Remarks on Draft Resolution for the Human Rights Council and Other Matters

REPORTER:  Ambassador, is there any follow-up on the U.S. decision to support the new proposal on the Human Rights Council?

AMBASSADOR BOLTON:  Well, we, as I said to you last week, and I say this really more in sorrow than in anger, we are very disappointed with the draft that was produced last Thursday. We don’t think it’s acceptable. My instructions are to reopen the negotiations and to try and correct in the manifold deficiencies in the text of the resolution or alternatively to push off consideration of the resolution for several months to give us more time. My understanding is that the President of the General Assembly intends to bring this matter to the floor of the General Assembly within a day or two for a vote. If he continues on that course, we will call for a vote and vote no.

REPORTER:  Who you’re meeting with (inaudible)?

AMBASSADOR BOLTON: Yesterday afternoon I put calls in to a large number of Permanent Representatives, I didn’t get through to very many. But we’ll be calling around today. And we’re making it plain to delegations we want to reopen the negotiations and have real international negotiations and correct the deficiencies in the current draft.

REPORTER:  Ambassador, when you say we’ll vote no - ?

AMBASSADOR BOLTON: That means no.

REPORTER:  Can you mention some of the deficiencies you talked about?

AMBASSADOR BOLTON: As I vaguely call the first part of your question, it was what are the deficiencies in the draft of the Human Rights Council. And I think we’ve said publicly a number of times before what our problems are and I’d just refer you back to that.

REPORTER:  One more question on the Human Rights Council, if I may ask a fourth question? The Secretary General has said that the draft text goes so far and no further, but overall he’s happy with it, you seem to have gone in the opposite direction. To what extent is the debate now engaged between the U.S. Government and the Secretariat or is it purely between yourself and the General Assembly.

AMBASSADOR BOLTON: I think this is a question for member governments to decide and we’ll be talking to other member governments. Okay, thanks very much.