New UN rights body must offer fresh start-Annan

GENEVA, June 19: UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan told today's inaugural session of the new Human Rights Council it must open a new chapter in the fight for freedoms and not get caught up in the political point scoring of the past.

Annan was a prime mover behind replacing the discredited Commission on Human Rights Commission, the former UN forum for tackling rights abuse, whose activities were hamstrung by confrontation, often between developed and developing states.

The old 53-state commission was packed with countries whose rights' records were suspect and which combined to block effective action, rights activists said.

''This council represents a great new chance for the United Nations and for humanity, to renew the struggle for human rights. I implore you not to let the opportunity be squandered,'' Annan said.

''The eyes of the world -- especially the eyes of those whose human rights are denied, threatened or infringed -- are turned towards this chamber and this council.'' Annan said the council, whose 47 members were chosen for the first time by the General Assembly, must focus equally on all rights' threats, whether they be the brutal actions of arbitrary rulers or ignorance, hunger and disease.

It must avoid becoming caught up like its predecessor in ''political point-scoring or petty manoeuvre'', he added.

RECORD ON RIGHTS Much of the initial two-week session will be spent planning future work. Unlike the commission, which met annually, the council will meet at least three times a year.

European diplomats say there will certainly be discussion of Sudan, Myanmar and North Korea, although what form it will take and whether there will be resolutions was not decided.

The US-led war on terrorism and suspected abuse at US detention centres were also likely to feature.

Annan reminded the council that they had pledged to ''respect human rights at home and uphold them abroad''.

While some states whose rights' records have been questioned, such as Cuba, Saudi Arabia, Russia and China won election, others failed or did not even stand.

The United States did not stand, although it has not ruled out a future candidacy, because it said changes to the old commission did not go deep enough.

One key change is that the rights' records of all council members will be periodically reviewed.

''Victims of human rights abuses ..., and future generations will judge us by our willingness and ability to shed the comfort of habit, to fight inertia, reject expediency and fulfil promises with action,'' said UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Louise Arbour.

Words had too often not been backed up with action, which was ''nothing short of betrayal'', she said.

Muslim states have said they will demand discussion of territories under Israeli military occupation. They also want debate respecting religion following the furore over the publication last year of cartoons depicting the Prophet Mohammed.

REUTERS