Mr. Chairmant,
The 56th session of the
Commission on Human Rights adopted a package plan to review
its mechanism. The reform of the Sub-Commission is one of
the important subjects. We are pleased to note that the
duration of the 52nd session of the Sub-Commission has been
shortened. Accusations and groundless attacks have been
relatively reduced. The atmosphere of dialogue and
cooperation has increased. Thematic studies have seen new
development. We appreciate all this.
Mr.
Chairman, since its establishment 54 years ago, as an expert
consultative body under the Commission, the Sub-Commission
has been playing a unique role in the United Nations human
rights field. It has promoted the drafting of many
international human rights instruments and activities of
this Commission in relevant domains. It supports the
legitimate struggle of the people of the aggressed and
occupied countries and areas, opposes racism and racial
segregation and has for a long time studied the issues of
widespread concern to the developing countries. We fully
endorse this.
Mr. Chairman, due to the ever
rapid advancement of sciences and technology of
today’s world with faster and more frequent changes,
new issues in the field of human rights emerge one after
another. The Sub-Commission consists of experts from five
continents with different cultural, legal and religious
backgrounds. They should study these new issues, especially
those of concern to the developing countries in the new
situation. We maintain that the Sub-Commission should
undergo constant reform to adapt to the new situation. The
aim and direction of reform are to reduce political
confrontation, strengthen international cooperation,
increase efficiency, and more effectively perform its
function as an expert and consultative body. I would like to
take this opportunity to express our following
expectations:
1.We hope that the Sub-Commission
will become a forum for intensifying cooperation and
dialogue in human rights field. We have noted with
satisfaction that a reformed Sub-Commission will no longer
adopt any country specific resolutions, which is a positive
change, representing a correct direction. We hope the
Sub-Commission will strictly stick to this approach. The
52nd session of the Sub-Commission once more adopted by
consensus the Resolution on “The Promotion of Dialogue
on Human Rights Issues”. For the first time in the
history of the Sub-Commission, all the expert members
co-sponsored the resolution. We appreciate it and expect the
Sub-Commission to take concrete action in further
strengthening dialogue.
2.We hope that the
Sub-Commission will carry on its work on thematic studies by
giving special attention to the problems confronting
developing countries. In recent years, the Sub-Commission
has carried out studies on such issues as human rights and
extreme poverty, human rights and income distribution,
traditions and customs affecting the health of women and
children, indigenous people’s heritage and their right
to land, and the effect of globalization on the enjoyment of
human rights. We hope that the Sub-Commission will continue
to give priority to the study on economic, social and
cultural rights and the right to development, women,
children, racial discrimination, indigenous people and
immigration, as well as to put forward action-oriented
recommendations. At the same time, in selecting its themes
for study, it should be prudent, objective and pragmatic,
emphasizing on quality instead of quantity. We hope that
this session of the Commission will adopt the studies of the
52nd session of the Sub-Commission on such themes as human
rights and human responsibility, realization of the rights
to drinking water and health care.
3.We hope
that the Sub-Commission will further improve its efficiency.
After the reform, the duration of the Sub-Commission has
become shorter, but the agenda items have not been
streamlined accordingly. This requires the Sub-Commission to
increase efficiency and carry out its various studies within
a limited amount of time. We hope the Sub-Commission will
make further efforts in this respect.
Thank
you, Mr. Chairman.
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