World Tibet Network News Thursday, March 12, 1998

WASHINGTON, March 12 (UPI) _ The Senate has called for the United Nations to criticize the People's Republic of China for alleged human rights abuses in China and Tibet.

Senators approved a resolution today, voting 95-5 to urge U.S. representatives to push for the resolution at the annual meeting of the U.N. Commission on Human Rights.

Resolutions do not carry any legal weight.

Earlier today, the Clinton administration praised China's decision to sign the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, a treaty intended to guarantee civil liberties and give legal backing to the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

White House press secretary Mike McCurry called it a step forward in convincing China to grant civil and political rights to its 1.2 billion people.