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A devoted defender of human rights

Interview with His Excellency Mr Mousa
Burayzat, Ambassador of Jordan to the United

Nations

shortcotnings, and the Council
has been able to work onthose
areas that need greater im-
provement in Darfur.

I'm happy to see the progress
made on instihition-building.
I'm happy to see that the
Council has put together a
rather fair and objectively
balanced package. I'm not
happy when it comes to the
sihiation in the Palestinian
Occupied Territories, for the
simple reason that a first
consensus was not possible
because of a group of states
did not appreciate the gravity
of the situation there.
He was one of the first We also have to remember that
ambassadors to sit on the Council is merely part of You may recall that the
the Human Rights the same intemational system Council does not have Chapter
Council, and he is known as the former Hiunan Rights 7. The Council can only apply

as a devoted defender of Commission. Sometimes it is moral persuasion, political
human rights. the same delegates that had sat pressure and encourage dia-
on the Commission who are logue. So, iu'ifortunately, some
Q: You have been partici- sitking in the Council. Of important stakeholders do not
pating in the Human course, there are new feel that the grave situation in
Rights Council ever since methodologies; the new spirit Gaza, for instance, is as in'ipor-
its beginning. What do that has helped a little bit to tant as it should be.
you think about the push forward the consensus
Council and what has the morethanitdidinthepast. But Q: Human rights is a very
first year been like? there is still some more ground vague concept. There is
to cover. the Universal Declaration
The Council-taking every- of Human Rights, then
tg into consideration-has Q: Are you happy so far Economic and Social
been rather successful. Of with the Human Rights Rights, etc. How do you
course, we feel that in terms of Council? distinguish between
implementing its resolutions, them?
particularly when it comes to I'm not happy when I look at
certain conflict situations, the what the Council has achieved Hiunan rights are not vague. It
Council has not been able to in tenns of issues like Palestine is a complex ensemble of
deliver. We should bear in for instance. We managed to norms and pmciples. It is a
mind that the Council is only get consensus on Darfur once very broad streain with many
what its members wouldlike it we put aside politics and focu- tributaries feeding into it. I
ew to be. We have seen some kind sed on hiunan rights. There the personally believe that human
of selectivity in terms of inter- Council refused to accept one rights did not start with the
m est and enthusiasm. Some version of the situation, thus it Universal Declaration of
resolutions went through and has been able to see the Human Rights. One could say,
However,
E were implemented. were luke- situation for itself on the however, that the Universal
of Human Rights
Declaration
some members
managed

to
ground.
It
wann towards other resolu- recognize the efforts carried is the first systematic effort by
:J tions, particularly those out by the Sudanese international humanity to

relating to the question of governinent while assessing make a coherent compilation
z human rights of Palestinians where there are still some of some fundamental concep-
tions and notions. It is very
under occupation.
gaps. Of course, there are some
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