EU ‘Willing to Consider Review of Human Rights Draft if NK Requests’

The European Union is willing to review the possibility of
revising the UN North Korea human rights draft resolution it has been at the
helm of, if Pyongyang extends an official request, the Voice of America [VOA]
reported on Thursday.

This is according to an email the EU’s press officer to the
UN, Christopher Matthews, sent to the VOA.

“The purpose of this human rights draft resolution is to get
human rights conditions in the DPRK [Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, or
North Korea] to improve,” Matthews wrote. “With this goal in mind, the EU and
joint sponsor states will review all proposals made by North Korea,” the
spokesman added, according to the VOA.

This change in position likely comes as Pyongyang has
signaled it may be willing to open its doors to a special human rights
rapporteur, if certain articles are removed from the resolution. However, the
EU officer said Pyongyang has not actually made such a request.

“The draft is based on recommendations from the UN
Commission of Inquiry [COI] and the special rapporteur,” said Matthews.
“Without a request from the DPRK, the EU and other sponsoring countries will
not review the possibility of striking articles 7 and 8 [which address possible
crimes against humanity and accountability, respectively] ,” he added.

Earlier, Special Rapporteur Marzuki Darusman, disclosed he
was approached by North Korean diplomats on Monday and was told Pyongyang could
invite him to inspect the country, if the draft resolution omitted
recommendations to refer the leader of the country to the International
Criminal Court [ICC].

The draft resolution submitted to the UN General Assembly
contains recommendations to refer whoever is responsible for human rights
violations to the ICC.

The UN General Assembly Third Committee on social,
humanitarian, and cultural issues posted on its website an eight-page draft
jointly submitted by 41 countries including the U.S., South Korea, and
Japan. 

“[We are] deeply concerned at the grave human rights
situation, the pervasive culture of impunity and the lack of accountability for
human rights violations in the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea,” the
draft reads.

Also included is its decision to submit the report of the
commission of inquiry to the Security Council, and calls on the Council to
“take appropriate action to ensure accountability.”

Those measures include “referral of the situation in the
DPRK to the ICC” and “consideration of the scope for effective targeted
sanctions against those who appear to be most responsible” for acts that may
constitute crimes against humanity, according to the draft.