US tells UN: Don't target Israel

[Moses]

 usinfo.state.gov/mena/Archive/2005/Mar/23-571555.html

  United States Urges U.N. Human Rights Body Not To Target Israel

U.S. envoy addresses U.N. Human Right Commission's 61st session


Members of the United Nations’ Commission on Human Rights should refrain from singling out Israel for criticism in their discussions about human rights violations and support progress that is being made in addressing the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, according to Rudy Boschwitz, U.S. envoy to the commission.

In an address to the commission’s 61st annual session March 23, Boschwitz urged its members “to lower the decibel level of the ‘item eight’ debate. We should instead bring into being a tone of hope that reflects the changing tide and times between Israel and the Palestinians.”<br>
The commission’s agenda item eight, which concerns “the question of the violation of human rights in the occupied Arab territories, including Palestine,” is the only agenda item that focuses exclusively on the actions of one country.

“[R]esolutions introduced under agenda item eight focus entirely on castigating one country and serve only to perpetuate acrimony, instead of advancing a peace process that is underway and making progress,” Boschwitz told the delegates.

“Things are fragile, but steps towards peace are occurring with surprising rapidity,” he said.

Boschwitz said the international community should be focused on supporting the Palestinian Authority’s efforts to re-establish security and Israel’s withdrawal from Gaza and several West Bank communities.

He said that both parties have obligations to meet.  Israel, he said, “must ease the movement of Palestinian people and goods; it must freeze settlement activity consistent with the roadmap, and it must dismantle unauthorized outposts.”<br>
He praised Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas for his efforts to reform the Palestinian security forces and create an environment free from the threat of terror.

Following is the transcript of Boschwitz’s speech:



U.S. Delegation to the U.N. Commission on Human Rights
March 23, 2005

Item 8: The Question of the Violation of Human Rights in the Occupied Arab Territories

U.S. Statement delivered
by Senator Rudy Boschwitz
Head of Delegation
(As Delivered)

The United States and our Quartet partners are committed to advancing the progress toward the goal of two states, Israel and Palestine, living side by side in peace and security. The focus now of the international community should be on a successful Israeli disengagement from Gaza and several settlements in the West Bank, and on supporting the Palestinian Authority's political, economic, and security reform efforts.

In the past months, the flower of democracy has begun to bloom in earnest in the Middle East and beyond, and above the hope and expectation of most in the world and in this body. The entire world was inspired by the peoples of Afghanistan and Iraq as they defied the threats of killers and risked their lives to cast their votes. In January, the Palestinian people elected a government that is turning away from violence and dedicated to reform. The Lebanese people are loudly clamoring for their sovereignty and pressing for the Syrians to leave. This was a most unusual sight. The Libyans have turned away from the pursuit of weapons of mass destruction and sought to rejoin the family of nations. Good things are happening in a part of the world where hope was in short supply. Things are fragile, but steps towards peace are occurring with surprising rapidity.

We must seize every opportunity in pursuit of peace, and the Commission on Human Rights, recognizing the fragility of the process and the region, can play an important role in ensuring the continuing movement toward peace. In working towards peace, this Commission must not choose this moment to single out one group for censure. The United States strongly believes that the one-sided, anti-Israel resolutions undermine the credibility of the United Nations and of this Commission in particular. These resolutions, introduced under Agenda Item 8, focus entirely on castigating one country and serve only to perpetuate acrimony, instead of advancing a peace process that is underway and making progress.

A balanced approach - and I hear a balanced approach in many of the speeches this morning - would take into account other important issues in the Middle East. For instance, it would reflect the international community's support for the sovereignty and political independence of Lebanon. Syrian military and intelligence forces maintain a significant presence in Lebanon and Syria continues to interfere in Lebanon's internal politics despite the clear statements of the UN Security Council in Resolution 1559 and despite the clear demands of the Lebanese people. The Syrian Government should comply immediately with the will of the international community and provide a clear timetable for the final withdrawal of its remaining military and intelligence forces from Lebanon. This withdrawal should be completed before the upcoming Lebanese parliamentary elections. Furthermore, these elections must be free and take place in the spring as scheduled, and should be monitored by international observers.

More than ever before, there are hopeful signs of change in the Middle East. The emergence of a newly elected Palestinian leadership committed to reform, continued progress by Israel on its disengagement plan, and renewed dialogue between Israel and the Palestinian Authority offer an opportunity to advance the peace process and return to Roadmap implementation. No longer can the hatred of a few hold hostage the hopes of many.

In articulating his two-state vision, President Bush called on the parties to break with the past and set out on a new path. Both sides must meet their responsibilities and obligations. Palestinian action on security remains essential. We are encouraged that President Abbas is taking steps to reform the security services and honor his obligations to establish a secure environment free from the threat of terror. We are encouraged by direct Palestinian-Israeli coordination. Israel has responsibilities as well. It must ease the movement of Palestinian people and goods; it must freeze settlement activity consistent with the roadmap, and it must dismantle unauthorized outposts.

President Bush said last month in Brussels, "Only a democracy can serve the hopes of the Palestinians, and make Israel secure, and raise the flag of a free Palestine." Democratic reform is the key to the future that the people of the Middle East - as all people - deserve.

So the U.S. asks members of this Commission to lower the decibel level of the Item 8 debate. We should instead bring into being a tone of hope that reflects the changing tide and times between Israel and the Palestinians, indeed a tide that is changing throughout the Middle East region.




Created: 23 Mar 2005 Updated: 23 Mar 2005

[Moses]

usinfo.state.gov/dhr/Archive/2005/Mar/25-197181.html
  <br>
U.N. Must Not Shrink from Naming Human-Rights Abusers, U.S. Says

Boschwitz addresses human rights concerns at U.N. Human Rights Commission


Former Senator Rudy Boschwitz, head of the U.S. delegation to the U.N. Commission on Human Rights (UNCHR), expressed the Bush administration’s concern with human rights abuse throughout the world in a March 24 statement to that body’s 61st session.  <br>
Boschwitz said that reinforcing positive developments in human rights is integral to the committee and added, “though some of you would prefer to dispense with Item 9, it is not sufficient for this body to condemn the abuses but shy away from naming the abusers.”

The commission consists of 53 member states and meets for six weeks in March and April each year in Geneva to review observance and violations of human rights worldwide, to consider new ways to promote and protect human rights, and to encourage countries to respect the basic rights and freedoms outlined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.  One of the commission's most noted achievements was the preparation of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, adopted in 1948.

The 61st session of the commission is meeting in Geneva from March 14 through April 22. Over 3,000 delegates representing observer nations and nongovernmental organization, in addition to the 53 members of the commission, are participating in the session.

Discussion of agenda Item 9, the question of the violation of human rights and fundamental freedoms in any part of the world, began on March 23 and was scheduled to continue throughout March 24.

In his prepared statement, Boschwitz praised human rights and democracy progress in Afghanistan and the January 30 elections in Iraq, noting the courage demonstrated by voters in both those countries.

He also cited other examples of progress throughout the Middle East including: successful presidential elections for the Palestinian Authority, improved rights for women in Morocco, decentralization initiatives in Jordan, and introduction of penal codes for sexual harassment and the completion of a contested presidential election in Algeria.

But the senator said that many other parts of the world have taken “perceptible movements” away from freedom and democracy, while, in other portions of the globe, freedom remains elusive.

Regarding theformer Soviet , Boschwitz praised recent democratic progress in Ukraine but expressed concerns about violations of international human rights and humanitarian law in Chechnya and condemned the September 2004 terrorist assault on a school in Beslan. Additionally, he urged the commission to “send a powerful signal” to Belarus to “halt its assault on its own citizens’ rights and to take swift steps to uphold its international human rights commitments.”<br>
In Asia, the United States remains “concerned about the Chinese government’s lack of commitment to improve its poor human rights record, despite the willingness of my and other countries to help,” Boschwitz said.

He also said that human rights will continue to be an integral part of the U.S. agenda with North Korea and noted that theUnited States will soon name a special envoy on human rights in North Korea, as mandated by the North Korea Human Rights Act (2004).

In addition, Boschwitz cited the poor human rights situation in Burma with the continued house arrest of opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi, detainment of political prisoners, and abuse of ethnic minorities.

The senator expressed U.S. concern with the continued violence by Jinjaweed militias in Sudan's Darfur region saying, “We have made it clear to Khartoum that we will not normalize relations or re-examine bilateral sanctions until the government keeps its promise in implementing the Comprehensive Peace Agreement and until violence has ended in Darfur.”<br>
In the Western Hemisphere, he noted the rejection of democratic processes and continued harassment and intimidation of pro-democracy activists in Cuba and the “steady deterioration of democracy” in Venezuela.

“Cuba has repeatedly been censured by this Commission, and has brazenly ignored [commission] resolutions requiring it to take action,” Boschwitz said.

Other countries whose human-rights records are of concern to the United States include Egypt, Iran, Nepal, Saudi Arabia, Syria and Zimbabwe, according to Boschwitz’s statement.

“As the primary institution for the protection of human rights in the UN system, our message to these true patriots of their nations must be that you are not ignored and you are not forgotten, and we will not excuse those who are responsible for your oppression,” Senator Boschwitz said.

Following is the text of the senator’s statement as prepared for delivery:



March 24, 2005

Statement by the
Honorable Senator Rudy Boschwitz
Head of the U.S. Delegation

Item 9 - Violations of Human
Rights in any Part of the World

(As prepared for delivery)

Mr. Chairman,

As President Bush's representative to this 61st session of the UN Commission on Human Rights, let me assure you that he views these proceedings as key to his Administration's efforts to promote human rights and democracy worldwide, part of what he calls his "forward strategy for freedom." The United States particularly values this segment of the Commission -- when we focus on the situation of human rights in specific countries around the world. We are convinced that reinforcing positive developments when they occur is an important part of the work of this body. And we are equally convinced that putting dictators and other human rights violators on notice that the international community is watching, and that there will be consequences for their misdeeds -- what some refer to as naming and shaming -- brings us closer to the day when all nations are part of the growing community of democracies, and tyranny and slavery exist only as sad chapters in human history.
(rest at link)