Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2006-03-15-Speech-3-327"

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"Mr President, this is, of course, in many ways an historic day – the day on which we have set up a Human Rights Council. The fact is that the European Parliament has pushed this issue in the past, and we know that it is in actual fact possible to change the human rights situation by working hard and in unison. We do support the UN in this work. The decision concerning the Human Rights Council was one of the few practical decisions taken in September, and it is therefore very gratifying that there now in actual fact exists such a Council and that we have obtained a permanent body that does away with the need for those six weeks of intensive lobbying in Geneva, characterised, just as you said, by constant horse-trading in connection with who was to support which resolution. If we obtain a permanent body that can take the lead on these matters, we shall hopefully also do away with the situation in which some of the worst rogue states have sometimes chaired the sessions in Geneva. I also share the analysis that the Council is rather weaker than had been hoped. I agree with Mr Coveney that a two-thirds’ majority would have been better. The regional quota system that at present applies in appointing Council representatives will unfortunately mean that states that infringe human rights will also be represented. Secret voting and the ability to exclude countries do, however, mean that a big step forward has nonetheless been taken. I hope that, in the future, the EU will adopt a unanimous and consistent approach and not be afraid to point the finger if a country with a place on the Council is guilty of seriously violating human rights. That is because, if it acts in concert, the EU will be able to play a fantastically substantial role in the UN. We in my group should like in time to see a joint European seat on the UN Security Council. This is a large step forward. Now is the time of reckoning, and it is important not only to be able to act promptly when crises occur but also to remember too events that are not so sexy from the media’s point of view, that is to say the permanent human rights violations committed against people in somewhat forgotten, out-of-the-way places. If the Human Rights Council can safeguard these people’s rights, we shall have taken a big step forward."@en1

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