Human rights resolution passed on DPRK
The UN General Assembly yesterday adopted a new resolution on human rights in the Democratic People鈥檚 Republic of Korea (DPRK).
This resolution follows a similar one passed at the UN Human Rights Council in March and underlines the international community鈥檚 concern at the abuses taking place, and a determination to see them end.
Welcoming the resolution, Foreign Office Minister Hugo Swire said:
By voting in favour of this resolution by a significant majority, the UN General Assembly鈥檚 Third Committee has sent an important signal that systematic and widespread human rights violations will no longer be ignored by the international community.
The British Government has strongly supported accountability for these awful crimes, and we have spoken out on this both in Geneva and New York. The UN鈥檚 Commission of Inquiry clearly shows that the situation in the DPRK requires the world鈥檚 attention, and that the people of the DPRK require our support.
But we have also said that the door remains open for the authorities in the DPRK to engage with the international community on these issues at any time. They have expressed a willingness to consider technical cooperation with the Office of the High Commissioner of Human Rights and a country visit by the Special Rapporteur on DPRK, as well as the possible resumption of human rights dialogues. If these are serious offers, and if they are backed up by a genuine desire to achieve concrete improvements in the human rights situation on the ground, the international community will respond positively.
The international spotlight is on the regime in Pyongyang as never before.
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