Thank you, Chair.
The United States continues to support increased international cooperation to further the protection and promotion of human rights.
However, we must dissociate from preambular paragraph 5, because of the incorrect assertion that the enhancement of international cooperation is essential for the effective promotion and protection of all human rights. International cooperation is a helpful instrument to promote the implementation of human rights, but each individual State maintains primary responsibility to promote and protect human rights. States’ human rights obligations and commitments are not contingent upon international cooperation. The absence of cooperation does not justify or excuse the failure to honor these obligations and commitments; similarly, the lack of development may not be invoked to justify the abridgement of internationally recognized human rights.
Additionally, the United States and others have longstanding concerns with particular elements of the 2001 Durban conference, the 2009 Durban Review Conference, and the DDPA that we consider to be either Antisemitic or that single out the State of Israel, and overbroad restrictions on freedom of expression.
Thank you.
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