China storms out of rights talks with U.S.

[Robbien]

<snip>

State Department spokesman Richard Boucher said Washington had sought the backing of European countries and others to co-sponsor the bill of condemnation at the U.N. Commission on Human Rights meeting in Geneva - a 53-member UN body which began its six-week annual session on March 15.

Kong, in an apparent reference to this year's US presidential electioneering, slammed the move as politically motivated and accused Washington of reneging on its commitments to resolve differences over human rights through dialogue. "The United States has violated its commitments. Its insistence on tabling an anti-China resolution is fundamentally not a question of human rights, but is a domestic political necessity that aims to use human rights to interfere in China's internal affairs," Kong said. "This method of politicizing the human rights issue is a disgrace to the sacred endeavor of human rights, is unsupportable, and futile." In retaliation, China suspended its human rights dialogue with Washington.

"The confrontation incited by the American side has damaged the foundation for the human rights dialogue and exchanges between the two countries," Assistant Foreign Minister Shen Guofang told Randt, according to a foreign ministry statement.

"The Chinese side must immediately halt the human rights dialogue and exchanges. The American side should be held responsible for all consequences that are caused."

http://www.etaiwannews.com/China/2004/03/24/1080093382.htm

[historian]

1. rights???

what rights? we dont have any - at least the chinese are aware they dont while we whine and moan all day long because the rest of the world isnt like us????

[orwell]

2. Add Another One

I guess we can add another world leader to the pro-Kerry camp.

O

[mobuto]

11. Bush can have them

I don't think Kerry's really looking forward to the endorsement of the Chinese Communist Party. Anyway, why wouldn't they endorse Bush? His economic policies have been the biggest boom for China's economy imagineable.

[rooboy]

3. This seems like an achievement...

looks like the USA was able to totally piss off an Asian nation without having to bring John Bolton in...

[54anickel]

4. This is not good, not good at all. Shrub is such an idiot. You can't

turn your back with a wink wink nudge nudge one year because you want them to do something for you and then more or less humiliate them at the UN after basically promising to work things out on the side.
But then again, that's Shrub for ya. All kinds of backroom deals, but then come off with that holier than though attitude when the going gets a bit tough.

snip>

"The Chinese government has all along advanced the human rights situation and earnestly abided by and entered into international human rights treaties," Kong said.

Chinese officials have reportedly spoken over the phone several times with their US counterparts in recent weeks, including Secretary of State Colin Powell and national security adviser Condoleezza Rice, to discourage Washington from seeking the resolution.

The United States broke with tradition by not sponsoring the resolution last year, a move analysts said was motivated by Washington's wish for China's cooperation on the North Korean nuclear issue, the Iraq war and the terrorism fight.

But the United States has in recent months resumed attacks on Beijing's rights record.

[Robbien]

8. Exactly. Bush had a deal with China

I didn't agree with it, but a deal is a deal. Plus, we still need China to help with North Korea.

WTF is Bush doing? This will not win any votes for him and it puts the US in danger with North Korea.

[Voltaire99]

10. Not wise to piss off the sugar daddy, Bush!

Especially when you need it to service your ballooning debt!

[truthisfreedom]

13. i was told China purchased 30% of the US national debt.

is this true? does China really own 30% of our paper?

[Layman]

14. China + Japan

China and Japan hold over 40% of American foreign debt. May you live in interesting times.

[leesa]

5. Weren't we kicked out of the commission on Human Rights?

Or am I thinking of another human rights org we were thrown out of for crimes against humanity.

[Judi Lynn]

9. Another Bush accomplishment.

He bagged this one the very first year!

US Is Voted Off Rights Panel of the UN
for the First Time
By Barbara Crossette
New York Times
May 4, 2001

In a move that reflected a growing frustration with America's attitude toward international organizations and treaties, the United States was voted off the United Nations Human Rights Commission today for the first time since the panel's founding under American leadership in 1947. The ouster of the United States from the commission while nations like Sudan and Pakistan were chosen for membership was certain to generate further hostility to the United Nations among conservatives in Washington.

The unexpected move, which came in a secret vote, was apparently supported even by some friends of the United States. The vote also served notice that a bloc of developing nations opposed to American policies is becoming much stronger and more effective, and that Washington can no longer expect to be elected automatically to important panels. Four nations competed today to fill three Western vacancies for three- year terms on the 53-member commission. The secret vote is conducted among the members of the Economic and Social Council, which oversees the Geneva-based commission and is made up of different members than the commission, although there can be some overlap, as there is now. France had 52 votes out of a possible 54 today, Austria got 41 and Sweden 32. The United States trailed with 29 and was eliminated.

"It's an unequivocally devastating blow," said William H. Luers, president of the United Nations Association of the United States, the largest American support group for the organization. He said he feared the effect on a Congress with many critics of the organization. "It couldn't be worse," he said. "All the conservatives in the administration will see this as proof that we are in an organization full of enemies."
(snip/...)

http://www.globalpolicy.org/unitedstates/unpolicy/gen2001/0504hrc.htm

[54anickel]

15. Thanks fot the info and link JudiLyn, bad on me, I had forgotten all

about that! You always seem to come thru for us with a plethora of information and links. Great to have folks like you on DU to rattle the cobwebs out of my head.
My mind can only hold so much Bushit at a time, the gutter seems to runover daily on this idiot.
Thanks :hi:

[tlcandie]

6. Well, their plan all along has been to strong-arm China to get it to

deal with NK and whatever else this idiot cabal has up their sleeve. Guess this works, huh? Who the hell knows anymore...total insanity!

[kodi]

7. we will give in because China will help the US on North Korea

and this is a result of bush's stupid demand that the talks with north korea be multi-lateral instead of bi-lateral. now, with china involved in north orean negotiation, they can hold their support hostage by demands in other areas.

bush is so stupid, he had the chance to de-link north korea with china, and now he will have to give the chinese somethng he did not have to. if he had followed clinton's policy courses with north korea back in 2001 none of this would have happened....and the north koreans would not have made their nukes.

[MetaTrope]

12. If 9-11 was MIHOP in a deal brokered between Bushes and Saudis

Who's to say this isn't the next revenue-making plan for Carlyle's war industries set up by Poppy and his longstanding Chinese business partners?

[0007]

16. China is buttering our bread

junior pissed off another

Country

[54anickel]

17. Great image there. n/t