Page 8 - ARUBA TODAY

A8 WORLD NEWS
Saturday 16 June 2018

When, not if: US poised to quit UN's human rights council

By JAMEY KEATEN and evasion." She accused
EDITH M. LEDERER member countries such as
Associated Press Venezuela, Cuba, China,
GENEVA (AP) — The United Burundi and Saudi Arabia
States is about to quit the of failing to fulfill their du-
United Nation's main hu- ties to "uphold the highest
man rights body, primar- standards" of human rights,
ily over Washington's claim while emphasizing what
that the Human Rights she said was the council's
Council is biased against its anti-Israel bias.
Israel, a Western and a U.S. Haley said then that the
diplomat say. United States didn't want
The move would be the to leave the council, but
Trump administration's lat- would do so if it did not
est snub of the international change.
community. The U.S. State "It is up to any state to deter-
Department said Friday no mine whether they would
decision has been made to like to be a member of the
leave. council," council President
But diplomats who re- Vojislav Suc said Wednes-
quested anonymity said day. "The U.S. has been
it appears more a matter very active in the council in
of when, not if, the pullout the previous years, includ-
threatened last year by ing this year, with many ini-
the U.S. ambassador to the tiatives."
United Nations, Nikki Haley, Suc said he had received
will happen. no information to indicate
Never in the 12 years of that the United States was
the Human Rights Council, poised to pull out of the
which is tasked with spot- council, which he said ben-
lighting and approving in- efits from the "continued
vestigations of suspected constructive engagement
rights abuses, has a serving of all delegations — includ-
member dropped out vol- ing the United States."
untarily. Seven years ago, This is a Tuesday, Nov. 8, 2008 file photo, showing a general view of the Human Rights Room at the Human Rights Council
in the midst of the Arab European headquarters of the United Nations in Geneva, Switzerland. spokesman Rolando Go-
Spring, Moammar Gad- Associated Press mez said there have been
hafi's Libya was kicked out "a lot of rumors and a lot
with the approval of the countries to keep it in, but critical situations for politi- deal, and to slap tariffs on of speculation" about a
U.N. General Assembly, that the timing of the move cal reasons — and under- steel and aluminum against U.S. pullout, but "we have
which has final say. was "elastic." The diplomat, mines its own credibility," it key trading partners. no indication" that the U.S.
The 47-member council speaking on condition of added. It previously withdrew the might not attend the three-
opens the second of its anonymity because discus- A full pullout by the U.S. United States from the U.N. week session that begins
three annual sessions Mon- sions have been private, would leave the council cultural and educational Monday.
day, when U.N. human said Haley was the driving without one of its traditional agency, UNESCO, and an- A pullout could be largely
rights chief Zeid Ra'ad al- force behind the exit. defenders of human rights. gered many with its deci- symbolic: The United States'
Hussein makes his last ad- Diplomats and activists say In recent months, the Unit- sion to recognize Jerusalem current term on the coun-
dress to a regular meeting the U.S. has apparently ed States has participated as Israel's capital, defying cil ends next year, when it
before stepping down in given up on its efforts since in attempts to pinpoint an international consensus. could revert to the observer
August. The United States Haley's trip to Geneva a rights violations in places The United States has opt- status held by other coun-
could announce its deci- year ago to convince the like South Sudan, Congo ed to stay out of the Hu- tries that are not members.
sion as early as Tuesday, a council to end its systemat- and Cambodia. man Rights Council before: In that situation, the U.S.
U.S. official said. ic scrutiny of Israel's alleged The U.S. leaving also could the administration of Presi- would be able to speak out
The official, who was not abuses against Palestinians. ease pressure on China. dent George W. Bush did on rights abuses, but not to
authorized to publicly dis- Israel is the only country in At times singlehandedly, so when the council was vote.
cuss the matter and re- the world whose rights re- the U.S. has been the main created in 2006. Item 7 on A key question will be
quested anonymity, said it cord comes up for discus- country willing to stand "Israel and the Occupied where a U.S. pullout would
was "all but decided" that sion at every council ses- up against China, which Palestinian Territories" has leave Israel if its biggest and
the U.S. will pull out. sion, under "Item 7" on the has been flexing its diplo- been part of the council's most powerful defender
U.S. Secretary of State Mike agenda. matic muscle and growing regular business almost as abandons its voting rights
Pompeo could opt for a full "As we have said numer- more assertive internation- long as it has existed. or drops out of the council
withdrawal from the coun- ous times, the U.N. Human ally — even as it intensi- Efforts by Haley and other altogether.
cil— the option preferred Rights Council must be re- fies a crackdown on rights American diplomats to end The State Department's
by Haley — or remain in the formed to ensure it has the defenders at home, rights or to water down the rou- web site says protection of
room as an observer, with- ability to realize its impor- groups say. tine scrutiny of Israel have fundamental human rights
out the right to vote on the tant mission," the State De- The "America First" Trump failed in recent months at was a "foundation stone"
dozens of resolutions the partment said Friday. administration has already the U.N. General Assembly for the United States' cre-
human rights body consid- "At its best, the HRC calls run afoul of the internation- in New York. ation over two centuries
ers each session. out human rights violators al community over its de- During her visit to Geneva ago and that promoting re-
A Western diplomat said and encourages positive cisions to quit agreements a year ago, Haley de- spect for human rights since
the U.S. will leave the coun- action. However, all too like the Paris climate ac- nounced the council as a has been a "central goal"
cil despite the efforts of frequently it fails to address cord and the Iran nuclear "forum for politics, hypocrisy of U.S. foreign policy.q