071120_thirdcommittee_consideration of countryspecific resolutions - Australian Permanent Mission to the United Nations

Australian Permanent Mission to the United Nations

New York

Permanent Mission address: 150 East 42 Street, Level 33, New York, New York 10017 - Telephone: 1 212 351 6600 - Fax: 1 212 351 6610

Statement delivered by Ms Lara Nassau, First Secretary, Australian Mission to the United Nations with regard to the consideration of country-specific resolutions in Third Committee

20 November 2007

(As delivered)

When it comes to addressing the human rights situations in individual countries, constructive dialogue and cooperation is what we all seek. However, the General Assembly would undermine its own credibility if it remained silent in situations of grave and widespread violations of human rights.

We would certainly agree that the Human Rights Council has a mandate to address situations of violations of human rights. However action in one forum does not preclude action in other fora. For years the Third Committee routinely addressed country-specific human rights situations even while the former Commission on Human Rights did the same. The General Assembly has a particular responsibility, as a body of universal membership, to express the views of the international community on serious human rights situations.

As a matter of principle, we strongly believe that any country-specific resolution in the field of human rights that is put before this Committee should be considered on its individual merit. No one who is truly opposed to selectivity and double standards can support any other approach. Preventing debate on certain country situations would presume that certain countries are beyond or above consideration by international human rights fora. This would run counter to the principles of universality and interdependence of all human rights.