7th Session of the HRC 27th March 2008

Afternoon

The Council is voting for the following draft resolutions.

Agenda Item 3, A/HRC/7/L.25
Promotion and protection of all human rights, civil, political, economic, social and cultural rights, including the right to development.

7/…Human rights of persons with disabilities – submitted by Mexico

Mexico made amendments in the text. The draft resolution is adopted by consensus.

Agenda Item 3, A/HRC/7/L.23
Promotion and protection of all human rights, civil, political, economic, social and cultural rights, including the right to development.

7/…Mandate of the Special Representative of the Secretary-General on the situation of human rights defenders – submitted by Norway

Norway made amendments in the text. Russia, India, Bangladesh, Pakistan, Egypt and China made comments approving Norway’s initiative. The draft resolution is adopted by consensus.

Agenda Item 3, A/HRC/7/L.27
Promotion and protection of all human rights, civil, political, economic, social and cultural rights, including the right to development.

7/…Human rights and arbitrary deprivation of nationality – submitted by the Russian Federation

The Russian Federation emphasised the right to citizenship, especially in cases of State successions. Institutions and legal means have to be used for this cause by all member states.
The draft resolution is adopted by consensus.

Agenda Item 3, A/HRC/7/L.29
Promotion and protection of all human rights, civil, political, economic, social and cultural rights, including the right to development.

7/…The role of good governance in the promotion and protection of human rights – submitted by Poland

This resolution deals with this effectiveness of institutions, the struggle against corruption. The good governance is a universal notion that has to be implemented in any kind of social, political or economic environment. It is a matter of freedom before the law.

Vote request: Cuba.
Cuba wants a separate vote to delete the mention of “Community of democracies”. Good governance would be based on the principle of democracy and the Cuban representative stated that this proposal was made by the Americans within their imperialism views toward non democratic states in the world. Cuba calls on other delegations to act in the same way. If the text is adopted with the phrasing remains, then Cuba will ask for the vote of the entire draft resolution.
India : supports the draft resolution at all levels, but it’s important to note that governance depends on local particularities as well. Good governance has to be implemented into international institutions too.
Russian Federation: does not agree on the reference to the latest international conferences, especially the Bamako conference that is the representation of a “club of just democracies”.

Results from the separate vote requested by Cuba:
YES: 5 NO: 27 Abst.: 13 Rejected

Vote on the whole resolution:
YES: 41 Abst: 6 Adopted

Agenda Item 3, A/HRC/7/L.30
Promotion and protection of all human rights, civil, political, economic, social and cultural rights, including the right to development.

7/…Enforced or involuntary disappearances – submitted by France

France wants to renew the mandate. It wants the community to pay particular attention to children or people who are particularly vulnerable. Draft resolution adopted by consensus.

Agenda Item 3, A/HRC/7/L.35
Promotion and protection of all human rights, civil, political, economic, social and cultural rights, including the right to development.

7/…Mandate of the Special Rapporteur on the sale of children, child prostitution, and child pornography – submitted by Uruguay

Uruguay wants to renew the mandate for 3 years. It makes amendments to the texts.
Draft resolution adopted by consensus.

Agenda Item 3, A/HRC/7/L.6/Rev.1

7/…Right to food – submitted by Cuba

Cuba has submitted this draft resolution to respond to the food crisis affecting developing countries, especially in Africa. It insists on the rise of food prices worldwide too.
United Kingdom: makes a remark on paragraph 12. UK does not agree with universal international law. Endogenous individuals are entitled to human rights on an equal basis. It a long standing position for UK.
Adopted by consensus.

Agenda Item 4, A/HRC/7/L.28
Human rights situations that require the council’s attention

7/…Situation of human rights in the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea – submitted by Japan and EU

Japan and Slovenia regret that DPRK hasn’t adopted Special Reporters recommendations.
Canada: the situation in DPRK remains a serious concern for Canada. The renewal of the mandate is important.
DPRK: regrets the resolution. The delegation states that EU and Japan have more serious concerns with human rights.
Cuba: the council should be based on a constructive dialogue. Cuba believes that this draft does not do credit to this new country. Requests a separated vote and will vote against.
Indonesia: the only way to resolve a problem is by using productive dialogue, which Japan and EU have not done. Indonesia will vote against the resolution.
Philippines: this kind of resolution should be made in a consensus with the country concerned. Philippines will abstain.
China: has always been opposing discriminative country resolution that is implemented with political pressures. China will vote against.
Russian Federation: this confrontation will not contribute to improvement in DPRK. The community of States should focus on help and not accusations.
Results:
YES: 22 NO: 7 Abst.: 10 Adopted.

Agenda Item 4, A/HRC/7/L.38
Human rights situations that require the council’s attention

7/…Situation of human rights in the Sudan – submitted by Egypt (African Group)

Slovenia: express deep concern for continuation of human rights violations, particularly in Darfur.
Canada: regret that the resolution was not more robust, it does not accurately reflect the gravity of the situation
Sudan: accept the draft resolution terms, agreeing on the cooperation with the HRC.
Draft resolution adopted by consensus.

Agenda Item 7, A/HRC/7/L.3
Human rights situations that require the council’s attention

7/…Human rights in Palestine occupied territories and the right of self determination – submitted by Pakistan (on behalf OIC + Arabic group)

Pakistan: support Palestinian population in their right to self determination. Makes an oral revision to the text.
Israel: does not oppose the right to self determination, but it doesn’t apply to one party. The resolution proposes no constructive proposals for the construction of two states.
Palestine: support resolution
Slovenia: support Palestinian right to self determination

Draft resolution adopted by consensus.

Agenda Item 7, A/HRC/7/L.4
Human rights situations that require the council’s attention

7/…Israeli settlements in occupied Palestinian territories, east Jerusalem and Syrian occupied territories – submitted by Pakistan

Israel: regrets that this resolution is in opposition with the bilateral agreements on about the 10 Israeli settlements. The resolution does not recognize any of the progress that have been made.
Canada: the resolution does not contribute toward continuation of a peaceful situation: request a vote and will vote against.

Results:
YES: 46 NO:1 Abst.:0 Adopted.

Agenda Item 9, A/HRC/7/L.15

7/…Struggle against religious defamations – submitted by Pakistan

Slovenia: requests a vote. It is not about protecting religions itself, but human being within their religions. Islam is mentioned in the resolution whereas no other religion is.

Results:
YES: 21 NO: 10 Abst.: 14 Adopted.

Agenda Item 10, A/HRC/7/L.13

7/…Technical cooperation and assistance due to the situation in the Democratic Republic of Congo – submitted by Egypt

Egypt makes revisions of the text.
Slovenia, Canada, and Switzerland: regret the interruption of the Special Rapporteur Mandate.
Draft resolution adopted by consensus

Elodie F., Virginia S.