November 3, 2005

Draft Resolution on the Respect for the principles of national sovereignty and diversity of democratic systems in electoral processes as an important element for the promotion and protection of human rights

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The new UN buzzword – "diversity of democratic systems in electoral processes." One clue as to the hidden meaning here: the main sponsor of this resolution is Cuba, and the co-sponsors include China, Democratic People's Republic of Korea, Iran, Libya, Myanmar, Sudan, Syria, and Zimbabwe. Cuba was quite unembarrassed about the agenda: "the wealth of diversity of democratic systems," or in the words of the resolution itself: "there is no single model of democracy or democratic institutions." In other words, the co-sponsors are themselves democracies. And the resolution was adopted by the UN General Assembly's Third Committee by 106 for, 4 against (the United States, Australia, Israel, Marshall Islands), and 61 timid souls abstained.