UN SPECIAL RAPPORTEUR ON RELIGIOUS INTOLERANCE VISITS US
USIA
USIS Washington File
22 January 1998
TEXT: UN SPECIAL RAPPORTEUR ON RELIGIOUS INTOLERANCE VISITS US
(Rapporteur visiting U.S. from January 22 - February 6) (500)
Washington -- The United Nations Special Rapporteur on Religious
Intolerance, Abdelfattah Amor, is visiting the United States from
January 22 to February 6, State Department Spokesman James P. Rubin
announced.
"As a nation that has an exemplary record on religious tolerance, and
is one of the world's most religiously and ethnically diverse, we are
particularly pleased to welcome Mr. Amor to the U.S.," Rubin said in a
statement released January 22.
While in the United States, Mr. Amor will visit Washington, D.C.,
Chicago, New York, Atlanta, Salt Lake City, Los Angeles, and Phoenix~,
according to the statement. In Washington, he is scheduled to meet
with senior Administration officials, members of Congress and of the
Supreme Court~, and with representatives of Christian, Jewish, Muslim,
and other minority religions. He will also be available to meet with
individuals and other groups.
Following is the text of Rubin's statement:
(begin text)
U.N. SPECIAL RAPPORTEUR ON RELIGIOUS INTOLERANCE VISIT TO THE U.S.
The United Nations Special Rapporteur on Religious Intolerance,
Abdelfattah Amor, is in the United States from January 22 to February
6. The U.S. Government strongly supports the Special Rapporteur system
which brings to light human rights abuses worldwide. By welcoming and
facilitating his visit, we are able to establish an international norm
of cooperation with United Nations efforts to ensure respect for human
rights and help to ensure that the special rapporteurs have access to
other countries, including those with poor human rights records.
As a nation that has an exemplary record on religious tolerance, and
is one of the world's most religiously and ethnically diverse, we are
particularly pleased to welcome Mr. Amor to the U.S. We worked hard in
the U.N. Commission on Human Rights to create the position of Special
Rapporteur on Religious Intolerance to examine incidents and
governmental actions worldwide which are inconsistent with the
provisions of the Declaration on the Elimination of all Forms of
Intolerance and Discrimination Based on Religion or Belief (adopted by
the U.N. General Assembly in 1981), and recommend remedial measures.
While in the United States, Mr. Amor will visit Washington, D.C.,
Chicago, New York, Atlanta, Salt Lake City, Los Angeles, and Phoenix~.
In Washington, Mr. Amor is scheduled to meet with senior
Administration officials and members of the U.S. Congress and of the
Supreme Court~. In addition, he will meet with representatives of
Christian, Jewish, Muslim, and other minority religions, as well as be
available to meet with individuals and other groups.
Mr. Amor's previous missions have been to China (1994); Pakistan and
Iran (1995); Greece, Sudan, and India (1996); and Australia and
Germany (1997).
Special rapporteurs of the Commission on Human Rights function as
independent experts. They report only to the Commission and to the
General Assembly and do not receive a salary.
(End text)