The United Nations Commission on Human Rights should be a forum of
dialogue and cooperation for the comprehensive realization of
civil, political, social, economic and cultural rights and the
right to development, a senior Chinese diplomat said in Geneva on
Friday.
Ambassador Sha Zukang, head of the Chinese delegation, said at the
ongoing 59th session of the Commission on Human Rights that by
doing this, the commission can reestablish its credibility,
especially among the developing countries.
The Chinese delegation holds that the promotion and protection of
human rights is the common responsibility of the international
community and all governments, he said.
Sha said that governments in the world, in the light of their own
national conditions, have the obligation to choose the appropriate
way to attain the goal of promoting and protecting human
rights.
The Chinese ambassador urged the international community to help
create favorable conditions and provide necessary assistance.
The Chinese delegation put forward its suggestions on the reform of
the Office of High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR).
Sha said the Chinese delegation supports the initiative of the high
commissioner to restructure his office, hoping that after its
restructuring, it would utilize more rationally its human and
financial resources and improve its efficiency.
He
urged the OHCHR to take into full account the principle of
equitable geographical distribution in staff recruitment and
increase the proportion of staff from developing countries.
(People's Daily March 22, 2003)