Geneva, 28/03/2000 (Agence Europe) - In his address at the 56th session of the United Nations Human Rights Commission, in Geneva on 27 March, the European Commissioner for external relations, Chris Patten, recalled that, in the current European Commission, the responsibility for the human rights dimension of the EU's external policy had, for the first time, been allocated to a single Commissioner, himself, and recalled that, in the current quarter, he would be presenting a communication proposing a "new strategy" in the field, especially regarding the Commission's funding of projects aimed at promoting human rights in the world. Noting that Europe had not to ignore its "own imperfections" and in particular the worrying rise in racism, xenophobia and intolerance, including "in certain countries, within the political establishment", Patten also announced that the Commission would make a "significant contribution" to the UN Office of the High Commissioner on Human Rights, Mary Robinson in view of the World Conference against racism and xenophobia. Noting that the European Commission was "fully associated with the definition of the Cfsp", Mr. Patten, who had just met Mrs. Robinson the same day, said he hoped to "strengthen the dialogue and links between our two organisations", and cited as examples the initiative aimed at developing a "common approach to training human rights monitors" by the High Commissioner, the OSCE and the Council of Europe, and the pilot project launched in the context of the European Union Masters Degree in Human Rights. Mr. Patten, moreover, made a point of stressing the irreplaceable role of NGOs and organisations like Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch, the International Human Rights Federation, Helsinki Watch and America Watch.
In his speech, Mr. Patten made no allusion to China (whereas he has done so on several occasion, rather explicitly, before the European Parliament: see EUROPE of 23 March, p.6 for his address to the Foreign Affairs Committee), but made a veiled allusion to the human rights dialogue between the EU and Beijing, and said that "dialogue cannot substitute for deeds" and that, "signing covenants is not the same as ratifying and applying them". "Dialogue is not an end in itself, it is the means to an end" (see EUROPE of 22 March, pages 3 and 4, for the Council's position on the EU's attitude in Geneva in case of a vote on a resolution on human rights in China: the EU countries are said to intend to vote in favour of a United States resolution, but not sponsor it.)