U.S. Opposition to (human rights) Panel Frustrates Annan

[leftchick]

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20060303/ap_on_re_us/un_human_rights

UNITED NATIONS - The United States has become increasingly isolated in its opposition to the proposed U.N. Human Rights Council, with close European allies and Japan joining other countries, human rights groups a dozen Nobel Peace Prize winners in backing the new body.


U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan told reporters Thursday he was "chagrined about the U.S. position" and didn't know how the issue would be resolved. But he expressed hope that the United States "will find some way of associating itself with the other member states."

"I don't think we should see it as isolating the U.S., or the U.S. versus the others," he said. "We are in this together."

The Human Rights Council would replace the discredited U.N. Human Rights Commission, which has been criticized for allowing some of the worst rights-offending countries to use their membership to protect one another from condemnation, or to criticize others. In recent years, commission members have included Sudan, Libya, Zimbabwe and Cuba.

U.N. General Assembly President Jan Eliasson spent the last five months overseeing often contentious negotiations before producing a compromise proposal last week. Annan warned that unraveling the proposal would mean the U.N. would be left with the discredited commission.

[cornermouse]

1. Well... It is a little awkward supporting human rights when you're

torturing people elsewhere.

[HuffleClaw]

2. gee, i can't imagine WHY !

bwahahahhahahaaaaaa

of COURSE bushco. is gonna oppose something that would shine a light on their horrible and evil deeds.

[magellan]

3. There's no reasonable excuse for BushCo to oppose the Human Rights Council

None. Except to protect their own butts.