[JURIST] The Bush administration has been "disappointed" with the work [statement, PDF] of the newly formed UN Human Rights Council [official website; JURIST news archive], according to US Deputy Assistant Secretary of State Mark Lagon [official profile] during his remarks Wednesday at a hearing [recorded video] of the US House of Representatives International Relations Subcommittee on Africa [official website]. The new rights council was created [JURIST report] earlier this year to replace the highly criticized UN Commission on Human Rights, and the council has focused this summer on the denouncing Israel's handling of the conflict in Lebanon in special sessions in July and August.

US Rep. Christopher Smith (R-NJ) [official website] said the human rights body has so far ignored other issues [statement] ripe for its consideration, including the humanitarian crisis in Darfur and rights violations in North Korea, Zimbabwe, China, and Burma. The Washington Times has more. The State Department's Washington File has additional coverage.