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Human Rights Actions by
the United Nations |
| January 1, 2007 - December 31, 2007 |
| Top Five Countries Subject to Most UN Condemnation for Human Rights Violations in 2007 |
| 1. |
Israel (criticized by the UN twice as many times as its nearest competitor) |
| 2. |
Sudan |
| 3. |
Myanmar |
| 4 (tied). |
United States of America and
Democratic Republic of the Congo |
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UN-Iran watch: The IAEA first reported that Tehran had failed to comply with its obligations under the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty in 2003.
980 days later, on March 29, 2006, the Security Council finally became seized of the matter of Iran's nuclear ambitions. Since then the Security Council has failed miserably to live up to its UN Charter obligations to (a) determine Iran's behavior constitutes a threat to international peace and security, and (b) take serious action to maintain peace and security.
On July 31, 2006, the Security Council adopted a resolution under the Charter's Chapter VII, by implication connecting Iranian misdeeds to a threat to international peace and security. But the only action the Council could muster was another time extension and report due in August 2006. The IAEA reported Iran's continued non-compliance and August came and went.
On December 23, 2006, the Security Council adopted a resolution under Article 41 of Chapter VII - this time involving a sanction scheme so weak that even Iran's reaction has been muted. In order to gain Chinese and Russian votes on the Council, the scheme gutted earlier European and American drafts. The resolution gave Iran this ultimatum for continued non-compliance of UN pronouncements and resolutions about Iran's nuclear program: "further decisions will be required."
On March 24, 2007 the further decision date rolled around. The slap on the wrist of this Security Council resolution: (a) introduces an Israel diversion in the form of a reference to "a Middle East free of weapons of mass destruction," (b) fails to adopt a mandatory travel ban and instead merely "calls upon all states to exercise vigilance and restraint regarding the entry into or transit" of a limited list of individuals, (c) refuses to ban items and technology and instead merely "calls upon all states to exercise vigilance and restraint in the "supply" of these items, and (d) fails to impose a mandatory asset freeze but instead "calls upon all states and international financial institutions not to enter new commitments for grants, financial assistance, and concessional loans, to...Iran, except for humanitarian and developmental purposes." In its one "shall not" it bans only the country's arms exports - refusing to impose an arms embargo prohibiting the sale of weapons to Iran.
It took a whole year - until March 3, 2008 - for the Security Council to wag another finger at Iran and adopt one more tepid resolution. The third go at Security Council action was no more meaningful. Security Council Resolution 1803 (a) Repeats previous resolutions' Israel diversions in the form of a reference to "a Middle East free of weapons of mass destruction," (b) Imposes a so-called travel ban except when "the Committee determines on a case-by-case basis that such travel is justified..." (c) Fails to impose a mandatory asset freeze or trade restrictions but instead "Calls upon all States to exercise vigilance in entering into new commitments for public provided financial support for trade with Iran, including the granting of export credits, guarantees or insurance..." (d) Neglects to isolate Iranian banks but instead "Calls upon all states to exercise vigilance over the activities of financial institutions in their territories with all banks domiciled in Iran..." (e) Reassures Iran that regardless of these so-called sanctions, Iran needn't fear any repercussions for its nuclear build-up as Resolution 1803 "Stresses the willingness of China, France, Germany, the Russian Federation, the United Kingdom and the United States to further enhance diplomatic efforts to promote resumption of dialogue, and consultations on the basis of their offer to Iran, with a view to seeking a comprehensive, long-term and proper solution of this issue which would allow for the development of all-round relations and wider cooperation with Iran based on mutual respect and the establishment of international confidence in the exclusively peaceful nature of Iran's nuclear programme...." and "Encourages the European Union High Representative for the Common Foreign and Security Policy to continue communication with Iran..." And so the Security Council continues and encourages the fiction that Iran is doing something other than building a nuclear weapons program.
The clock just keeps ticking while Iran pursues the means to build nuclear weapons and the UN has yet to get serious about sanctions that pose any prospect of stopping them before it's too late.
The Lead-Up: 980 Days of Delay
 IAEA 2003 Annual Report, page 7
Iran's Response Sept. 17/05
IAEA response September 25, 2005
Editor's Note --- In Cartoon
Nobel Peace Prize
Editor's Note --- In Cartoon
IAEA response November 24, 2005
The UN and Iran Report Card 2005
IAEA Board of Governors resolution February 4, 2006
Report of the Director-General of the IAEA sent to Security Council March 8, 2006
The Security Council: Watching the Clock Run Out on a Nuclear Iran
Security Council Presidential Statement, March 29, 2006
Security Council Resolution 1696, July 31, 2006
Report of the IAEA, August 31, 2006
Security Council Resolution 1737, December 23, 2006
Buying Russian and Chinese Votes
Security Council Resolution 1747, March 24, 2007
Buying Council Unanimity
Security Council Resolution 1803, March 3, 2008
Buying Council Votes
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