Chinese Nobel Prize Tensions

South Africa believes that China's claim that this is an internal affair is untrue. This issue resolves around the giving of Nobel Prize, an International award.

South Africa believes this honour has great importance, especially when given to people who have had the courage to stand up to a government about breaches of basic human rights (a trait Liu Xiaobo shares with another Nobel Prize winner, Nelson Mandela).

Furthermore we also believe that a government should not arrest people purely to make an example of them for their own political gain.

South Africa does and allways will support human rights activists supressed by their government.

Myanmar questions the hypocritical nature of Albania's statement. They do not wish China to interfere in the decisions of other states, but Albania is using pressure to try to influence and hence interfere with the affairs of China.

Iran rejects this philosophy. We would contend that a government, by definition, has the power to govern

charter on human rights is above everything

The Charter is a poorly thought out document no longer relevant to modern society.

South Africa believes that China's claim that this is an internal affair is untrue. This issue resolves around the giving of Nobel Prize, an International award.

South Africa believes this honour has great importance, especially when given to people who have had the courage to stand up to a government about breaches of basic human rights (a trait Liu Xiaobo shares with another Nobel Prize winner, Nelson Mandela).

Furthermore we also believe that a government should not arrest people purely to make an example of them for their own political gain.

South Africa does and allways will support human rights activists supressed by their government.

The government of the People's Republic of China has the right to govern our citizens within our borders. As Liu Xiaobo is in China, this is a domestic issue.

China also thanks other nations who joined us in boycotting this preposterous award ceremony.

But surely, as a prominent member of the UN with a seat on the SC it must adhere to the UN's human rights charter?

South Africa rejects the idea that this is a purely internal affair.

The United Kingdom regards China's human rights record as equally preposterous.

Her Majesty's Ambassador to Norway, Jane Owen, was pleased to attend the ceremony.

Iran, and many other Islamic nations, believe that the Universal Declaration of Human Rights is a secular understanding of the Judeo-Christian tradition, which cannot be implemented by Muslims without trespassing the Islamic law.

Albania questions relevance of chinese position in UN council and states that country that clearly abolishes rights of their citizens as members of their community- cannot have such position in this council.

South Africa would like to point out that other countries with a large muslim population (such as Britain) manage to adhere to the human rights charter.


However this is becoming off topic, this debate is about China, which is not a muslim country. therefore Iran's own excuse for its poor human rights record cannot be applied to China.

Myanmar seeks the full dissolution of this council anyway, but asks why Albania is criticising China for stating it's opinion. Myanmar questions the relevance of Albania in the UN if it does not allow other states to have their opinion.