From: Human Rights Coordinator <hrcoord@igc.apc.org>
Newsgroups: soc.rights.human
Date: 25 Sep 92 10:22 PDT
Subject: UNITED NATIONS: Russia supports big
Nf-ID: #N:cdp:1476700521:000:4877
Nf-From: cdp.UUCP!hrcoord    Sep 25 10:22:00 1992


From: Human Rights Coordinator <hrcoord>
Subject: UNITED NATIONS: Russia supports big

/* Written 12:11 am  Sep 25, 1992 by newsdesk in cdp:ips.englibrary */
Copyright Inter Press Service 1992, all rights reserved.  Permission to re-
print within 7 days of original date only with permission from 'newsdesk'.

Title: UNITED NATIONS: Russia supports bigger human rights role


new york, sep 22 (ips) -- addressing an issue which developing
countries have argued strongly against, russian federation foreign
affairs minister, andrei kozyrev tuesday announced support for an
enhanced u.n. role in the sphere of human rights.

kozyrev told delegates from 179 countries attending the 47th
session of the u.n. general assembly here, ''russia is prepared to
act in support of the united nations' efforts to address a two-
fold task of democraticisation of societies, and the
revitalisation of international relations''.

chief among the ways to do this, he said, is to expand the u.n.
role in safeguarding human rights.

''it is high time to strengthen the security council's
capability to take swift and decisive action with respect to
humanitarian emergency situtions in connection with massive
violations of human rights, inter-ethnic clashes, including within
national borders,'' he said.

but the proposal for increasing the u.n. role in ensuring the
observance of human rights has received much criticism from
developing countries. these states argue that u.n. attempts to
protect minorities and monitor human rights could, in the long
run, lead to the violation of the u.n. charter which guarantees
non-interference in the domestic affairs of member-states.

yet, according to kozyrev, ''enhanced united nations efforts to
ensure human rights and rights of national minorities'' are a
burning priority for the world body.

kozyrev pointed out that in the days of the cold war, ''victims
of totalitarian regimes and ideologies needed protection, (but)
today, ever more often, one needs to counter aggressive
nationalism that emerges as a new global threat.''

kozyrev cited concern with growing discriminatory practices
against russians, ukrainians, belarussians, jews and other non-
indigenous nationalities ''in certain new states that emerged on
the territory of the former ussr, specifically in estonia and
latvia.''

the foreign minister proposed that ''a contemporary
interpretation'' be given to the international trusteeship system,
originally set up by the united nations to promote the political,
economic and social rights of inhabitants of former trust
territories. (more/ips)

united nations: russia supports bigger human rights role(2-e)

united nations: russia (2)

a basic objective of the trusteeship system, as defined by the
united nations charter, is ''to encourage respect for human
rights, and for fundamental freedoms for all without distinction
as to race, sex, language or religion.''

''today, national minorities desperately need the trusteeship
of the world community,'' kozyrev said.

kozyrev said another top priority for the russian federation is
to act in alliance with the united nations in extinguishing armed
conflicts, particularly those besieging the former soviet
republics of moldova, georgia, azerbaijan, and armenia.

he called for the ''civilised principles of the united nations
and the conference on security and cooperation in europe (csce)''
to deal with the ''elimination of inherited hotbeds of
contradictions on the territory of the former ussr''.

''together with the csce we will seek to end the war in favour
of peace in karabakh, to secure integrity of tadjikistan, and
national reconciliation in that country,'' he said. ''in all these
efforts, we count on continued interaction with the united
nations.''

while generally supportive of political means to deal with
armed conflict, kozyrev stated that ''force may and should be
used, i.e., to separate warring sides, protect human rights and
humanitarian missions, (and) to restore peace in strict accordance
with the u.n. charter.''

kozyrev said russia's new foriegn policy gospel was based on
''civilised rather than agressive power''. to explain, he quoted
alexander nevsky, a 13th century russian saint. ''god is in truth
rather than in power,'' he told the general assembly.

at the core of this new policy lies a ''partnership and
alliance for democracy and (a) dynamic market economy with
countries sharing these values,'' kozyrev said.

as to providing practical support to the world body and not
just moral support, kozyrev announced that ''despite its economic
problems,'' russia will pay up 160 million dollars in arrears due
to the organisation and its agencies.

russia remains the second largest debtor to the united nations
behind the united states, owing roughly 420 million dollars in
unpaid regular and peacekeeping contributions.
(end/ips/ip/jd/yjc/92)