UAE regrets OHCHR report on Bahrain

Geneva, Mar. 12(BNA): The United Arab Emirates expressed deep regret over the report of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, OHCHR, regarding the Kingdom of Bahrain. This came as part of a speech by UAE Ambassador Obaid Salem Al Zaabi, Permanent Representative of the UAE to United Nations and other International Organisations in Geneva, during the 34th session of the Human Rights Council, as part of the interactive dialogue on the annual report of the OHCHR. "Handling the situation in Bahrain, from a human rights perspective, is not only unrealistic, but it does not help to understand the situation in an objective way, and would not contribute to solving the current situation", he said. Ambassador Al Zaabi added that this view disregards the constructive steps that were undertaken by the government of Bahrain, including the establishment of an independent national commission to manage all human rights issues, as well as other reforms that reflect the desire of Bahrain to open an inclusive dialogue, based on its local laws and applied international standards. He stated his hope that the OHCHR report would have included those details, while reiterating his invitation to its office to reconsider the Bahraini situation, and to consult and co-operate with the government of Bahrain to achieve aspirations of the Bahraini people. (courtesy WAM)