A UN human rights investigator has said that he was surprised and gratified that North Korean officials raised the possibility of allowing him to visit their country, but the prospect of such a trip remains deeply uncertain because of demands the North Koreans made in exchange.
Marzuki Darusman yesterday said North Korea is insisting that a UN resolution drop a recommendation that the North be referred to the International Criminal Court over its human rights record.
The special investigator said he conveyed this message to the European Union and Japan, which drafted the resolution, but that he would not be involved in any further discussions between the parties.
Darusman met with four North Korean officials on Monday, the first such encounter since the office of special rapporteur for human rights in North Korea was created 10 years ago.
He said he was surprised when the officials mentioned the possibility of a visit, which would be a breakthrough in international efforts to have a firsthand look at the way the deeply impoverished but nuclear-armed country treats its citizens.
"It's quite a big jump for North Korea," Darusman said at a news conference. "It's a very pragmatic step they are taking."
But Darusman said the North Koreans made clear they want mention of the ICC dropped from the draft resolution "so that they would be in a position to issue an invitation."
There was no immediate response from the UN missions of the EU and Japan, whose resolution is expected to be introduced to the UN General Assembly next month.
The nonbinding resolution would urge the Security Council to refer North Korea's situation to the ICC, as well as press for targeted sanctions. It doesn't name names but a UN commission of inquiry warned leader Kim Jong Un in a letter earlier this year that he may be held accountable for orchestrating widespread crimes against civilians.
Darusman said the North Koreans were also upset about the mention of Kim because "it touches on the sanctity" of the leader.
Darusman, who has been special rapporteur since 2010, said he welcomed the possibility of more engagement with the North but he stressed that officials must still be held accountable for human rights atrocities.
He said it is "out of question" for the resolution drop calls for North Korean officials to be held accountable within the UN system but he spoke of the possibility of "reformulating" the language.
