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  • U.S. Secretary Of State Undercuts State Department's Human Rights Re

    U.S. SECRETARY OF STATE UNDERCUTS STATE DEPARTMENT'S HUMAN RIGHTS REPORTING?

    PanARMENIAN.Net
    20.03.2009 16:45 GMT+04:00

    /PanARMENIAN.Net/ U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton
    continues to devalue and undermine the U.S. diplomatic tradition of
    human rights advocacy, The Washington post reports.

    "On her first foreign trip, to Asia, she was dismissive about
    raising human rights concerns with China's communist government,
    saying "those issues can't interfere" with economic, security or
    environmental matters. In last week's visit to the Middle East and
    Europe, she undercut the State Department's own reporting regarding
    two problematic American allies: Egypt and Turkey.

    According to State's latest report on Egypt, issued Feb. 25, "the
    government's respect for human rights remained poor" during 2008
    "and serious abuses continued in many areas." It cited torture by
    security forces and a decline in freedom of the press, association
    and religion. Ms. Clinton was asked about those conclusions during
    an interview she gave to the al-Arabiya satellite network in Sharm
    el-Sheikh, Egypt. Her reply contained no expression of concern about
    the deteriorating situation. "We issue these reports on every country,"
    she said. "We hope that it will be taken in the spirit in which it
    is offered, that we all have room for improvement."

    Ms. Clinton was then asked whether there would be any connection
    between the report and a prospective invitation to President Hosni
    Mubarak to visit Washington. "It is not in any way connected," she
    replied, adding: "I really consider President and Mrs. Mubarak to
    be friends of my family. So I hope to see him often here in Egypt
    and in the United States." Ms. Clinton's words will be treasured by
    al-Qaeda recruiters and anti-American propagandists throughout the
    Middle East. She appears oblivious to how offensive such statements
    are to the millions of Egyptians who loathe Mr. Mubarak's oppressive
    government and blame the United States for propping it up.

    The new secretary of state delivered a similar shock in Turkey
    to liberal supporters of press freedom, now under siege by the
    government of Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan. According to the
    State Department report, "senior government officials, including Prime
    Minister Erdogan, made statements during the year strongly criticizing
    the press and media business figures, particularly following the
    publishing of reports on alleged corruption . . . connected to the
    ruling party." That was an understatement: In fact, Mr. Erdogan's
    government has mounted an ugly campaign against one of Turkey's
    largest media conglomerates, presenting it with a $500 million tax
    bill in a maneuver that has been compared to Russia's treatment of
    independent media.

    Ms. Clinton was asked by a Turkish journalist what she told Mr. Erdogan
    when he complained about the State Department report. She answered:
    "Well, my reaction was that we put out this report every year,
    and I fully understand . . . no politician ever likes the press
    criticizing them." "Overall," she concluded, "we think that Turkey
    has made tremendous progress in freedom of speech and freedom of
    religion and human rights, and we're proud of that."

    In fact, as the State Department has documented, Turkey is retreating
    on freedom of speech. In Egypt, the human rights situation also
    is getting worse rather than better. By minimizing those facts,
    Ms. Clinton is doing a disservice to her own department - and sending
    a message to rulers around the world that their abuses won't be taken
    seriously by this U.S. administration," the article says.
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