Briefing note, 30 January 1998

30 January 1998


Mr. John Mills, Media and Information Officer in the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, stated that the High Commissioner Mary Robinson was in Davos attending the annual meeting of the World Economic Forum. In response to previous queries, Mr. Mills provided details on her programme. The High Commissioner had arrived in Davos from Tokyo the previous evening and had met the Secretary-General. For the remainder of her visit, the High Commissioner would be taking part in bilateral meetings and taking part in discussion groups. Noting that the theme of the conference was "Priorities for the 21st Century", Mr Mills said Mrs. Robinson had gone to Davos with the simple message that in any list of priorities democracy and human rights should figure prominently. These were moral imperatives but also were essential preconditions for economic growth and stability. Mr Mills noted that the High Commissioner's views had been reinforced in the opening address given by President Cotti of Switzerland.

On Monday the High Commissioner would be going to New York. Correcting a previous statement, in which Mr. Mills had said that Mrs. Robinson would take part in the meeting of the Executive Committee on Peace and Security, Mr. Mills explained that she would arrive too late for that meeting. The High Commissioner would have meetings with the UN Development Group, the Executive Committee on Humanitarian Affairs and the Senior Management Group.

In Geneva, the working group on elaborating a draft optional protocol to the Convention on the Rights of the Child regarding the sale and prostitution of children was concluding its two-week meeting today; it was expected adopt its report this morning and would make it available later. There seemed to be little progress on that front, said Mr. Mills.

The following Monday (2 February), the working group on a draft optional protocol regarding children in armed conflict - in particular the minimum age for military service - would begin its two-week meeting. Mr. Mills stated that the current minimum age for soldiers is 15, and the protocol was seeking to raise it.

Asked by a correspondent if he had information on the substance of the High Commissioner's discussion with the Secretary-General, whether on Algeria, China or new initiatives, Mr. Mills said he had no information on their discussions.

In response to a question on whether the High Commissioner's recent trip to Cambodia had produced friction with the authorities, Mr. Mills stated that he had been with the High Commissioner in Cambodia. Both the first and second Prime Ministers had expressed to Mrs. Robinson their appreciation for the role of the human rights office in that country.

Mr Mills noted that prior to their arrival, there had been speculation on whether the office would continue its functions. The memorandum of understanding, which established the office, was due to expire in March. Both Prime Ministers had emphasized their desire to see the office continue and Mr Mills said it was expected there would soon be an exchange of letters extending the operation of the human rights office in Cambodia. On the substance of the visit, the High Commissioner was concerned that there had not been more progress on investigating the killings after last July's events. She had raised this concern in her meetings and offered the second Prime Minister, Mr. Hun Sen, the assistance of an independent expert to review the progress achieved so far by the Cambodian Government and to strengthen its efforts in future.