Human rights bureau to be established soon

Abu Dhabi: GCC will have its first human rights bureau operating soon. The establishment of the office is aimed at monitoring human rights status in the organisation and to promote the image of the Gulf countries regionally and internationally.

Abdul Rahman Hamad Al Attiyah, outgoing Secretary-General of the GCC, told Gulf News that human rights in the region are better than 88 countries in the world, but the image of the Gulf does not reflect this status.

"The GCC Bureau of Human Rights will correct the image and highlights the level of respect to the rights of local and expatriate citizens in the region," he said.

Comprehensive picture

He said it is not a propaganda campaign.

"We need to reflect the realities. People in the Gulf are enjoying a high level of security. The role of law is decisive and people are equal before the law," he stressed.

He said there are quite a few establishments in every GCC country to monitor the state of human rights in the region.

"The GCC human rights bureau will cooperate with workers in the field and present a comprehensive picture," he said.

All eyes on Israel

The GCC held Israel responsible for the standoff in Palestinian-Israeli peace negotiations launched by the US in Washington in September.

The leaders of the six-nation bloc support the setting up of a viable independent Palestinian state.

Shaikh Abdullah Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, UAE Foreign Minister, saluted Argentina and Brazil for recognising the state of Palestine and called on the international community to resolve the issue of Palestine and put pressure on Israel.

He said the Palestinian State should be established on the June 4, 1967, territories with occupied East Jerusalem as its capital.

The GCC condemned the Israeli plan to expand its colonies.