TEXT: BURNS ON CHINA RESOLUTION AT UN HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION
(State Spokesman asks UNHRC members to take a stand)

Washington -- The United States asked the other members of the UN Human Rights Commission vote to bring a resolution on human rights in China to the floor for discussion and a vote.

In a statement released April 14, State Department Spokesman Nicholas Burns said: "We believe that as the world's premier multilateral human rights forum, the Human Rights Commission is the appropriate venue for discussion of human rights practices in all countries, including China."

Following is the official text of Burns' statement:

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U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE
OFFICE OF THE SPOKESMAN
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
APRIL 14, 1997
STATEMENT BY NICHOLAS BURNS, SPOKESMAN

CHINA RESOLUTION AT UN HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION

Tomorrow, on April 15, the U.S. will co-sponsor the resolution to be introduced by Denmark on China's human rights practices at the UN Human Rights Commission currently meeting in Geneva. We anticipate that China will try to prevent discussion of its record through a vote on a "no-action" motion. We believe that as the world's premier multilateral human rights forum, the Human Rights Commission is the appropriate venue for discussion of human rights practices in all countries, including China.

We hope that the members of the UN Human Rights Commission will take a stand in favor of the universality of human rights principles, and vote with us to bring the issue of human rights in China to the floor for discussion and a vote.

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