Spindelegger: “A token of acknowledgement for Austria’s human rights commitment”
Austrian to become Vice-President of the UN Human Rights Council
Vienna/Geneva, 20 June 2011 – “The election of Austria’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations in Geneva, Ambassador Christian Strohal, as Vice-President of the Human Rights Council demonstrates that we enjoy the trust of the international community with regard to human rights issues and that our commitment to the worldwide protection of human rights is acknowledged,” said Foreign Minister and Vice-Chancellor Michael Spindelegger.
On 20 May 2011, the UN General Assembly in New York elected Austria as a member of the UN Human Rights Council for three and a half years until the end of 2014. Austria will hold the Vice-Presidency of the highest UN body for human rights until the end of 2012. Together with the President, the four Vice-Presidents are responsible for the management of the Council, which convenes both ordinary and extraordinary meetings and uses numerous working groups that hold their meetings throughout the year.
“The assertion and protection of human rights are core concerns of Austria’s foreign policy. In this spirit, Austria will continue to support a strong and effective Human Rights Council that clearly condemns human rights violations, supports victims and helps to call those responsible to account. Austria will focus on particularly vulnerable groups, such as religious and other minorities, journalists, women and children in armed conflicts and juvenile delinquents,” explained Spindelegger.
“Membership of the key international body for human rights is not a privilege, but a duty. Austria will continue to work on improving its own human rights protection, which has already attained a high level. The implementation of the United Nations’ Additional Protocol to the Convention against Torture and strengthening the role of the public ombudsman are important tasks that we have already got under way,” concluded Spindelegger.
For further information, contact:
Federal Ministry of European
and International Affairs
Press Department
Tel.: ++43 (0) 50 1150-3262, 4549, 4550
Fax: ++43 (0) 1159-213
E-mail: abti3(at)bmeia.gv.at
