Thursday, February 19, 1998

B4-0148, 0149, 0163 and 0166/98

Resolution on the 54th session of the United Nations Commission on Human Rights

The European Parliament,

- having regard to Article J.1(2) of the Treaty on European Union and Article 130u of the EC Treaty, which establish the promotion of human rights as an objective of the Common Foreign and Security Policy,

- having regard to its most recent resolution on human rights throughout the world and the Union's human rights policy, adopted on 12 December 1996(22),

- having regard to its earlier resolutions on the UN Commission on Human Rights, adopted on 27 March 1996(23), 20 February 1997(24) and 23 October 1997(25),

A. whereas the Final Act of the Human Rights Conference of Vienna (July 1993) reaffirmed the universality, indivisibility and interdependence of human rights,

B. whereas the principle of discussing human rights violations in specific, named countries at open multilateral fora such as the UN Commission on Human Rights must not be undermined, in view of the responsibility of the international community as a whole for the respect of human rights worldwide,

C. whereas other procedures for raising human rights problems, whether bilateral or multilateral, should not be considered as a substitute for the work of the UN Commission on Human Rights,

1. Calls on the Council, through those Member States which are currently members of the UN Commission, to pursue vigorously those cases raised in resolutions of the European Parliament, and in particular the situation of human rights in China, Nigeria, Burma, Sudan, Iran, Iraq, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Turkey, Afghanistan, Cambodia, East Timor, Cuba, North Korea and Colombia;

2. Calls on the Council and the Member States to have Algeria placed on the agenda for the forthcoming session of the UN Commission on Human Rights;

3. Calls on the Council to adopt a common position towards the human rights situation in China and to address the UN Commission on the basis of this common position and calls on the Council and the Commission to submit to Parliament written reports on the recently renewed 'human rights dialogue' with this country;

4. Calls on the Council and the Member States also to make China a main priority for the forthcoming session, in view of the lack of substantial improvement in China's human rights record over the past year;

5. Calls on all countries to fulfil their reporting obligations under the International Covenants on Civil and Political Rights and on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, and to cooperate fully with UN Special Rapporteurs;

6. Calls on the Council to prevent attempts to block or weaken the proposed Declaration on Human Rights Defenders;

7. Calls for further efforts to follow up the resolution on the abolition of the death penalty adopted at last year's session;

8. Calls on the Council to support initiatives to combat the ill-treatment of detainees, an abuse which has recently been the subject of reports, including in countries such as Saudi Arabia and Kenya;

9. Calls in particular for efforts to improve respect for the rights of asylum seekers, refugees and displaced persons, who now number some 22 million worldwide; calls also for a debate on the trade in women;

10. Reiterates its support for improved legal standards concerning the protection of children from sexual abuse, from exploitative labour practices, and from the effects of warfare;

11. Urges the Council to raise again the cases of two winners of the European Parliament's Sakharov Prize, Leyla Zana, who remains unjustly imprisoned, and Aung San Suu Kyi, who remains under restrictive surveillance, and to call for their immediate and unconditional release;

12. Calls on the Council to support the reform of UN human rights mechanisms in order to enhance their effectiveness, and to continue to contribute financial resources to worthwhile multilateral initiatives on behalf of human rights;

13. Calls on the Council and the Member States to call for an agenda item which examines states' cooperation and progress on implementing recommendations made by the UN Commission and its human rights mechanisms;

14. Calls on the Council and the Member States to work for the completion of a strong and comprehensive draft Declaration on Human Rights Defenders, that can be adopted by the UN General Assembly in 1998;

15. Calls on the Council to report to it on the outcome of the forthcoming Session of the Human Rights Commission;

16. Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Council, the Commission, the governments and parliaments of the Member States and the governments of the countries mentioned.