*EPF308 03/21/01
Text: Tahir-Kheli Address to U.N. Commission on Human Rights
(Opportunities to advance "precious cause of human freedom") (1600)

The head of the U.S. delegation to the U.N. Commission on Human Rights says the United States looks forward to the commission's current session and the upcoming World Conference Against Racism as important opportunities to advance "the precious cause of human freedom."

Addressing the 57th session of the Human Rights Commission in Geneva March 21, Ambassador Shirin Tahir-Kheli also said the United States remains committed to achieving a just and lasting peace in the Middle East, and she stressed that President Bush is fully committed to the cause of human rights and the principles on which the Commission is based.

Following is the text of her remarks:

(begin text)

Ambassador Shirin Tahir-Kheli
Head of U.S. Delegation U.N. Commission on Human Rights

Item 4: Report of the High Commissioner for Human Rights March 21, 2001

Mr. Chairman:

It is a great honor to be here at the 57th session of the Commission on Human Rights and to have the opportunity to address this distinguished gathering on behalf of the United States. I attended two sessions of the Commission while I was the U.S. Ambassador for Special Political Affairs at the United Nations in New York, so I am personally delighted to be here again.

For more than 50 years, the Commission has played an important role in the promotion and protection of universal human rights, and with each passing year, the significance of our work only grows. This year promises to be another challenging session, and the United States looks forward to playing an active role and working closely with each delegation here to ensure that the next six weeks are as productive as possible.

Let me begin by stating clearly that the administration of President George W. Bush is fully committed to the cause of human rights and the principles on which this Commission is based. "Our goal," the President said recently, "is to patiently build the momentum of freedom... America, by nature, stands for freedom. And we must always remember, we benefit when it expands. So we will stand by those nations moving toward freedom. We'll stand up to those nations who deny freedom and threaten our neighbors or our vital interests. And we will assert emphatically that the future will belong to the free."

The President has also stated unequivocally that "the basic principles of freedom and dignity are universal. People should be able to say what they think, worship as they wish, elect those who govern them. These ideals have proven their power on every continent... Some have tried to pose a choice between American ideals and American interests - between who we are and how we act. But the choice is false. America, by decision and destiny, promotes political freedom."

Secretary of State Colin Powell has reiterated the Bush Administration's commitment, saying that "America's emphasis on human rights in the world will not wane during this administration. President Bush will always be mindful of the sanctity of the individual as opposed to the state, and the precious rights that keep that sanctity intact."

The future will belong to the free, Mr. Chairman. Confidence in that future and interest in seeing freedom's blessings extend to every nation on earth are fundamental and enduring U.S. goals and values. That, indeed, is why I feel so honored to have been selected by the President to head our delegation to the Commission on Human Rights.

One of the most important steps the international community took during the last decade to help promote that future was establishing the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights. The work that Mr. Jose Ayala Lasso began, and that High Commissioner Mary Robinson has continued, has brought human rights into the mainstream of the U. N.'s affairs. Great credit is due to both of them and to Secretary General Kofi Annan for the deep interest they have demonstrated in advancing human rights throughout the world.

We regret, therefore, that the High Commissioner has decided not to seek another term. We deeply appreciate her abiding commitment to human rights, her willingness to take on new and difficult tasks, and her tireless efforts, sometimes at great personal risk, to bring the international community to consensus on many issues of importance. We applaud the successful efforts of the High Commissioner in bolstering the effectiveness of U.N. system activities to promote and protect human rights by strengthening the administrative capacity of the Office of the High Commissioner, by paying close attention to the effective operations of field offices, and by improving the capacity of the Office of the High Commissioner to provide technical assistance. High Commissioner Robinson will leave an important body of work behind her, and we wish her well in all her future endeavors.

The United States was pleased that the High Commissioner was able to visit Washington last month and meet with Secretary of State Colin Powell and National Security Advisor Condoleezza Rice. They had productive discussions on several issues, including the upcoming World Conference Against Racism. The High Commissioner has devoted a great deal of effort to the World Conference, and we appreciate her personal commitment to making it the success we genuinely hope that it will be.

The High Commissioner's annual report rightfully places considerable emphasis on the World Conference and the critical importance of every nation addressing the pernicious problems of racism and racial discrimination. As she said, "there should be no place for racism and racial discrimination in today's world."

The United States also applauds the work of the High Commissioner's offices in Bogota and elsewhere in Colombia, and we appreciate the valuable work they have done assisting the Colombian government's efforts to strengthen its human rights policies and programs. To this effect, we are proud to have contributed another $1.75 million to support this work this year.

In October, the Commission's Special Session on the Middle East situation narrowly adopted a resolution, over our objections. As we made clear at the time, we felt the resolution was one-sided and, in our view, did not contribute to the search for a just, lasting and comprehensive peace.

In November, the High Commissioner visited Israel and the Occupied Territories and issued her report on November 27. The United States firmly believes that the parties need to take the steps necessary to reduce the violence, restore confidence, and resume negotiations. Americans care deeply about the human toll that has resulted from the ongoing cycle of violence. We understand full well that the kind of peace that is needed is one that both Israelis and Palestinians can embrace. We will speak out when words or actions contribute to the violence or detract from the prospects of negotiations. We will not, however, strive for some arbitrary measure of even-handedness where responsibility is not evenly shared.

The United States is deeply disturbed at the breakdown of the peace process and the surge in violence. The causes of this situation are many and complex, and no one should be under any illusion that they stem from just one side. We believe the High Commissioner could have made this point much more clearly in her report.

She is absolutely right, however, when she says the only path to lasting peace and stability is through peaceful negotiation. This calls for courage and responsibility on the part of the leaders of both sides. There can be no substitute for negotiation, and we stand ready to do what we can to help the parties get back to the table. But they must want to go back to the negotiating table and they must want to achieve peace; a solution cannot be imposed upon them.

Mr. Chairman, the United States remains deeply committed to achieving a just and lasting peace in the Middle East based on U.N. Security Council Resolutions 242 and 338, including the principle of land for peace. The violence must end, and the Palestinians must be able to resume their normal economic activity. But this can only happen if the parties themselves make it happen. As Secretary Powell has said, we cannot want peace more than the parties themselves.

In the meantime, we members of the Commission on Human Rights have a responsibility to do what we can to encourage a halt to the violence. We members of the Commission have a duty to encourage peace in the Middle East, for this is the only way to advance the human rights for Palestinians and Israelis alike.

The United States looks forward to this session of the Commission and to the World Conference as important opportunities to advance the precious cause of human freedom. Our nations have made great strides since this Commission was established in 1948. And yet, as the High Commissioner said in her eloquent speech on Monday, "we are surrounded daily by examples of the evil effects of racism and xenophobia." Either we face these evils directly and make honest efforts to improve, or we can pretend that they are other people's problems and face the consequences of our self-deception.

Nations have a choice, Mr. Chairman. Let us hope that this year each of us will choose the honorable path. Let us use our time here and at the World Conference to advance the cause of human rights, not hinder it. Our nations and our new century demand no less of each of us. Thank you.

(end text)

(Distributed by the Office of International Information Programs, U.S. Department of State. Web site: http://usinfo.state.gov)
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