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South Korea will abstain from voting on a resolution on North Korea¡¯s human rights violations which the EU is to submit to the UN General Assembly early next month. It will be the first time the General Assembly is being asked to vote on the Stalinist country¡¯s human rights abuses.
A government official said Thursday while the vote had not been officially discussed, Seoul felt no need to change its existing position. South Korea has abstained on resolutions on the issue in the UN Human Rights Commission over the last three years, based on what it considers the special nature of inter-Korean relations. It fears provoking the North while six-party talks on its nuclear program are underway.
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14 North Korean defectors, five U.S. lawmakers and about 200 figures from religious and human rights groups attend a North Korea Freedom Day event on April 28 in 2004./AFP
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The EU has unofficially sent the draft resolution to Seoul, which says it will announce its position once the final draft has been decided.
The EU will submit the resolution to the UN Economic and Social Council early next month, and if it finds the support of a majority there, it will go up to the General Assembly.
The 25 EU member countries will also submit human rights resolutions on Burma, Congo and Uzbekistan. Observers say nonaligned countries could present a motion against the EU resolutions, which may force Seoul¡¯s hand on the North Korea draft.
(englishnews@chosun.com )
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