US Mission Geneva

Last year the Genocide Convention turned sixty. This six-decade milestone is cause for both celebration and reflection. We, as the international community, must reaffirm and strengthen our commitment to ending genocide, while also admitting soberly that our collective efforts continue to fall short. A crime that breathes such a heavy toll on all of humanity has no place in a civilized world and we must work fastidiously to eradicate it.

The report of the Special Rapporteur for Human Rights Defenders reminds us that the Council has the opportunity to strengthen its support for courageous individuals and organizations around the world who stand up for human rights and fundamental freedoms. We support the Special Rapporteur’s efforts to work with regional mandate holders and human rights bodies, such as her joint visit to Togo and her efforts to strengthen ties with the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights.

As members of the Council are aware, on January 22, 2009, during his second day in office, President Obama issued three Executive Orders, entitled “Review and Disposition of Individuals Detained at the Guantanamo Bay Naval Base and Closure of Detention Facilities”; “Ensuring Lawful Interrogations”; and “Review of Detention Policy Options.”

These Orders address many of the topics covered by the Special Rapporteurs in their reports. The Executive Orders, for example, mandate the closure of the Guantanamo detention facility and all CIA detention facilities, as defined by the order. Furthermore, the orders specify that all U.S. agencies shall conduct interrogations of individuals in custody or under the effective control of the United States, in any armed conflict, using only the techniques authorized by or listed in Army Field Manual 2-22.3 on intelligence collection.

Foreign Minister Lavrov and I just finished our first in-person meeting over a wonderful meal together, and I am pleased by the opportunity that we had to begin a discussion on resetting U.S.-Russian relations, a process that we know will take time, but I think we had a very productive meeting of the minds on the range of issues that we will be addressing.

The United States is pleased to participate in this important dialogue on enhancing awareness and understanding of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities and thanks the Office of the
High Commissioner for Human Rights for preparing this thoughtful thematic study.

President Obama encapsulated the starting point for U.S. policy on the human rights of persons with disabilities at home and around the world when he stated: “We must build a world free of unnecessary barriers, stereotypes, and discrimination…. policies must be developed, attitudes must be shaped, and buildings and organizations must be designed to ensure that everyone has a chance to get the education they need and live independently as full citizens in their communities.”

Looking ahead to Europe, this will be my first meeting with the NATO Council, and I’m looking to demonstrate that the United States intends to be an active participant within NATO and with our NATO partners. I will certainly be raising issues that are important to the United States such as our plan going forward for Afghanistan and Pakistan, the NATO-Russia relationship, some of the old problems and the new threats that we are going to confront together. I will end the week wi th a meeting in Geneva with Foreign Minister Lavrov, and then going on to Turkey for consultations with the leadership there.

The report touches on a number of issues. My government would like to comment on a few of them.

First is the importance of the Office of the High Commissioner itself. The United States has never wavered in its commitment to the independence of the High Commissioner’s office, and we will continue to support that independence. We remain fully supportive of the field work that should be a priority focus of the OHCHR’s effort. Indeed, all of us who have worked with your offices in the field recognize and value their vital role.

The vital advisory services and technical assistance – as well as monitoring – that the OHCHR provides through its numerous field presences, regional offices and human rights advisers throughout the world need the support of this body and UN Member States.

My government has made the affirmative decision to actively re-engage as an observer in the Human Rights Council. We look forward to participating in the Council’s deliberations and working closely with you in the coming weeks and throughout the year. Indeed, we have much work to do. The challenges of this Council are many – as are those facing human rights advocates around the world.