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MDLIAN 4013
THERE WAS A NEED FOR RIGHTS TO BE BALANCED BY THE DUTIES OF THE INDIVIDUAL TO SOCIETY. THE RIGHTS AND FREEDOMS OF ALL ASIAN PEOPLES SHOULD NOT BE FULLY RELEASED. HE CONFIRMED THAT THAILAND WILL ACCEDE TO THE ICCPR, AND NOTED THAT A PARLIAMENTARY COMMITTEE ON HUMAN RIGHTS HAD BEEN CREATED. HUMAN RIGHTS NGOS WERE WELCOME IN THAILAND. THERE SHOULD HOWEVER BE A CLEAR UNDERSTANDING OF THE DEVELOPMENTAL AND CULTURAL CONTEXT, WHICH HAD AN EFFECT ON IMPLEMENTATION: HUMAN RIGHTS HAD TO BE DEVELOPED AT QUOTE THEIR OWN PACE UNQUOTE.
ELECTION OF BUREAU
4. THE PUS/MFA, DR PUNAKASEM, WAS ELECTED CHAIRMAN BY ACCLAMATION, AS WERE THE VICE-CHAIRMAN: BAHREIN, BHUTAN, CHINA, IRAN, JAPAN AND PAKISTAN. DR SINGHVI (INDIA) WAS ELECTED RAPPORTEUR. IRAN BECAME CHAIRMAN OF THE DRAFTING GROUP, AS A COMPROMISE (SIC) BETWEEN INDIA AND PAKISTAN. THE AGENDA WAS AGREED ONLY AT THE LAST MINUTE, AND WAS IN VERY BROAD TERMS, NOT MUCH DIFFERENT FROM THE PROVISIONAL VERSION ANNOUNCED BY THE UN.
PLENARY DEBATE
5. VIRYONO (INDONESIA) WAS THE FIRST SPEAKER. THE WCHR WAS A CRUCIAL OPPORTUNITY TO CORRECT THE TENDENCY FOR CULTURAL, ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL IMBALANCES NOT TO BE TAKEN INTO ACCOUNT IN EXPRESSIONS OF CONCERN ABOUT HUMAN RIGHTS. GOVERNMENTS HAD DUTIES TO IMPLEMENT HUMAN RIGHTS, BUT THERE WAS NO PLACE FOR SERMONISING AND JUDGEMENTS BY OTHER COUNTRIES. IN ANY CASE, A POLITICAL PURPOSE OFTEN LAY AT THE BACK OF SUCH INTERFERENCE. SYMMETRY WAS NEEDED BETWEEN THE RIGHTS OF INDIVIDUALS AND THEIR DUTIES TO SOCIETY AND THE STATE. THE WCHR SHOULD REAFFIRM THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN HUMAN RIGHTS AND DEVELOPMENT, BUT CONDITIONALITY WAS UNACCEPTABLE. THERE WAS A NEED FOR CHR TO STREAMLINE ITS WORK, RE-CLUSTER SOME ITEMS. THE USE OF CONSULTANTS BY RAPPORTEURS SHOULD BE STOPPED. WIRYONO ENDED BY COMMENDING THE CREATION OF REGIONAL HUMAN RIGHTS STRUCTURES.
6. PHILIPPINES WAS THE ONLY OTHER GOVERNMENT SPEAKER ON THE FIRST DAY, AND TOOK A MUCH MORE QUOTE WESTERN UNQUOTE LINE, ENDING WITH THE COMMENT THAT THE PHILIPPINES WAS STILL CRITICISED BY GOVERNMENTS AND NGOS, YET SHE CONTINUED TO COOPERATE WITH THEM: NOT TO EARN THEIR APPROVAL BUT BECAUSE SHE NEEDED THE HELP THEY COULD GIVE IN PROMOTING AND SECURING
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