Wikileaks Exposes Secret Deal to Get Saudi Arabia on UN Human Rights Council
Two years after the controversial appointment of Saudi Arabia to
the UN Human Rights Council, leaked diplomatic cables have revealed the
UK was a key player in the election of the Gulf State ─ despite the
Saudis’ appalling human rights record.
The United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHCR) is tasked with the
promotion and protection of human rights throughout the world. What’s
remarkably under-reported (yet unsurprising) is the claim that notorious
human rights abuser, Saudi Arabia, pledged $1 million to UNHRC prior to winning the blood-stained seat.
What is surprising is the next chapter in the farcical saga.
In a classic case of you scratch my back, I’ll scratch yours,
the leaked cables ─ translated by UN Watch ─ allege that a secret vote
trading deal was made by Britain and Saudi Arabia to ensure both
countries were elected to the council.
Passed to Wikileaks in June, the classified files refer to
Saudi talks with British diplomats prior to the November 2013 vote in
New York.
One read: “The
delegation is honoured to send to the ministry the enclosed memorandum,
which the delegation has received from the permanent mission of the
United Kingdom asking it for the support and backing of the candidacy of
their country to the membership of the human rights council (HRC) for
the period 2014-2016, in the elections that will take place in 2013 in
the city of New York.”
