UN votes to reinstate Libya to Human Rights Council

PanARMENIAN.Net - The UN General Assembly adopted a resolution Friday, November 18, reinstating Libya to the UN Human Rights Council, CNN reported.

The world body had suspended Libya from the 47-member council in March to focus and put a stop to Moammar Gadhafi's human rights violation against protestors. With Gadhafi gone and a new interim Libyan government in place, the 193-member assembly voted for Libya's reinstatement. The vote count was 123 in favor, four against and six abstentions. Sixty countries didn't vote.

The votes against the resolution came from Bolivia, Ecuador, Nicaragua and Venezuela.

"This is another important step towards Libya's re-emergence as a full member of the international community," British foreign office minister Alistair Burt said. "The Libyan authorities have said that the new Libya will be built on respect for human rights and the rule of law. We welcome these commitments. Today's resolution highlights the human rights responsibilities the Libyan authorities must uphold and we will continue to urge them to live up to and take action on these."