China on Monday called on UN members to be flexible so that a
draft resolution on creating a new Human Rights Council could be
adopted this week.
"The resolution is not perfect but it is a compromise that can
be accepted by all UN members so China hopes it can be adopted,"
said Sha
Zukang, top Chinese diplomat to the UN office in Geneva.
Sha was speaking to Xinhua News Agency after the suspension of
the 62nd annual session of the UN Human Rights Commission which has
been widely criticized and would be replaced by the proposed Human
Rights Council.
The one-week suspension was announced by Manuel Rodriguez
Cuadros, the Commission's Peruvian president, only a few minutes
after opening on Monday, citing the "extraordinary situation"
brought about by ongoing talks in New York over the new Human
Rights Council.
A final decision on the new body is expected to be made this
week as General Assembly President Jan Eliasson, UN
Secretary-General Kofi Annan and others are doing their best to
convince Washington to support the setting-up of the new
body.?
"Currently only the US is against the Resolution which is
actually the best possible compromise among UN members and reflects
a fragile balance of all members' concerns," Sha said.
He said the 62nd session of the Human Rights Commission might be
the last annual session of the 53-member body which was created in
1946.
But he hoped that the last session would be successful and
harmonious with progress being made on the various human rights
causes around the world.
He also hoped the last session would foster a co-operative
atmosphere and lay groundwork for its successor, the proposed Human
Rights Council, which is expected to convene in June.
(Xinhua News Agency March 14, 2006)