The Obama administration has urged the council to focus on various countries with poor records that escape censure, such as Burma, and concentrate less on Israel.
In addition, the Obama administration last night reversed another Bush administration policy by announcing it is to seek a seat on the United Nations Human Rights Council.
President George Bush refused to become involved with the council's predecessor, the Human Rights Commission, a move widely regarded in Washington as a tactical mistake.
Human rights organisations in the US, such as Human Rights Watch, have been pressing the Obama administration to seek a leading role in the Human Rights Council to strengthen it and help distance the country from the abuses associated with the Bush administration.
The US state department in statement last night said: "The United States will seek a seat this year on the United Nations Human Rights Council with the goal of working to make it a more effective body to promote and protect human rights."
"The decision is in keeping with the Obama administration's 'new era of engagement' with other nations to advance American security interests," it added.
Courtesy: Guardian.Co.UK
In addition, the Obama administration last night reversed another Bush administration policy by announcing it is to seek a seat on the United Nations Human Rights Council.President George Bush refused to become involved with the council's predecessor, the Human Rights Commission, a move widely regarded in Washington as a tactical mistake.
Human rights organisations in the US, such as Human Rights Watch, have been pressing the Obama administration to seek a leading role in the Human Rights Council to strengthen it and help distance the country from the abuses associated with the Bush administration.
The US state department in statement last night said: "The United States will seek a seat this year on the United Nations Human Rights Council with the goal of working to make it a more effective body to promote and protect human rights.""The decision is in keeping with the Obama administration's 'new era of engagement' with other nations to advance American security interests," it added.
Courtesy: Guardian.Co.UK
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