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U.N. to set up new human rights council

United Nations: Overruling the United States' objection, the U.N. General Assembly on Wednesday decided by an overwhelming majority to establish a new and more effective human rights body — a 47-member human rights council.

The council would replace the 53-member Human Rights Commission.

India was among 170 members of the 191-member General Assembly that voted for the resolution, which was negotiated over five months. Four members, including the U.S., voted against it and three abstained, General Assembly President Jan Eliasson of Sweden announced.

The U.S. refused to back the new council, saying it was not the radical reform it wanted to ensure that human rights abusers such as Cuba, Sudan, Myanmar and Zimbabwe are barred from membership.

But U.S. officials have said Washington will nonetheless give its financial backing and seek a seat on the new council.

A year ago, U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan proposed replacing the widely criticised and highly politicised Commission, which allowed some of the worst offending countries to use their membership to protect one another from condemnation or criticism.

Under the new resolution, the Commission will be abolished on June 16 and the new council will hold its first meeting on June 19.

— PTI, AP

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