China, on behalf of some developing countries, on Tuesday proposed to reform the United Nations human rights machinery. 

In an address to an informal meeting on reform of the UN human rights machinery held in Geneva by the United Nations, Chinese Ambassador Sha Zukang, on behalf of the Like Minded Group (LMG), an intergovernmental organization composed by some developing countries, said, "The key to such reform is to change the current practice of politicizing human rights issues, as manifested by selective naming and shaming in this august chamber and the increasing number of the controversial specific country resolutions."  

Participants discussed proposals contained in UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan's report titled "In Larger Freedom: Toward Development, Security and Human Rights for All."

The Commission on Human Rights, the central UN organ on human rights, has been plagued with "declining credibility and professionalism," according to the report. "Change is needed if the United Nations is to sustain long-term, high-level engagement on human rights issues," Annan said last week. 

In the point of view of LMG, the way out is to reduce confrontation and promote cooperation, and come back to the principle as enshrined in the UN Charter, namely "to achieve international cooperation in promoting and encourage respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms for all."

As to Annan's proposal to create a small-scaled human rights council to replace the present Commission on Human Rights, Sha pointed out that this is a new proposal presented by the secretary-general, and it does not stem from consultations among member states at the Commission on Human Rights, the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) and the General Assembly.

"Such a proposal requires thorough understanding and full discussion by the UN member states before it can be considered seriously.... Whether or not the replacement will overcome the serious 'credibility deficit' characterizing the international human rights work is a topic that needs further earnest exploration," he said.

The LMG has also urged that equal attention should be given to strengthening UN mechanisms that deal with economic and social issues.

"The reform of the UN should be a system-wide undertaking. For developing countries that account for the majority of member states, issues such as economic development and poverty alleviation are equally, if not more, important. And those issues deserve equal treatment when it comes to UN restructuring," he added.

(Xinhua News Agency April 13, 2005)