Monday, Mar 31, 2014
Abu Dhabi: The UAE stresses that respect for sovereignty of states takes precedence over enforcement of human rights, which are used as a pretext for intervention in domestic affairs of other states, according to a veteran member of the Federal National Council.
“While the UAE respects the human rights enshrined in the UAE constitution and the country’s commitments as prescribed in international treaties, it urges the international community to better value the sovereignty of states and the principle of non-intervention in their domestic affairs,” Ali Jasem, also head of the House’s newly set up human rights watchdog, told Gulf News.
Jasem added the UAE has presented a motion to the International Parliamentary Union (IPU) on the relationship between sovereignty and human rights, given sovereignty’s advantage over human rights.
The UAE’s motion is scheduled to be debated by the 131st UPI General Assembly in October, with Jasem being rapporteur of the issue.
“While guaranteeing basic human rights is a policy which all states and societies should support, no state is justified in intervening in another country’s internal affairs to assure the protection of these rights,” Jasem said.
The UAE, which represents the Arab group at the IPU Executive Committee, stresses that no state or group of states has the right to intervene, directly or indirectly, for any reason whatsoever, in the internal or external affairs of any other state, said Jasem.
He added the UAE underscores that all forms of interference or attempted threats against the state or against its political, economic and cultural elements, are in violation of international law, in line with the UN Charter and principles of international law.
Jasem said human rights must be guaranteed, but sovereignty of states must also be respected at all times. “The direct intervention in the domestic affairs of a country and urging international human rights organisations to interfere in these affairs are unacceptable and contravene the UN Charter and the international law.”
He said the UAE suggests that respect for the rule of law be strengthened in international as in national affairs “so that double standards are wiped out in interpreting the principle of non-intervention in internal affairs of states.”
Dr Abdul Khaleq Abdullah, a leading Emirati political analyst, said certain countries and international organisations act outside their mandate under international law when they intervene in the internal affairs of states to protect human rights or stop genocide.
“The UAE’s initiative is meant to stop acting beyond the international law and to demand that states value sovereignty of other countries and non-intervention in their domestic affairs as much as they value human rights,” Dr Abdullah said.
By Samir Salama Associate Editor
Gulf News 2014. All rights reserved.
