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ADVANCE EDITED VERSION
Distr. GENERAL A/HRC/4/60 22 January 2007 Original: ENGLISH

HUMAN RIGHTS COUNCIL Fourth session Item 2 of the provisional agenda IMPLEMENTATION OF GENERAL ASSEMBLY RESOLUTION 60/251 OF 15 MARCH 2006 ENTITLED "HUMAN RIGHTS COUNCIL" Report of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights on the human rights situation in the Democratic People's Republic of Korea Note by the Secretariat 1. This note has been prepared further to Human Rights Council decision 2/102 requesting the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights to continue with the fulfilment of her activities, in accordance with all previous decisions adopted by the Commission on Human Rights and to update the relevant reports and studies. In paragraph 9 of its resolution 2005/11 the Commission on Human Rights requested the High Commissioner to continue her efforts to engage in a comprehensive dialogue with the authorities of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea with a view to establishing technical cooperation programmes in the field of human rights and to submit her findings and recommendations to the Commission. 2. In line with standard policy and practice developed pursuant to General Assembly resolution 926 (X) of 14 December 1955, which established the United Nations programme of advisory services and technical cooperation in the field of human rights, various forms of assistance in the area of human rights are at the disposal of Member States upon their request. 3. It will be recalled that, with a view to exploring ways of initiating technical cooperation between the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights and the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, the High Commissioner invited the Permanent Representative of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea to the United Nations Office at Geneva for a meeting. Upon receipt of the acceptance of the invitation by the Permanent Representative, a meeting was scheduled for 6 December 2006.

A/HRC/4/60 page 2 4. During the meeting, the High Commissioner raised the possibility of exploring ways of engaging in technical cooperation activities, and made several proposals for technical cooperation activities, such as activities in the area of human rights treaty implementation. 5. The Permanent Representative stated that his Government did not recognize the resolution adopted by the Commission on Human Rights on the situation of human rights in the Democratic People's Republic of Korea and was therefore unable to accept the High Commissioner's offer. The Permanent Representative nonetheless stated that he had taken note of the High Commissioner's willingness to offer technical assistance. No further response has been received from the Government on this matter. -----