Nikki Haley in Geneva: Human rights violators should not be members of the UN Human Rights Council
Nikki Haley, the US ambassador to the United Nations, spoke for the first time at the 35th general session of the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva, Switzerland. She said: "Human rights violators should not be members of the UN Human Rights Council."
According to Voice of America, Ms. Haley emphasized that this council is a place for civilized countries and those who respect human rights, and said that countries like Venezuela that do not respect human rights in their country should voluntarily withdraw from this Human Rights Council.
US Ambassador to the UN Nikki Haley traveled to Geneva to address the council, speaking on the first day of the meeting. This is the first time that a permanent US ambassador to the UN has addressed the council.
The US representative to the UN added: "The United States is pursuing human rights violations in Venezuela. If this country cannot respect human rights, it should voluntarily withdraw from this council."
He added: "Being present at the UN Human Rights Council is truly an advantage. Anyone who violates human rights should not sit at this table."
The US representative to the UN criticized the performance of the UN Human Rights Council, noting that although human rights violations are occurring in Venezuela, the council has never had a resolution against the country, but the same council has had several resolutions against Israel. It should be clarified why the council has taken an anti-Israeli stance.
Ms. Haley also said that the UN Human Rights Council should issue a very strong resolution on the human rights situation in Syria, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Eritrea, Belarus, and Ukraine to give people hope that justice will be restored to these countries.
He added: "Respect for human rights is always consistent with peace and peaceful coexistence. While this institution addresses the issue of human rights, all other institutions should contribute to the observance of human rights in the world."
Nikki Haley had previously said that she would travel to Geneva to talk about the need for structural reforms and to determine in discussions with members what an effective council should look like from the United States' perspective.
In an article published in the Washington Post on Friday, the US ambassador to the UN strongly criticized the UN Human Rights Council, saying that dictators use their membership in the council to justify their violence. He cited several specific cases, including Venezuela and Cuba, which are members of the Human Rights Council despite a history of human rights violations.
In this editorial, Nikki Haley called for fundamental changes in the council, including excluding countries that violate human rights from this UN subsidiary.
The US ambassador to the UN also expressed concern and criticism about US concerns about "discrimination against and hostility towards Israel" in the Human Rights Council.
Ms. Haley wrote in her editorial for the Washington Post that when Israel is condemned 70 times in this council and Iran only 7 times, it is clear that something is wrong.
Ms. Haley had previously called the council corrupt in a speech in March.
This is Ms. Haley's second foreign trip as US ambassador to the UN. She also visited Syrian refugee camps during a trip to Jordan and Türkiye two weeks ago.
Ms. Haley will then travel to Israel to meet with Israeli and Palestinian leaders.
Thirty-fifth session
The 35th General Session of the United Nations Human Rights Council has begun in Geneva, Switzerland. During the three-week session, a wide range of human rights issues will be examined, including the right to privacy, the rights of persons with disabilities, the rights of children, and the rights of minorities.
The report of the Special Rapporteur on the protection and promotion of freedom of expression and opinion will also be presented. The annual meeting on women's rights and a technical cooperation meeting will be held, as well as a review of the human rights situation in Congo and Ukraine, and the development of human rights infrastructure in Georgia.
The UN Human Rights Council was formed in 2006, and former US President Barack Obama believed that the country's presence would help its missions.
However, Mr. Trump's administration has raised the option of withdrawing the United States from the UN Human Rights Council.
Apart from Ms. Haley, US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson has also warned about this.
Mr. Tillerson said that if the council does not reform itself, the United States will consider withdrawing from it, and said that the goal is to fix this organization.
So, overall, the United States criticizes this council for several reasons: first, the membership of countries that are considered human rights violators and have an unacceptable record in this regard, and second, what the United States calls unilateral accusations against Israel.
Source: Voice of America
