions and thus undermines the rights to associate, assemble and express one's opinion as well as human rights in general. In particular, OP4 of the resolution in its current formulation is unacceptable to the EU. Limitations determined by law must never be aimed at the destruction of human rights and fundamental freedoms, as the Universal Declaration and other instruments clearly stipulate. We also believe that the current proposal, with its selective focus and inaccuracies, does not add to our consideration of the issue, nor does it serve as a meaningful tool to fight neo-Nazi and other contemporary forms of racism and xenophobia.

For these reasons, and again, with great regret the EU will abstain on the draft resolution contained in L.60. We hope that other members of the Third Committee will join us in doing so.

Thank you, Mr. Chairperson.

  • Ref: PRES05-329EN
  • Source UE: Présidence UE
  • UN forum: Troisième Commission (Affaires sociales, humanitaires et culturelles)
  • Date: 17/11/2005


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