単語
assembly 議会
discredited 疑問を投げかける
submit 提出する
candidacy 志願者
oversee 監視する
ballot 無記名投票
allocate 割り当てる
intensely 情熱的な
Germany
was one of the first countries to submit its application to be a part of the
new body, and was among the first to be elected on Tuesday, receiving more
votes than any other Western country.
"It
is a position that many respect, especially those reviewing our candidacy and
deciding whether we should be a member," said Günther Nooke, the country's
human rights representative, before voting started. "People have different
opinions about which countries should be members."
Should nations with poor human rights records be members?
While
some observers were concerned that countries with poor human rights records
received seats on the council -- China, Cuba and Saudi Arabia were among the
nations elected -- others said integrating them into the process would promote
human rights where they are lacking.
"Countries
such as China, which are incredibly important for developments across the
globe, must be involved in this new body overseeing human rights,"
Christoph Strässer, the German Social Democratic Party spokesman for human
rights, told DW-RADIO. "In fact, I hope they become involved enough so
that we actually see progress in the area of human rights in these
countries."
The
United States has not applied for membership to the Council and was against its
creation, claiming that it would just repeat the mistakes of the former Human
Rights Commission. The absence of the US could be a source of future tension,
according to Strässer.