Posted on 03/06/2007 1:52:53 PM PST by nypokerface
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The United States said on Tuesday it would not seek a seat on the new U.N. Human Rights Council, saying it was not a "credible" body.
State Department spokesman Sean McCormack said the United States would retain its observer status on the 47-member council, created last year over objections from the United States that rules were not strong enough to prevent rights violators from getting a seat.
"We believe that the Human Rights Council has thus far not proved itself to be a credible body in the mission that it has been charged with," McCormack told reporters. "Our decision is that we do not plan to run (for a seat)."
The announcement came on the day that the State Department issued its 2006 report on human rights worldwide.
McCormack said Washington supported the promotion of human rights globally and would "remain a forceful advocate in the promotion of human rights."
He complained there had been a "nearly singular focus" by the council on issues related to Israel to the exclusion of other areas, such as rights abuses in Myanmar or North Korea.
"We hope over time this body will expand its focus and become a more credible institution," said McCormack.
Last November, outgoing U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan also criticized the council for focusing too much on Israel and neglecting other parts of the world such as Sudan's war-torn Darfur region, which had what he termed "graver" crises.
Thank God we got that big meanie John Bolton out of there. [/sarc]
My thoughts exactly.
How about not sending our tax money
How about getting out of the UN altogether?
Yeah, give it to the US Marine Corps instead. They've been much better for "human rights" in the last century than the UN and League of Nations combined.
Hey Sean, baby! The UN is not a credible body!
I'm being ignorant here... but who is Bolton's replacement?
Allejandro D. Wolff
Thank you. I looked up his name on Google, and it says he was once an Executive Assistant to Secretaries of State Madeleine Albright and Colin Powell (1998-2001).
Part of that "...new tone in Washington" dontchya know.
Woo Hoo!
Bump!
Bump!
More importantly, what are they doing here?
Neither is the UN credible.
Great start........now lets see what we can do about un-funding this joke.
Sounds good to me!
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