-----Original Message----- From: Webcentral <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > > > > >OPEN THE DOOR TO UN COMMITTEE > > > > > >The Federal Government should formally invite members of the United Nations >Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination to conduct a site >visit to Australia. > >The 18-member Committee has been keen to visit Australia for more than two >years to make a first hand assessment of the Federal Government's commitment >to recognising >the rights of its Indigenous peoples. > >UN protocol dictates that expert committees will not visit countries without >a formal invitation from the host Government. > >The Howard Government has, so far, declined to issue an invitation. > >The Federal Government's international credibility will be called into >question unless it takes a more balanced perspective on its submissions to, >and relations, with the committees of the United Nations. > >Despite its protestations the Government was given a long and fair hearing >by the CERD committee in Geneva. > >It lodged a formal written submission with the Committee in August last year >which was translated into the official languages and printed. > >The Government attended with a large delegation headed by the Minister >assisting the Prime Minister on Reconciliation, Philip Ruddock, and appeared >before the Committee for more than six hours to present its oral submission >and answer questions which were clearly constructed from readings of the >Government's written submission. > >ATSIC and other Indigenous groups lodged their submissions just before the >Committee's 56th session began. We were not called upon to make verbal >submissions. > >Petulance has no place in international diplomacy. > >If the Howard Government is seriously aggrieved by the findings of the >Committee why not invite it to Australia and re-open constructive dialogue. > >Geoff Clark >ATSIC Chairman > >3 April 2000 > >Further information Paul Molloy (02) 6121 4961 0419 690 926 > ATSIC Office of Public Affairs > > > > > ------------------------------------------------------ RecOzNet2 has a page @ http://www.green.net.au/recoznet2 and is archived at http://www.mail-archive.com/ To unsubscribe from this list, mail [EMAIL PROTECTED], and in the body of the message, include the words: unsubscribe announce or click here mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]?Body=unsubscribe%20announce This posting is provided to the individual members of this group without permission from the copyright owner for purposes of criticism, comment, scholarship and research under the "fair use" provisions of the Federal copyright laws and it may not be distributed further without permission of the copyright owner, except for "fair use." RecOzNet2 is archived for members @ http://www.mail-archive.com/recoznet2%40paradigm4.com.au/
