|
Canada to oppose Libya heading UN rights body
OTTAWA
Canada said yesterday it would join the United States in a bid to prevent Libya from chairing the UN�s top human rights body on the grounds that the North African nation was guilty of numerous abuses.
Washington, which has in the past accused Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi of backing terrorism, wants the 53 members of the Geneva-based Human Rights Commission to vote next Monday against Libya formally taking over the chair in March. Diplomats say the US bid is likely to fail.
�I want to make it clear that Canada will be voting against the nomination of Libya,� Canadian Foreign Minister Bill Graham told reporters on a conference call. �The reasons for this are that we consider Libya�s human rights record at this particular time to be inappropriate for that position,� he added, saying the integrity of the commission had to be maintained.
Human rights activists have long accused Libya of detaining government opponents, prohibiting political parties and muzzling the press.
The United Nations is also pressing Libya to accept responsibility for the 1988 airliner bombing over Lockerbie, Scotland, in which 270 people died and for which a Libyan agent was jailed by a special Scottish court in 2001. - Reuters | 
