GA/SHC/3348

HUMAN RIGHTS SITUATIONS IN KOSOVO, MYANMAR FOCUS OF THIRD COMMITTEE ACTION, FOUR DRAFTS APPROVED, FOUR INTRODUCED ON HUMAN RIGHTS ISSUES

11 December 1995


Press Release
GA/SHC/3348


HUMAN RIGHTS SITUATIONS IN KOSOVO, MYANMAR FOCUS OF THIRD COMMITTEE ACTION, FOUR DRAFTS APPROVED, FOUR INTRODUCED ON HUMAN RIGHTS ISSUES

19951211 The General Assembly would strongly condemn the measures and practices of discrimination and the violations of human rights of ethnic Albanians in Kosovo committed by the authorities of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (Serbia and Montenegro) under an orally amended draft resolution approved by the Third Committee (Social, Humanitarian and Cultural). The draft text was one of four draft resolutions on human rights issues approved by the Committee this afternoon.

By that draft text, approved in a recorded vote of 107 in favour, two against (Russian Federation and India) with 35 abstentions, the Assembly would also condemn the large-scale repression by the police and military of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (Serbia and Montenegro) against the defenceless ethnic Albanian population and the discrimination against the ethnic Albanians in the administrative and judiciary branches of government, education, health care and employment aimed at forcing ethnic Albanians to leave.

The representatives of Greece and the Russian Federation made statements related to the draft resolution. The representative of India reserved the right to make a statement when the draft came up before the General Assembly.

Statements after the vote were made by the representatives of Peru, Brazil, and Venezuela.

By the terms of an orally amended draft resolution on the situation of human rights in Myanmar, which was approved without a vote, the Assembly would urge the Government of Myanmar to engage in political dialogue with Aung San Suu Kyi and other political leaders, including representatives of ethnic groups, as the best means of promoting national reconciliation and the restoration of democracy.

It would also have the Assembly urge the Government to take all necessary steps towards restoring democracy in accordance with the will of the people as expressed in the democratic elections held in 1990 and to ensure that political parties can function freely.

The representatives of Myanmar, the United States and Yemen made statements related to that draft resolution.

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With another orally revised draft resolution entitled International Covenants on Human Rights, also adopted without a vote, the Assembly would appeal strongly to all States that had not yet done so to become parties to the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights as well as to accede to the Optional Protocols to the Civil and Political Rights Covenant and to make the declaration provided for in the Covenant's article 41 which says in part that "A State party to the present Covenant may at any time decide under this article that it recognizes the competence of the Committee to receive and consider communications to the effect that a State party claims that another State party is not fulfilling its obligations under the Covenant".

A draft resolution submitted by the Chairman on the situation of human rights in Afghanistan, which was also approved, as orally amended, without a vote, would have the General Assembly urge the Afghan authorities to provide sufficient and effective remedies to the victims of grave violations of human rights and bring perpetrators to trial in accordance with internationally accepted standards.

It would also call upon the Afghan authorities to ensure the participation of women in the social, political and cultural life of the country and throughout the country; investigate the fate of persons who have disappeared in the conflict; apply the Amnesty Decree issued in 1992 by the Transitional Islamic State of Afghanistan; reduce the period during which prisoners await trail and treat detained persons according to relevant international instruments.

In the first of four drafts introduction this afternoon, the representative of Canada presented a draft on the importance of human rights in the early warning and prevention of mass exoduses and in the emergency operations of the United Nations. The representative of Norway introduced a draft on protection of and assistance to internally displaced persons.

A draft on the situation of human rights in Nigeria was introduced by the representative of Spain while the representative of Finland introduced a draft text on the amendment to article 20, paragraph 1, of the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women.

The representative of Iraq made a statement in the exercise of the right of reply. Also this afternoon, a statement on a point of order was made by the representative of Spain.

The Committee will meet again at 10 a.m. on Wednesday 13 December to continue to hear introduction and to take action on draft resolutions.

Committee Work Programme

The Third Committee (Social, Humanitarian and Cultural) met this afternoon to hear the introduction of five draft resolutions relating to human rights questions and to take action on five other drafts, also relating to human rights issues.

Introduction of Draft Resolutions

By the terms of a draft resolution on effective implementation of international instruments on human rights, including reporting obligations under international instruments on human rights (document A/C.3/50/L.47) the General Assembly would urge States parties to notify the Secretary-General, as depository of the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination and the Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment, of their acceptance of the amendments approved by the States parties and the General Assembly in resolution 48/120 for the purpose of funding the respective committees from the regular budget.

The draft would also have the Assembly call upon the States parties to fulfil without delay and in full their financial obligations, including their arrears, under the two Conventions until the amendments enter into force. It would request the Secretary-General to continue to take the necessary measures to ensure that the two committees established under the Conventions met as scheduled until the amendments entered into force.

By the draft text, the Assembly would also urge States parties to contribute to identifying and implementing ways of further streamlining, rationalizing and otherwise improving reporting procedures. The Assembly would urge the States parties to address, as a matter of priority, at their next scheduled meetings, the issue of consistent lack of compliance with reporting obligations. And, it would urge the States parties whose reports had been examined by treaty bodies to provide adequate follow-up to the observations and final comments of the treaty bodies on their reports.

The draft text is sponsored by Austria, Bulgaria, Canada, Chile, Costa Rica, Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Monaco, Norway, Portugal, Romania, Slovak Republic and Sweden.

The Committee also had before it a draft resolution on the importance of human rights in the early warning and prevention of mass exoduses and in the emergency operations of the United Nations (document A/C.3/50/L.51) by which the Assembly would request all United Nations bodies to cooperate fully with all mechanisms of the Commission on Human Rights and, in particular, to provide them with all relevant information in their possession on the human

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rights situations creating or affecting refugees and displaced persons. It would also request the High Commissioner for Human Rights to pay attention to situations that cause or threaten to cause mass exoduses and to address effectively such situations through emergency preparedness and response mechanisms, including information-sharing with United Nations early warning mechanisms, and the provision of technical advice, expertise and cooperation.

The draft resolution was sponsored by Argentina, Australia, Canada, Denmark, Finland, Germany, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Liechtenstein, Monaco, Poland, Portugal, Sweden and the United States.

A draft on the protection of and assistance to internally displaced persons (document A/C.3/50/L.54) would have the General Assembly commend the efforts made by the representative of the Secretary-General to develop a legal framework and promote strategies for better protection of and assistance to internally displaced persons. The representative would be encouraged to pay specific attention to the needs of women and children.

Further, by the text, the Assembly would call upon the Human Rights Commission to consider establishing a framework for the question, such as a declaration for internally displaced persons, on the basis of the representative's report.

The draft is sponsored by Afghanistan, Argentina, Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Botswana, Canada, Chile, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, El Salvador, Ethiopia, Finland, Gambia, Georgia, Germany, Greece, Guatemala, Honduras, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Mozambique, Norway, Peru, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia, Sweden and Zambia.

By a draft on the situation of human rights in Nigeria (document A/C.3/50/L.66) the Assembly would condemn the arbitrary execution, after a flawed judicial process, of Ken Saro-Wiwa and his eight co-defendants, and emphasize that everyone charged with a penal offence has the right to be presumed innocent until proved guilty according to law in a public trial with all the guarantees necessary for defence. It would express deep concern about other violations of human rights and fundamental freedoms in Nigeria, and would call on the Nigerian Government urgently to ensure their observance, in particular by restoring habeas corpus, releasing all political prisoners, guaranteeing freedom of the press and ensuring full respect for the rights of all individuals, including trade unionists and persons belonging to minorities;

The Assembly would also call upon the Government to abide by its obligations under the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and other international instruments on human rights and urge it to restore democratic government.

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It would welcome actions by the Commonwealth and other States designed to underline to the Nigerian Government the importance of return to democratic rule and observance of human rights and fundamental freedoms, and invites Member States in a position to do so to consider appropriate steps, consistent with international law, for that specific purpose.

The sponsors are: Albania, Andorra, Argentina, Australia, Austria, Bahamas, Belgium, Bulgaria, Canada, Chile, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Guatemala, Haiti, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Lesotho, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Marshall Islands, Monaco, Netherlands, Norway, Panama, Poland, Portugal, Republic of Moldova, Samoa, Slovenia, Solomon Islands, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, United Kingdom, United States and Uruguay.

By the terms of another draft resolution entitled amendment to article 20, paragraph 1, of the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (document A/C.3/50/L.63), the General Assembly would take note with approval of the amendment to article 20, paragraph 1, of the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women adopted by the States parties to the Convention on 22 May 1995.

It would also have the Assembly urge States parties to take appropriate measures to ratify the amendment.

The draft resolution is co-sponsored by Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway and Sweden.

Action on Drafts

By a draft resolution on International Covenants on Human Rights (document A/C.3/50/L.53), the General Assembly would appeal strongly to all States that had not yet done so to become parties to the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights as well as to accede to the Optional Protocols to the Civil and Political Rights Covenant and to make the declaration provided for in the Covenant's article 41 which says in part that "A State Party to the present Covenant may at any time decide under this article that it recognizes the competence of the Committee to receive and consider communications to the effect that a State party claims that another State party is not fulfilling its obligations under the Covenant".

It would also have the Assembly urge States parties to fulfil in good time their reporting obligations under the International Covenants on Human Rights. It would further urge them to take duly into account, in implementing the provisions of the Covenants, the observations made at the conclusion of the consideration of their reports by the Human Rights Committee and by the Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights.

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The draft text would further have the Assembly request the Secretary- General to consider how to assist the States parties to the Covenants in the preparation of their reports, including seminars or workshops at the national level for the purpose of training government officials engaged in the preparation of such reports.

The draft text is co-sponsored by Australia, Austria, Belarus, Canada, Costa Rica, Czech Republic, Denmark, El Salvador, Finland, Guatemala, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Lithuania, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Peru, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden and Venezuela.

A draft resolution submitted by the Chairman on the situation of human rights in Afghanistan (document A/C.3/50/L.41) would have the General Assembly urge all Afghan parties to work with the United Nations Special Mission to Afghanistan to achieve a comprehensive political solution leading to the cessation of armed confrontation and the eventual establishment of a democratic government. The parties would be urged to respect accepted humanitarian rules, human rights and fundamental freedoms, including the rights of women and children. The Assembly would also urge Afghan authorities to provide sufficient and effective remedies to the victims of grave violations of human rights and bring perpetrators to trial in accordance with internationally accepted standards.

The Assembly would call upon the Afghan authorities to ensure the participation of women in the social, political and cultural life of the country and throughout the country; investigate the fate of persons who have disappeared in the conflict; apply the Amnesty Decree issued in 1992 by the Transitional Islamic State of Afghanistan; reduce the period during which prisoners await trail and treat detained persons according to relevant international instruments.

The General Assembly would appeal to the international community to continue to provide adequate humanitarian assistance to the people of Afghanistan and to the Afghan refugees in the neighbouring countries pending their voluntary repatriation, in particular through mine clearance and repatriation projects.

Also before the Committee is a draft on strengthening of United Nations action in the human rights field through the promotion of international cooperation and the importance of non-selectivity, impartiality and objectivity (document A/C.3/50/L.34). By the terms of that text, the Assembly would call upon Member States to base their activities for the protection and promotion of human rights on the Charter, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and other relevant international instruments.

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Also by that text, all human rights bodies within the United Nations system as well as the special rapporteur and representatives, independent experts and working groups, would be requested to take duly into account the contents of the present resolution in carrying out their mandates. In addition, the Assembly would stress the continuing need for impartial and objective information on the political, economic and social situations and events of all countries. The Commission on Human Rights would be requested to give due consideration to the present resolution and to formulate concrete proposals for its implementation.

That text is sponsored by Angola, Bangladesh, China, Colombia, Cuba, Democratic People's Republic of Korea, Egypt, Gambia, Ghana, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Kenya, Lao People's Democratic Republic, Libya, Malaysia, Mexico, Mozambique, Namibia, Pakistan, Peru, Sudan, Uganda, United Republic of Tanzania, Viet Nam, Zambia and Zimbabwe.

The Committee also heard the introduction of a draft resolution entitled the situation of human rights in Kosovo (document A/C.3/50/L.43) by which the General Assembly would strongly condemn the measures and practices of discrimination and the violations of human rights of ethnic Albanians in Kosovo committed by the authorities of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (Serbia and Montenegro) .

Also by the terms of that text, the Assembly would condemn the large- scale repression by the police and military of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (Serbia and Montenegro) against the defenceless ethnic Albanian population and the discrimination against the ethnic Albanians in the administrative and judiciary branches of government, education, health care and employment aimed at forcing ethnic Albanians to leave. The Assembly would urgently demand that the authorities of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (Serbia and Montenegro) take all necessary measures to bring to an immediate end all human rights violations against ethnic Albanians in Kosovo.

Also, according to the text, the authorities of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (Serbia and Montenegro) should release all political prisoners and cease the persecution of political leaders and members of local human rights organizations; allow the establishment of genuine democratic institutions in Kosovo, including the parliament and the judiciary, and respect the will of its inhabitants as the best means of preventing the escalation of the conflict there.

Furthermore, those authorities should abrogate the official settlement policy as far as it is conducive to the heightening of ethnic tensions in Kosovo; reopen the cultural and scientific institutions of the ethnic Albanians; and pursue dialogue with the representatives of ethnic Albanians in Kosovo, including under the auspices of the International Conference on the Former Yugoslavia. The Secretary-General would be requested to continue to seek ways and means, including through consultations with the High

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Commissioner on Human Rights and relevant regional organizations, to establish an adequate international monitoring presence in Kosovo.

The draft resolution is sponsored by Afghanistan, Albania, Andorra, Austria, Bangladesh, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Canada, Chile, Denmark, Djibouti, Egypt, Germany, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Jordan, Kuwait, Kyrgyz Republic, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Malaysia, Monaco, Morocco, Netherlands, Pakistan, Portugal, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Sweden, Tunisia, Turkey, United Arab Emirates, and the United States.

A draft resolution on the Situation of human rights in Myanmar (document A/C.3/50/L.52) would have the Assembly welcome the release without conditions of Nobel Peace Prize Laureate Aung San Suu Kyi and other prominent political leaders and strongly urge the Government of Myanmar to immediately release other detained political prisoners.

The Assembly would urge the Government of Myanmar to engage in political dialogue with Aung San Suu Kyi and other political leaders, including representatives of ethnic groups, as the best means of promoting national reconciliation and the restoration of democracy. The Government should take all necessary steps towards restoring democracy in accordance with the will of the people as expressed in the democratic elections held in 1990 and to ensure that political parties can function freely.

The Assembly would also strongly urge the Government of Myanmar to allow its citizens to participate freely in the political process in accordance with the principles of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights; to transfer power to democratically elected representatives; to ensure full respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms; to ensure the rights of ethnic and religious minorities; and to end violations of the right to life and the practices of torture, abuse of women, forced labour and forced relocations.

The draft is co-sponsored by Andorra, Argentina, Australia, Belgium, Bulgaria, Canada, Chile, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Norway, Panama, Republic of Moldova, Romania, Spain, Sweden and United Kingdom.

Introduction of Drafts

JEAN TOUCHETTE (Canada) introduced the draft on the importance of human rights in the early warning and prevention of mass exoduses and in the emergency operations of the United Nations (L.51). He announced that the delegations of Georgia, Greece, Netherlands, Israel, Costa Rica, Spain and the United Kingdom had joined as co-sponsors

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STEN A. ROSNES (Norway) introduced the draft on protection of and assistance to internally displaced persons (L.54). He said that Philippines, Benin and France had joined as co-sponsors.

ALVARO RODRIGUEZ (Spain) introduced the draft on the situation of human rights in Nigeria (L.66).

Action on drafts

The Committee then moved to take action on its draft resolution on the situation of human rights in Myanmar (L.52). Austria and Portugal joined as co-sponsors.

The Committee Secretary orally amended preambular paragraphs of the draft.

U WIN MRA (Myanmar), speaking before action on the draft, said that the "tenor and tone" of the draft on this topic adopted last year had been selective and intrusive. This year's draft seemed more balanced and positive, he said. The resolution still contained a selective portrayal of the situation in Myanmar. The Government had taken positive steps to advance national reconciliation, democratization and socio-economic development.

His delegation rejected negative elements in the draft, he said. The draft had referred to the composition of the National Convention -- that had been the result of a premeditated, unilateral action of one political party to mar the success thus far achieved by the Convention. The release of Daw Aung San Suu Kyi had been undertaken in accordance with the law under which legal action had been taken against her.

It had never been the policy of his Government of Myanmar to systematically engage in human rights violations, he said. Allegations of forced labour had no basis in truth. Civilian labourers in Myanmar were employed in accordance with national law. Government development projects were undertaken solely for the benefit of people living in the regions concerned; workers on those projects were remunerated for their services.

References in the draft to alleged attacks against "Karens" did not truly represent the situation in the country. The return to the legal fold of 15 armed groups in Myanmar had been unprecedented in the post-independence history of the country, and was an achievement that had eluded all previous governments. That development was all the more significant given that Myanmar was composed of 135 national races. There was no reason for the Committee to continue considering the situation of human rights in Myanmar, he said.

MADELEINE K. ALBRIGHT (United States) said that her country joined other members of the General Assembly in urging the Burmese Government to cease violations of human rights and to begin substantive political dialogue with

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Aung San Suu Kyi, other democratic leaders and representatives of ethnic groups concerning the future of the country. The United States did not sponsor the resolution because her country would have tempered the language welcoming the cessation of hostilities between the Government of Burma and various ethnic groups. The Burmese army had not fully honored those cease- fires.

Also, she continued, the draft resolution should have included language similar to the one adopted by the United Nations Human Rights Commission last spring encouraging the Secretary-General to hold discussions with the Burmese Government. Also, there should have been specific mention of the International Labour Organization's decision in June condemning the Government's continued use of forced labour and forced porterage. More specific and urgent attention should also have been given to important events that occurred in Rangoon near the end of last month involving the expulsion from the National Convention of the delegates from the National League for Democracy.

She said that the United States was concerned about recent statements from Rangoon that branded Aung San Suu Kyi and her supporters as traitors and spoke of "annihilating" those who criticized the National Convention.

AMEER SALEM ALAIDEROOS (Yemen) said that double standards were being employed in the development of draft resolutions on the situations of human rights in various countries.

The draft was approved without a vote.

The Committee then moved to take action on the draft on the situation of human rights in Kosovo (L.43) as orally amended by the Secretary. Finland, Norway, Croatia, Belgium and Senegal joined as co-sponsors.

ALIKI HADJI (Greece) said that she was concerned that the continuing deterioration of the situation in Kosovo could threaten the Balkan regions. Ethnic minorities in Kosovo must be protected. Greece could not support the draft because it seemed to prejudge the final political solution which should prevail in the area.

OLEG Y. SEPELEV (Russian Federation) said that he was concerned that the resolution had given the impression that the international community would tolerate a "blurring" of the concept of territorial integrity. It was important that a solution be found for the refugee problem in the area. But that resolution should not run counter to the principle of non-interference in the affairs of Member States. The Russian Federation would vote against the draft resolution.

The draft was approved by a vote of 107 in favour, 2 against (India, Russian Federation), with 35 abstentions. (For details of voting see Annex.)

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MIGUEL BARRETO (Peru) said that the United Nations customarily took action on resolutions on the situation of human rights in certain countries -- not provinces within countries. Peru had previously supported resolutions on the situation of human rights in the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (Serbia and Montenegro)

EDGARD TELLES-RIBEIRO (Brazil) expressed the hope that the peace process in the former Yugoslavia associated with the Dayton Accords would improve the situation of human rights in that region. There appeared to be a renewed willingness on the part of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia to cooperate with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR). Such cooperation was welcome.

The representatives of China and India said that they would speak on the draft when it moved to the Assembly plenary.

WILMER MENDEZ (Venezuela) said that his Government had abstained, believing that the pinpointing of one ethnic group did not allow for a balanced approach which was taken in the Dayton negotiations.

The Committee then took action on its draft resolution on International Covenants on Human Rights (L.53) as orally revised by the Secretary and by the representative of Norway. The Russian Federation and Ireland joined as a co-sponsor.

The draft was approved without a vote.

The Committee then took action on its draft resolution on the situation of human rights in Afghanistan (L.41) as orally revised by the Secretary.

The draft was approved without a vote.

Committee Chairman Ugyen Tshering (Bhutan) announced that the drafts on strengthening of United Nations action in the human rights field through the promotion of international cooperation and the importance of non-selectivity, impartiality and objectivity (L.34), and on effective implementation of international instruments on human rights, including reporting obligations under international instruments on human rights (L.47) would be introduced at a date to be announced.

Introduction of drafts

RAILI LAHNALAMPI (Finland) introduced and orally amended the draft on the amendment to article 20, paragraph 1, of the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (L.63), on behalf of the Nordic countries.

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Statement in Exercise of Right of Reply

MOHAMMED A. AHMED AL-DOURI (Iraq) said that the representative of Spain had this morning spoken of "massive violations of human rights" in Iraq. That representative's statement had been based on the report of a Special Rapporteur, and not on documentary evidence.

MR. RODRIGUEZ (Spain), speaking on a point of order, said that as far as he knew, the subject under discussion had been closed. He asked for clarification as to the basis under which the representative of Iraq was speaking.

MR. TSHERING, Committee Chairman, said that from the point of view of procedure and of practice, statements in exercise of right of reply can be made on any topic.

MR. RODRIGUEZ (Spain) said that the introduction of a draft resolution was a procedural -- not a substantial action. He did not see how the representative of Iraq could make a right of reply to a procedural statement.

MR. AL-DOURI (Iraq) said that the representative of Spain had referred to "documented" human rights violations. The report of the Special Rapporteur was neither a document, nor evidence. The Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO) had stated that supplies were being fairly distributed in Iraq. What had surprised him in the statement of Spain, was his implication that Iraq was not cooperating with the United Nations or other international organizations. The Executive Director of the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) had written a letter to the President of Iraq reaffirming that agency's commitment to efforts to strengthen the situation of women and children in Iraq. That letter had noted efforts by the Iraqi Government to improve the situation of women and children notwithstanding the difficulties faced by the country.

Iraq was cooperating with all bodies except the Special Rapporteur, he added. His Government did not have Kuwaiti detainees in its prisons. Persons had been reported as missing, and Iraq was cooperating with the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) to try to find those persons. To try to politicize this humanitarian question was dangerous.

(annex follows)

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Third Committee Press Release GA/SHC/3348 54th Meeting (PM) 11 December 1995

ANNEX

Vote on Situation of Human Rights in Kosovo

The draft resolution on the situation of human rights in Kosovo (document A/C.3/50/L.43) was approved by a recorded vote of 107 in favour to 2 against, with 35 abstentions, as follows:

In favour: Afghanistan, Albania, Algeria, Andorra, Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Belgium, Belize, Benin, Bolivia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Brazil, Brunei Darussalam, Bulgaria, Cambodia, Canada, Cape Verde, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Djibouti, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, Eritrea, Estonia, Ethiopia, Federated States of Micronesia, Fiji, Finland, France, Germany, Guatemala, Haiti, Honduras, Hungary, Iceland, Indonesia, Iran, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, Jordan, Kzakstan, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Latvia, Lebanon, Libya, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malaysia, Maldives, Mali, Malta, Marshall Islands, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mexico, Monaco, Mongolia, Morocco, Mozambique, Netherlands, New Zealand, Nicaragua, Niger, Norway, Oman, Pakistan, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Qatar, Republic Korea, Samoa, San Marino, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Slovenia, Solomon Islands, South Africa, Spain, Sudan, Suriname, Sweden, Tunisia, Turkey, United Arab Emirates United Kingdom, United States, Uruguay, Uzbekistan.

Against: India, Russian Federation.

Abstaining: Barbados, Bhutan, Botswana, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, China, Congo, Cote d'Ivoire, Gabon, Gambia, Ghana, Greece, Guinea, Jamaica, Kenya, Lesotho, Malawi, Myanmar, Namibia, Nepal, Nigeria, Peru, Republic of Moldova, Romania, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Swaziland, Syria, Togo, Trinidad and Tobago, Uganda, Ukraine, United Republic of Tanzania, Venezuela, Zimbabwe.

Absent: Angola, Armenia, Bahamas, Belarus, Burundi, Cuba, Democratic People's Republic of Korea, Dominica, Equatorial Guinea, Georgia, Grenada, Guinea-Bissau, Guyana, Lao People's Democratic Republic, Madagascar, Palau, Rwanda, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Slovakia, Tajikistan, Thailand, The former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Turkmenistan, Vanuatu, Viet Nam, Yemen, Zaire, Zambia.

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For information media. Not an official record.