03 April 2003
Text: Kaminsky Says Rights Commission Not Balanced on Middle East
(U.S. right of reply at UN Commission on Human Rights) (680)
Speaking at the 59th Session of the U.N. Commission on Human Rights on
the subject of the roadmap for peace in the Middle East March 31,
Phyllis Kaminsky said the commission's actions, "which cast all blame
on Israel for the situation, are not balanced, fair or helpful to the
cause of peace."
Kaminsky, a public member of the U.S. delegation to the commission's
59th annual session March 17-April 25 in Geneva, said another
imbalance is the commission's appointment of a special rapporteur with
an open-ended mandate to report on Israeli government actions in the
Occupied Territories. She said it is essential that the mandate be
extended to human rights abuses committed by the Palestinian
Authority, of which both Palestinians and Israelis are victims.
Following is the text of Kaminsky's prepared remarks on the subject:
(begin text)
Right of Reply of the United States of America
March 31, 2003
Item 8
Madame Chairperson,
During the course of this debate, several delegations have referred to
the role of the United States, and in particular, to the roadmap for
peace in the Middle East.
On March 14, President Bush reaffirmed his commitment to the vision of
two states, Israel and Palestine, living at peace, as laid out in his
speech of June 24 of last year. The President also announced his
readiness to present to the parties the Roadmap developed by the
Quartet to realize this vision, as soon as an empowered Palestinian
Prime Minister is confirmed in office. However, this vision cannot be
realized while violence and terrorist attacks continue.
The roadmap is a starting point for the parties, and a framework for
progress. The President made clear that with the presentation of that
roadmap, the parties must then engage on implementation of the steps
needed to realize the vision set forth in his June 24 speech.
The United States has listened carefully to this debate. The actions
of this Commission, which cast all blame on Israel for the situation,
are not balanced, fair, or helpful to the cause of peace.
We also continue to see as unbalanced the Commission's devoting an
agenda item solely to the situation in the Occupied Territories when
other human rights violations do not receive the same attention.
Another imbalance is the Commission's appointment of a Special
Rapporteur with an open-ended mandate to report on Israeli government
actions in the Occupied Territories. If it is to advance the cause of
peace, it is essential that the mandate be extended to human rights
abuses committed by the Palestinian Authority. Violations of human
rights standards by the Palestinian Authority, of which both
Palestinians and Israelis are victims, should not, indeed cannot, be
treated differently.
Based upon the tenor of the discussion so far, the U.S. does not judge
that the actions of this Commission can contribute to improving the
situation in the Occupied Territories. Indeed, the Commission's lack
of balance weakens its own credibility, undermines progress toward
peace, and contributes to the sum total of hate in the world.
Madame Chairperson,
On March 14, President Bush called upon all parties in this conflict
to abandon old hatreds and to meet their responsibilities for peace.
In a similar vein, you, Madame Chairperson, requested that the
Commission use diplomatic language when discussing difficult issues
like this one. Unfortunately, the Commission has failed to live up to
that basic standard. We have heard inflammatory, repugnant, and
reckless language -- including false assertions rejected by the
General Assembly in 1991 and which we thought had been relegated to
the dustbin of history along with the ashes of World War Two and the
Cold War. Such language can inflame public opinion and make it harder
to restore trust and confidence and bring the parties together. If
there is to be peace, such language must stop.
America is committed to implementing our road map toward peace. As the
President said, we will be an active partner of every party that seeks
true peace.
Thank you.
(end text)
(Distributed by the Office of International Information Programs, U.S.
Department of State. Web site: http://usinfo.state.gov)
|
NEWSLETTER
|
|
Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list
|
|
|
