David Miliband

Foreign Secretary

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Thursday 13 November, 2008

New UN High Commissioner for Human Rights

The UK supports the UN High Commissioner on Human Rights in order to help raise respect for human rights around the world.  Navanethem Pillay, formerly defence attorney for anti-apartheid activists in South Africa, President of the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda and a Judge on the International Criminal Court, has taken over leadership at an important time.  I met her yesterday.  She has issued very clear statements on Colombia which we welcome. The High Commissioner and her Office also play an important role in places like Burma and Zimbabwe.   We also discussed the absolute necessity for the Durban Review Conference - the follow up to the 2001 United Nations World Conference Against Racism, Racial Discrimination, Xenophobia and Related Intolerance - not to be sidetracked by a damaging dispute over whether anti-semitism is racism.  It clearly is. 

Posted at 16:36 13 November 2008 by David Miliband  |  Comments[5]

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Your up-front support for the High Commissioner for Human Rights is very welcome. We must be prepared to support her even when her comments come closer to home. n.b. the High Commissioner *for* Human Rights - "for", not "on" - the world is becoming swamped with inappropriate use of "on"

Posted by OwenE2 on November 14, 2008 at 08:24 AM GMT #

"The UK supports the UN High Commissioner on Human Rights in order to help raise respect for human rights around the world." And several days ago the UK's decision to recognise Chinese sovereignty over Tibet was sneaked out in a parliamentary statement by you that seems to have had minimal publicity from the great government communications machine. No mention of Tibet here, and the great government communications machine doesn't seem to have been too successful in bringing the change in policy to public attention. I guess I've been taken for a big ride coming here and reading this blog.

Posted by OwenE2 on November 14, 2008 at 10:49 PM GMT #

This isnt related but Happy Birthday Charles! Best wishes from Canada.

Posted by Steve Mc. ( Canada) on November 15, 2008 at 05:35 AM GMT #

Please push her to work more on Burma. Thanks.

Posted by Si Thu Htaik on December 09, 2008 at 12:35 PM GMT #

David, I'm suprised you say "She has issued very clear statements on Colombia which we welcome" whilst at th the time the UK government continues to give the Colombian army military aid without any human rights conditions attached. This is the army with the worst human rights record in the Western Hemisphere - Whatever happedned to Labour's 'Ethical Foreign Policy'?

Posted by Josh Feld on February 15, 2009 at 05:40 PM GMT #

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