Mary Robinson and Wang Guangya after signing the accord that will see the United Nations help Beijing comply with two international covenants. Picture: AP

BEIJING: United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights Mary Robinson continued to voice concern over Beijing's dismal human rights record, but praised its agreement yesterday to expand dialogue with the UN as ``a very significant move''.

Following talks in the capital with Vice-Foreign Minister Wang Guangya, Ms Robinson signed a memorandum of understanding on technical co-operation designed to help Beijing comply with two international human rights covenants it has signed but not ratified.

``This is a very significant move and I would like to acknowledge it as such. It is a very positive step and I believe we can build on this co-operation to encourage ratification on the two covenants,'' she said.

``The significance is that this is the first time we have had a formal agreement with China on co-operation in the field of human rights,''UN rights spokesman Jose Diaz said in Geneva.

The agreement ``bodes well for the future of human rights in China,'' Mr Diaz said.

Beijing has signed the UN Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights and the Covenant on Political and Civil Rights, but has yet to ratify them. President Jiang Zemin has vowed that the former covenant would be ratified by the year's end.

Ms Robinson also met Vice-Premier Qian Qichen yesterday and will meet Mr Jiang today.

She pointed out human rights concerns voiced by members of the Falun Gong qigong movement that Beijing banned in July last year. ``Last March, I noted progress in certain areas and I identified three areas where there was, in my view, no progress, and indeed potentially stepping back, in freedom of expression, freedom of association and freedom of religious belief,'' she said. ``These remain areas of concern and I hope to discuss them further with the vice-minister.''

Although the memorandum focused on human rights education, punishment for minor crimes, training of police, and economic and cultural rights she said she would continue to press Beijing on overall rights issues.

``The human rights mechanisms [covenants] do deal with the issues of freedom of expression and association and the urgent appeals made by a large number of members of the Falun Gong, and in that capacity I will continue to dialogue on those issues,'' she said.

Mr Wang pledged Beijing would further deepen rights discussions with the UN, but maintained that as a developing country, it would only develop those rights that suited its historical situation.

22 November 2000 / 01:02 AM

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