The Foreign Affairs Committee of the European Union has adopted its annual report on human rights around the world in 2006.
The report criticises European Union actions in the area of EU policies on breaches of human rights and the committee makes specific recommendations.
The Committee asks the Council to explain how it was possible for" Belarus to be elected on to the governing body of the International Labour Organisation (ILO) in June 2005".
The report also notes "with total stupefaction" the provisional suspension by ECHO of humanitarian aid for Iraq and this despite the "disastrous situation afflicting the suffering Iraqi people and Iraqi refugees".
Members of the European Parliament are underlining that although the new United Nations Human Rights Council "has the potential to develop into a valuable framework for the European Union’s multilateral human rights efforts", the Council has proven to be more 'ineffectual in responding appropriately to human rights crises” and this because many countries use the UNHRC as a forum for political pressure instead of the promotion of human rights.
The Foreign Affairs Committee is calling on member states "not to support" countries that have been showing “gross and systematic" human rights violations as candidates for high-ranking positions in international forums.
The report also deals with human rights in China and says that China's human rights record is still a matter "serious concern". Members of the committee call on the Council to raise the question of Tibet in talks with the Chinese government and add that the European Union trade relations with China should be contingent upon human rights reform.
In regard to Iran, the committee expressed it deep concern at the deteriorating human rights situation in Iran. The report also calls on the Commission to use the European Initiative for Democracy and Human Rights to promote cooperation with Iranian civil society.
The committee also calls on the European Union for a more unilateral action to persuade the Sudanese government to accept an international peacekeeping force in Darfur and urges the European Union to back "an international peacekeeping force" and the enforcement of the no-fly zone over Darfur. Furthermore, the Council should agree on a "plan of specific, targeted sanctions to be imposed on the Khartoum regime... in the event of non-compliance with the demands of the international community."
In its recommendations, the Committee says that the Council and the European Commission should raise the situation of human rights defenders systematically in all political dialogues and it should reach out to local human right defenders in a more proactive manner.
Israel Rafalovich
U.N. OBSERVER & International Report
The report criticises European Union actions in the area of EU policies on breaches of human rights and the committee makes specific recommendations.
The Committee asks the Council to explain how it was possible for" Belarus to be elected on to the governing body of the International Labour Organisation (ILO) in June 2005".
The report also notes "with total stupefaction" the provisional suspension by ECHO of humanitarian aid for Iraq and this despite the "disastrous situation afflicting the suffering Iraqi people and Iraqi refugees".
Members of the European Parliament are underlining that although the new United Nations Human Rights Council "has the potential to develop into a valuable framework for the European Union’s multilateral human rights efforts", the Council has proven to be more 'ineffectual in responding appropriately to human rights crises” and this because many countries use the UNHRC as a forum for political pressure instead of the promotion of human rights.
The Foreign Affairs Committee is calling on member states "not to support" countries that have been showing “gross and systematic" human rights violations as candidates for high-ranking positions in international forums.
The report also deals with human rights in China and says that China's human rights record is still a matter "serious concern". Members of the committee call on the Council to raise the question of Tibet in talks with the Chinese government and add that the European Union trade relations with China should be contingent upon human rights reform.
In regard to Iran, the committee expressed it deep concern at the deteriorating human rights situation in Iran. The report also calls on the Commission to use the European Initiative for Democracy and Human Rights to promote cooperation with Iranian civil society.
The committee also calls on the European Union for a more unilateral action to persuade the Sudanese government to accept an international peacekeeping force in Darfur and urges the European Union to back "an international peacekeeping force" and the enforcement of the no-fly zone over Darfur. Furthermore, the Council should agree on a "plan of specific, targeted sanctions to be imposed on the Khartoum regime... in the event of non-compliance with the demands of the international community."
In its recommendations, the Committee says that the Council and the European Commission should raise the situation of human rights defenders systematically in all political dialogues and it should reach out to local human right defenders in a more proactive manner.
Israel Rafalovich
U.N. OBSERVER & International Report