Chinese Ambassador Sha Zukang to the ongoing 58th session of the
United Nations Commission on Human Rights on Tuesday called for
strengthened international cooperation instead of political
confrontation.
Speaking to the session in Geneva on Tuesday, Sha said the biggest
problem troubling the commission is the practice of pursuing
political confrontation in the name of human rights. "This practice
is growing rampant," he said.
The Chinese ambassador described the commission session as the
first one after the September 11 event, which has led to rare
international solidarity and cooperation on the issue of
counter-terrorism.
Such solidarity and cooperation are equally needed in human rights
and other fields, Sha added.
Sha appealed to the commission to pay more attention to the needs
of developing countries and put more emphasis on economic, social
and cultural rights and the right to development.
"We note with regret that the importance of economic, social and
cultural rights and the right to development is not duly reflected
in the composition of the agenda, allocation of time, number of
resolutions and mechanisms," said the Chinese ambassador.
Sha said that with globalization gathering pace, most of the
developing countries are encountered with the major challenge of
how to realize economic, social and cultural rights and the right
to development.
"Neglecting economic, social and cultural rights and the right to
development is, in essence, the denial of developing countries'
legitimate demand on the issue of human rights," said Sha.
The current session began on March 18 and will end on April 26.
(China
Daily March 20 2002)