DATE=3/20/2000
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
TITLE=U-S / HUMAN RIGHTS / CHINA (L-ONLY)
NUMBER=2-260388
BYLINE=LETA HONG FINCHER
DATELINE=STATE DEPARTMENT
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRO: The State Department says the United States
has its best chance in years to get the U-N Human
Rights Commission to pass a resolution criticizing
China. U-S Secretary of State Madeleine Albright will
appear before the commission in Geneva on Thursday.
As V-O-A's Leta Hong Fincher reports, her presence is
part of a strong U-S push to highlight China's human-
rights abuses.
TEXT: Assistant Secretary of State Harold Koh says
this will be the first time in recent memory that a
Secretary of State has spoken before the U-N Human
Rights Commission. Secretary Albright will speak
about promoting democratic values, and using global
mechanisms to encourage countries to play by global
rules. A focal point of her speech is likely to be
China.
The United States has sponsored a resolution
criticizing China's human-rights record, which Mr. Koh
says showed a marked deterioration across the board in
1999. In previous sessions of the human rights
commission, China has been able to pass a no-action
motion preventing any formal discussion of its human-
rights record. Mr. Koh, who is the State Department's
senior official on human-rights issues, says he
believes this year could be different.
/// KOH ACT ///
My guess is that the Chinese are extremely
concerned about the real prospects that the no-
action motion will fail this year. There's been
very intensified diplomatic activity on their
front, and my guess is that we'll be seeing both
short-term and long-term developments.
/// END ACT ///
The State Department's latest report on human rights
in China showed a sharp deterioration last year. The
report says there was more repression of political
dissent and religious freedom, more forced labor and
restrictions on Internet access and less respect for
the rights of women and Tibetans.
The United States announced its decision to criticize
China's human-rights record in mid-January, two months
earlier than last year. Mr. Koh says some countries
which opposed a resolution critical of China in the
past have been more receptive to the resolution this
year. Mr. Koh also told reporters the outcome of the
resolution could be influenced by China's reaction to
the recent presidential election in Taiwan.
/// 2ND KOH ACT ///
We are deeply concerned about the treatment of
democratic dissenters in the People's Republic
of China and supportive of legitimate democratic
efforts elsewhere, particularly in Taiwan. And
we believe that these ought to be respected, and
that should be one of the core themes of this
year's commission.
/// END ACT ///
This year's session of the U-N Human Rights Commission
will run until April 28th. Voting on the various
resolutions, including the U-S resolution to criticize
China, will not take place for another month.
(Signed)
NEB/LHF/WTW
20-Mar-2000 14:00 PM EDT (20-Mar-2000 1900 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
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