News Release Issued by the Internat (r)

[moe@xxxxxxxxxxxxx]

* News Release Issued by the International Secretariat of Amnesty
International *
AI INDEX: ACT 30/20/98
News Service 175/98

Asian Leaders sign up for human rights

South Korean President Kim Dae-jung today joined more than six million
others around the
world as he pledged to support the Universal Declaration of Human Rights
(UDHR), as part of a
global campaign organized by Amnesty International.

     The campaign celebrates the 50th anniversary of the UDHR, which takes
place on 10
December 1998, when President Kim's signature, along with millions of
others in the "world's
biggest book", will be officially presented to UN Secretary General Kofi
Annan in Paris.

     In signing the pledge, President Kim expressed his hope that this
anniversary year would
see dramatic improvements in human rights world-wide.

     President Kim Dae-jung joined Amnesty International in inviting other
Asian leaders to
join in the campaign.  He said: "The promotion of human rights is a goal
that all leaders should
work together to achieve.  We must all offer maximum cooperation to Amnesty
 International in
achieving this."

     Amnesty International Secretary General Pierre Sane[/], who is on an
official visit to
South Korea said: "As a former prisoner of conscience facing a death
sentence, who was freed
with the help of human rights activists around the world, President Kim's
personal experience
demonstrates the importance of international human rights protection."

     Secretary General Pierre Sane[/] will be writing to other Asian
leaders asking them to
sign the pledge as well. "We want all leaders to sign this pledge to
publicly demonstrate their
personal commitment to working for a world without cruelty and injustice,
illiteracy and
hunger," Mr Sane[/] said.

     At least six million people from more than 86 countries around the
world have so far
pledged their support, and Mr Sane[/] said that Amnesty International had
set a target of more
than 10 million signatures by the anniversary itself.

     Other world leaders who have pledged their support include: US
President Bill Clinton;
UK Prime Minister Tony Blair; Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni; Venezuelan
 President
Rafael Caldera; Czech president Vaclav Havel; Israeli President Ezer
Weizmann; and Moroccan
Prime Minister Abderrahmane Youssoufi.

     Leaders from Asia who have signed include: Thai Prime Minister Khun
Chuan Leekpai;
Australian Prime Minister John Howard; Mongolian President  N. Bagabandi
and President Lee
Teng-hui of Taiwan.                                      .../ENDS
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