US poised to announce exit from UN human rights council

Washington - Haley threatened the pull-out last year, citing longstanding US complaints.

The Trump administration is poised to announce its departure from the United Nations' main human rights body in its latest withdrawal from an international institution.
Officials say Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and US Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley will deliver the verdict on the UN Human Rights Council in a joint appearance at the State Department on Tuesday. The officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to publicly preview the decision.
Haley threatened the pull-out last year, citing longstanding US complaints that the 47-member council is biased. But Tuesday's announcement also comes just a day after the UN human rights chief denounced the Trump administration for separating migrant children from their parents.
It also extends a broader Trump administration pattern of stepping back from international agreements and forums under the president's "America First" policy.
Since taking office, the administration has announced its withdrawal from the Paris climate accord, the UN educational and cultural organization and the Iran nuclear deal. Other contentious moves have included slapping tariffs on steel and aluminum against key trading partners, recognizing Jerusalem as Israel's capital and moving the US Embassy from Tel Aviv.
Haley has been the driving force behind the move, which would be unprecedented in the 12-year history of the council. No country has ever dropped out voluntarily. Libya was kicked out seven years ago.
Last year, Haley warned the Geneva-based council that the US would withdraw if it did not end its systematic scrutiny of Israel and its alleged rights abuses against Palestinians.
A full pullout by the US would leave the council without one of its traditional defenders of human rights. In recent months, the United States has participated in attempts to pinpoint rights violations in places like South Sudan, Congo and Cambodia.
There are 47 countries in the Human Rights Council, elected by the UN's General Assembly with a specific number of seats allocated for each region of the globe. Members serve for three-year terms and can only serve two terms in a row.
The United States has opted to stay out of the Human Rights Council before: the administration of President George W. Bush did so when the council was created in 2006.
A pullout could be largely symbolic: The United States' current term on the council ends next year, when it could revert to the observer status held by other countries that are not members. In that situation, the US would be able to speak out on rights abuses, but not to vote.
The State Department's web site says protection of fundamental human rights was a "foundation stone" for the United States' creation over two centuries ago and that promoting respect for human rights since has been a "central goal" of US foreign policy.