(Kyodo) _ The European Union expresses concern over North Korea"s poor human rights record, including its abductions of foreign nationals, in a draft resolution to be presented to the United Nations this week, according to a copy of the document obtained Sunday by Kyodo News.
It will be the first time for a resolution criticizing North Korea over the abduction of Japanese and other nationals to be submitted to the U.N. General Assembly in New York. The document will be presented to the assembly"s Third Committee, which deals with humanitarian issues.

The resolution will urge North Korea to improve its human rights situation. Similar resolutions have been adopted every year since 2003 by the Geneva-based U.N. Human Rights Commission.

It lists "the unresolved questions relating to the abduction of foreigners in the form of an enforced disappearance" among the "continuing reports of systemic, widespread and grave violations of human rights" in North Korea.

North Korea rejected the 53-member commission"s last resolution issued in April, saying the resolution "groundlessly slandered" it over the nonexistent "human rights issue."

If the 191-member General Assembly adopts the EU resolution, moves in Japan to try to resolve the issue of North Korea"s abduction of Japanese could gain wider support from the international community. ADVERTISEMENT



A General Assembly resolution is not legally binding but is seen to carry more political weight than those coming from the human rights commission.

The EU"s draft resolution expresses "serious concern" over violations of human rights in North Korea, including the abduction of foreigners, the cruel treatment of political prisoners, the punishment of North Koreans who have been repatriated after fleeing their homeland, and the continued violation of women"s freedoms.

It also urges North Korea to make sure that humanitarian organizations such as the World Food Program have "full, free, safe and unimpeded access" to all parts of the country so they can deliver aid "impartially on the basis of need."

The call comes after North Korea recently announced it would not accept humanitarian aid starting next year.

A European diplomatic source said the draft resolution was finalized after consultations with countries including Japan, South Korea, the United States, Canada and Australia, and will be submitted to the Third Committee by Wednesday.

If the committee approves it, the document will be sent to the General Assembly plenary meeting for formal adoption.

The European Union has been the driving force behind the human rights commission resolutions on North Korea, the latest of which asked the General Assembly to address the issue.

In December 2002, the assembly adopted a resolution denouncing abductions and other acts of "enforced disappearances" by states, but without naming countries.