U.A.E. Representative to UN office in Geneva stresses Arab group's resolve to address challenges

GENEVA: U.A.E. Permanent Representative to UN office in Geneva, Ambassador Obaid Salem Al Zaabi, Chairman of the Arab Group, has pledged the Arab group would cooperate with the High Commissioner for Human Rights to address huge economic, social and cultural challenges, including the development, civil and political rights. Al Zaabi was addressing the 27th ordinary session of Human Rights Council of UN. He said the group is proud for nomination of Zeid Ra'ad Al Hussein as High Commissioner for Human Rights, the first Arab to occupy this post, stressing that the group will fully cooperate with him to make his task a success. He underlined the right of communities to choose their own values and principles to protect their peoples, boost human rights, and reject any attempt to impose alien values under pretext of universality of human rights. On behalf of the group, Ambassador Al Zaabi, denounced the continuation of Israeli occupation of the Palestinian territories, citing the recent Israeli attacks on Gaza Strip. He added that the Arab group looks forward to the report, which will be issued by the international investigation committee over the recent Israeli aggression on Gaza. He called on all partners to provide conducive atmosphere for political solution to Syrian conflict, and a need for concerted efforts to respect human rights. Al Zaabi stressed that the group expressed its solidarity with Libya to preserve its sovereignty and independence. Regarding Iraq, he said the group called for cracking down on the terrorist groups, stressing its support to Iraq to restore its sovereignty. – Emirates News Agency, WAM – http://www.wam.ae/en/news/arab/1395269357206.html