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 You are in: Under Secretary for Public Diplomacy and Public Affairs > Bureau of Public Affairs > Bureau of Public Affairs: Press Relations Office > Press Releases (Other) > 2006 > June 
Taken Question
Office of the Spokesman
Washington, DC
June 16, 2006
Question Taken at the June 16 Daily Press Briefing

Role of the United States in the UN Human Rights Council

Question:   As a member of the new UN Human Rights Council, China will have its human rights record reviewed - as will all members of the Council in the coming year or two. What role will the U.S. play in this review? What procedural or technical barriers will exist that might prevent the U.S. from contributing because the U.S. isn’t a member of the Council?

Answer:   We will be participating in the Council as an observer this year. We are not yet certain how the Council will deal with observers, but expect the rules to be similar to those used in the old Commission. This means the U.S. will be able to address issues in plenary, participate in informal negotiating sessions, participate in open-ended working groups and co-sponsor resolutions.

The U.S. has been and continues to "caucus" and consult with Western and democratic partners on the work of the Council. We intend to actively engage with the Council and like-minded supporters of human rights to make the Council as effective as possible. We will be engaged with the Council to safeguard and promote human rights around the world.

The Council is to take up Universal Periodic Review within the next year. The modalities for this review are still being negotiated. We will endeavor to help establish a fair, objective, transparent and accurate mechanism. However, we don’t want it to be an excuse for not taking action on cases of gross and systemic human rights abuses.

2006/620


Released on June 16, 2006

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