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November 13, 2012

U.S. Elected to New Term on U.N. Human Rights Council 
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The United States has been elected to a new term on the U.N. Human
Rights Council, winning another three years. The Obama administration
has played an active role at the council after the Bush administration
refused to take part. On Monday, U.N. Ambassador Susan Rice said the
United States is determined to reform the council, saying it is too
biased against Israel.

Susan Rice: "The United States is clearly of the view that the Human
Rights Council has its flaws and I've just enumerated a couple of them,
including its excessive focus on Israel. But it is also a body that is
increasingly proving its value and we've been proud to contribute to
some of what we think are the finer moments of the Human Rights Council
— its approach to Syria, its approach to Sudan, its approach to
the situation in Libya with the Commission of Inquiry."

The U.N. Human Rights Council vote comes just as the United Nations
General Assembly is set to approve its annual measure calling for an end
to the U.S. embargo on Cuba.

 

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