Summary: EU Presidency Re-introduction Statement - Human Rights in Uzbekistan (22 November 2005: New York)
EU Presidency Re-introduction Statement on the SITUATION OF HUMAN RIGHTS IN UZBEKISTAN, by the UK Mission to the UN on behalf of the European Union, UN General Assembly, Third Committee, New York
Madame Chairperson,
On behalf of the European Union and the co-sponsors listed in L.51, I have the honour to introduce under agenda item 71 (c), the draft resolution entitled "Situation of human rights in Uzbekistan", contained in the document A/C.3/60/L.51. In addition, this resolution has also been co-sponsored by the following countries: Andorra, Australia, Bulgaria, Liechtenstein, Norway, Palau, Serbia and Montenegro and Switzerland.
As noted at the introduction of this resolution, a number of revisions have been made to the text and the Secretariat has set these out. In addition there are also the following revisions:
• There seems to have been some confusion over OP4 (e). This should refer to Independent Expert on the situation of human rights in Uzbekistan and not the Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of human rights and fundamental freedoms while countering terrorism. The paragraph will therefore read:
"To ensure full respect for all human rights and fundamental freedoms, and in this regard, to implement fully the recommendations of the Independent Expert on the situation of human rights in Uzbekistan appointed under the confidential 1503 procedure at the sixtieth session of the Commission on Human Rights (footnote 10) and to extend full cooperation to the newly appointed Independent Expert;"
• OP4 (i) will now read: "To allow the ICRC representatives unimpeded access to persons detained, in accordance with its working procedures."
• OP5 should refer to the sixty-first, rather than the sixty-second session of the General Assembly. The paragraph will therefore read:
" Requests the Secretary-General to submit a report on the implementation of the present resolution to the General Assembly at its sixty-first session."
Madame Chairperson,
The European Union welcomes the positive steps taken to date by the Government of Uzbekistan. However, we remain gravely concerned by the actions of the Government of Uzbekistan on 12-13 May in Andizhan, as well as the subsequent response of the Government. There has been a clear deterioration in the human rights situation in Uzbekistan and a refusal by the Government of Uzbekistan to cooperate with, or to address the concerns of, the international community, including the United Nations.
The resolution calls on the Government of Uzbekistan to allow an independent, external inquiry into the events of 12-13 May in Andizhan and to accede to the 1951 Convention on the Status of Refugees. The EU and co-sponsors of the resolution fully support the activities in Uzbekistan of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, and the Special Rapporteur on Torture, the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe, and the
International Committee of the Red Cross. We urge the Government of Uzbekistan to cooperate with these institutions and the European Union stands ready to work with the Government of Uzbekistan to help it to ensure full respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms. We invited the Uzbek delegation to engage with us in discussing the draft resolution but we have not had any response from them.
This is the first time that a resolution on the situation of human rights in the Republic of Uzbekistan has been tabled at the UN General Assembly. The scale of the deaths in Andizhan, the subsequent deterioration in the human rights situation in Uzbekistan, and the continued refusal of the Government of Uzbekistan to cooperate with or address the concerns of representatives of the United Nations and the wider international community, all require the General Assembly to address this
issue.
The EU accordingly hopes that this resolution will be adopted.
Thank you, Madame Chairperson.
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