Brussels, 16/03/2005 (Agence Europe) - On Wednesday the General Affairs Council prepared the 61st session of the UN Commission on Human Rights, which is taking place on 14 March to 22 April in Geneva (EUROPE yesterday, p 5 on contribution made by Jean Asselborn). In the conclusions, ministers announced that the EU would be presenting resolutions on the human rights situation in Burma/Myanmar and in North Korea and would be taking an initiative on the issue of Israeli settlements in the Palestinian territories. The EU will also table a motion with the USA for an initiative in Byelorussia and express its concerns about the situation in Uzbekistan. The Twenty Five also intend to cooperate with the governments of Afghanistan and Colombia in order to ensure adoption of a declaration from the presidency on the protection of human rights in these countries. The EU will support a Swiss initiative on Nepal. On thematic issues in Geneva, the EU will propose initiatives on religious intolerance, the death penalty and child rights. The EU will also support thematic initiatives in other countries: racism, protection of human rights in the context of the war on terrorism, violence against women and the promotion of economic, social and cultural rights.
On Wednesday the Council also raised the issue of China where the human rights situation remains worrying, despite some positive measures announced by Peking and in Iran, with whom no dialogue session on human rights has taken place since June 2004 and where the situation is also worrying, regretted ministers. The Council welcomed the “constructive spirit” in which the first consultations between the EU and Russia took place on human rights on 1 March. On this occasion, the EU raised the question of Chechnya and is still awaiting the commitments made by Russia to be translated into concrete measures that allow for “tangible improvements to the human rights situation on the ground”.