UNITED NATIONS, April 6: After being virtually alone in its opposition to the newly created Human Rights Council, the United States has decided not to seek a seat on the council for now, news reports quoting US officials said.
The US officials said that US will wait and see how the new HRC evolves before making a decision to contest a seat on the 47-member council.
“We’re going to take a wait-and-see attitude,” the US official was quoted as saying.
According to some diplomats here given the US record on human rights in the wake of Abu Ghraib prison scandal and the Guantanamo Bay, US could have a hard time securing 96 votes needed to win a seat in the 191-member UN General Assembly.
So far, 21 countries have declared their candidacy for its 47-member council, whose first meeting will take place on June 19 in Geneva.
It replaces the highly politicized and often criticized Human Rights Commission.
One report said the decision not to join the council was made on Wednesday evening when US Ambassador to the UN, John Bolton, visited Washington.
