Geneva, 24 March - Yesterday afternoon, speaking to a packed-meeting room, Mrs. Madeleine Albright, the Secretary of State of the United States, called upon the 53-member countries of the 56th UN Commission on Human Rights to support the resolution on China which will be tabled by the United States.

Sitting next to Mrs. Mary Robinson, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Mrs. Albright make the following references to China and Tibet in her 15-minute speech:

"This body will also vote on whether to consider a Resolution expressing concern about widespread denials of political, cultural, labor and religious freedom in China. The United States strongly believes that favorable action on this Resolution is needed.

"In recent years, China has made great progress in expanding social choices, building a new economy and lifting millions of people out of poverty. But its human rights record does not match the obligations it has accepted.

"China is one of five permanent members of the UN Security Council. It is bound by the UN Charter and recently reaffirmed its commitment to the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. It has signed the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights. Unfortunately, its official policies have always fallen well short of these standards, and deteriorated markedly this past year.

"During the period, there were widespread arrests of those seeking to exercise their right to peaceful political expression. Thousands of members of the Falun Gong movement were detained. Authorities continued to limit the ability of Christians, Muslims and Buddhists to worship in accordance with custom and conscience. Minority groups such as Tibetans and Uighurs were barred from fully exercising their cultural and linguistic heritage.

"In light of such a record, Mr. Chairman, it is both necessary and appropriate that this Commission express its concern and call for improvements.

"We owe it to the Chinese people and to the credibility of this Commission and its members not to shy away from the whole truth, or to hide behind procedural motions. I hope very much that all of you will be willing to work with us and give your support for the resolution on China that we will offer."

Before the Commission concluded its 7th meeting yesterday evening, the Chinese Ambassador Qiao Zonghuai, in a statement entitled, "The Right of Reply to the Statements of US and Other Western Guest Speakers" said that "the US Secretary of State Madame Albright has made some groundless charges and slanders against China's human rights situation. In the past few days, some other western guest speakers also made unwarranted accusations on China. The Chinese delegation strongly, opposes and rejects this..."

The three-minute statement went on to claim that the human rights of "all the ethnic minorities, including the Tibetan people, are also full respected and protected." The Ambassador concluded his statement by calling upon the United States to "spend more time to examine its own human rights situation. Otherwise, it will end up with lifting a rock only to drop it on his own feet."

One of the guest speakers on 23 March, was the French Minister for Cooperation and Francophonie, Mr. Charles Josselin who said that China's signature of the two UN human rights covenants were "positive signs" and but called for quick ratification. Expressing France's will to continue the dialogue with China on human rights, the statement expressed concern on death penalty, freedom of association, expression and religion. The Minister called upon the Chinese authorities to make progress through tangible steps in the human rights situation in China.

According to the new time-table issued by the Bureau of the Commission on Human Rights which was adopted by the Commission on 22 March, the voting on country resolutions will now take place on 18 April.

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Last updated: 24-Mar-2000