Ban Ki-moon

Opinion Source Information:

CNN

U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and several human rights groups welcomed the state department's announcement Tuesday, saying the United States would have a significant impact on the group.

"The Human Rights Council has a critical role to play in the protection and promotion of all human rights for all people, and the U.S. has an important contribution to make to this end," Ban said. "Full U.S. engagement on human rights issues is an important step toward realizing the goal of an inclusive and vibrant intergovernmental process to protect human rights around the globe."

Opinion Source Information:

Secretary General Ban Ki-moon made it clear that the United Nations would continue to support Kosovo as it begins its transition to full independence, but he sidestepped a question about whether Kosovo's declaration was legal. "I know that the independence of Kosovo has been recognized by a number of countries, and I'd like to remind you that the recognition of states is for the states and not for the U.N. Secretariat," Ban said. "I'm not here to say if it is legal or illegal."

Washington Post