UN moves to replace US on rights council

UNITED NATIONS - The vacant seat on the UN Human Rights Council left by the United States will be filled by a member from the same regional group, said the spokesman of Miroslav Lajcak, president of the UN General Assembly, on Wednesday.

The General Assembly resolution that established the Human Rights Council in 2006 does not contain any reference to possible withdrawals by members of the council, said Brenden Varma, the spokesman.

But the resolution provides for geographic distribution of the 47 members of the council, he said. Therefore, the vacancy left by the US will have to be filled through election in the General Assembly of a candidate from the Western European and others group, he said.