New draft resolution on UN council

cctv.com 02-24-2006 09:16

The president of the UN General Assembly has unveiled a new draft blueprint for creating a human rights council. The council would have a higher status and greater accountability than the much-criticized Human Rights Commission that meets yearly in Geneva.

General Assembly President Jan Eliasson outlined one of the major improvements to the much-revised draft proposal. Council members, elected individually by the 191-nation assembly, would be judged on their human rights records. The draft provides for the first time that the assembly, by a vote with a two-thirds majority, may suspend a council member that commits gross and systematic violations of human rights. The new draft gives Africa and Asia 13 seats on the council. Latin America, Eastern Europe and Western Europe would have eight, seven and six seats respectively. No council members would be eligible for immediate re-election after two straight three-year terms. UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan has urged world governments to extend support for the new draft.

Editor:Chen Zhuo  Source:CCTV.com