Syria Is Poised to Join the UN Human Rights Council

Yes, it is true: Syria is poised to take a seat on the United Nations Human Rights Council. You see, it's Syria's turn. And we wouldn't want anyone to miss his turn. That would set an awful precedent:

Despite its poor record on human rights, Syria is on course to winning membership on the UN Human Rights Council, UN Watch reported on Thursday.

UN Watch, an NGO that monitors the international body's activity, cited a draft resolution presented in Geneva in which the US opposed Syria's candidacy for a Human Rights Council seat in 2014. The resolution, which is also supported by the European Union, said Damascus "fails to meet the standards" for Human Rights Council membership.

President Bashar Assad's regime is, however, likely to get a spot on the 47-nation council "due to the prevalent system of fixed slates, whereby regional groups orchestrate uncontested elections, naming only as many candidates as allotted seats," according to UN Watch.

This article available online at:

http://www.theatlantic.com/international/archive/2012/07/syria-is-poised-to-join-the-un-human-rights-council/259516/