US To Support NKorea Human Rights Probe At UN

WASHINGTON (AP) - U.S. officials say Washington will support a push at next month's U.N. Human Rights Council to initiate an inquiry into conditions in North Korea. The world body's top human rights official, Navi Pillay, last month called for the creation of an inquiry into what she labeled "serious crimes" in North Korea that would be authorized by the U.N. but performed by independent experts. She called it one of the worst but least reported human rights situations anywhere.

Japan has signaled support for some kind of inquiry for consideration by the Geneva-based council, and EU diplomats have been discussing such a move. Officials, speaking anonymously because the U.S. position has not been announced, say Washington supports some kind of inquiry but is waiting for nations to reach consensus on details.