Human Rights Watch praised President Clinton's decision to sponsor a resolution critical of China's human rights record at the United Nations Commission on Human Rights in Geneva, and urged the Administration to launch a high-level lobbying effort for its adoption.
We welcome the U.S. decision to hold China accountable for its international human rights obligations," said Mike Jendrzejczyk, Washington director of the Asia division of Human Rights Watch. "But this will be too little, too late unless the U.S. puts some real diplomatic clout behind it." He called on Clinton, Vice President Gore, Secretary of State Albright and other senior officials to lobby other governments at high levels, noting that both President Jiang Zemin and China's foreign minister were currently touring Europe, making trade deals and reinforcing economic links between Western Europe and China.
"No doubt China hopes that economic interests will again triumph over principle, and few governments will join the U.S. in Geneva. The Administration faces an uphill battle," Jendrzejczyk said. When U.S. Secretary of Commerce William Daley visits Beijing next week with a delegation of twenty CEO's, Jendrzejczyk said, he should express his support for the effort to censure China at the Commission, making it clear that the Administration speaks with one voice.
The White House delayed a decision on sponsorship of a resolution until after the Commission convened on March 22; the Commission's current session ends on April 30. By waiting so long, the Administration squandered opportunities to gain the support of other key governments. On March 22, the European Union (EU) foreign ministers decided in Brussels not to support a country-specific resolution on China in Geneva. "Had the U.S. made its decision sooner the results might have been different," Jendrzejczyk said.
Germany's president, Gerhard Schroeder, met with President Clinton at the White House on February 11, and China wasn't even on the agenda. (Germany is now in the presidency of the EU.) Over the last few months, the U.S. also neglected to use opportunities to lobby Japanese, Australian, and other government officials on behalf of action in Geneva.
"Frankly, it appears that the Administration is doing the right thing for the wrong reason. Only when Congressional pressure became overwhelming, in advance of Zhu Rongji's visit to Washington, did the President decide to act," said Jendrzejczyk. The Chinese premier is scheduled for a summit meeting on April 8-9 on his first official visit to the U.S.
