Moscow Hails Un Adoption Of Hostage-Taking Resolution

Moscow hails the adoption, at the 57th session of the United Nations' Human Rights Commission on Russia's initiative, of a resolution on hostage taking, as well as the approval of the Algeria-proposed draft resolution on human rights and terrorism. Russia is among the co-authors of this latter document. The Press and Information Department of the Russian Foreign Ministry stressed that the fact of approval of the above draft resolutions by the UN commission confirms that "terrorism and one of its most odious manifestations, hostage taking, have no borders and may concern citizens of any country". The Foreign Ministry says that in its resolutions, the UN commission has expressed conviction that terrorism in all its forms and manifestations, whoever commits it wherever, cannot be justified under whatever circumstances, including as a means of encouragement and protection of human rights. Moscow also pointed out the importance of an appeal to UN member states to always make sure that refuge seekers have not participated in any terrorist acts before granting refugee status to them. According to the Russian Foreign Ministry's press department, Russia also paid attention to the fact that Western and Eastern European members of the UN commission voted against the Human Rights and Terrorism draft resolution. "We believe that this step of theirs makes one doubt the sincerity of their declarations about unconditional condemnation of terrorism," the Russian Foreign Ministry pointed out. For its part, Moscow intends to make every effort toward fulfillment of the recommendations of the UN Human Rights Commission that are contained in these two resolutions. They include "the need to reinvigorate the struggle against international terrorism at the national level and to increase the efficiency of international cooperation in the struggle against this evil in all its forms and manifestations," noted the Russian Foreign Ministry's PR.

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