Ptesidentof the Human Rights Council

Fresident of the General Assembly

15 June 2010

Excellency,

We haye the honour to inform you of the exchanges of views we have held on the issue of the review of the Human Rights Council as mandated by General Assembly resolution'601251. We would like to infqrm you about our position on some procedural issues.

We have discussed the modalities of the two distinct processes set out in General Assembly resolution 60125I to be conducted in New York and Geneva. While OPl.of the resolution says that "the General Assembly shall review the status of the Council within five years", OPl6 states that "the Human Rights Council shall review its work and functioning five years after its establishment and report to the General Assembly". The two processes may be different in time, place and scope, but we consider them to be complementary and mutually reinforcing. Regular and interactive coordination and cooperation
between the General Assembly and the Human Rights Council should be ensured throughout the review process. In particular where thematic overlap could exist in the present division of labour, a working relationship will be necessary to assure an effective review of the Human Rights Council.

In this regard, we found that the review process would benefit from continued contacts between the President of the General Assembly and the President of the Human Rights Council. We are confident that an exchange of information with the facilitators recently nominated by the President of'the General Assembly could contribute to the ongoing efforts to ensure coordination. We are also convinced that both the Geneva and New York processes could benefit from the presence of their counterparts at their respective consultations.

We noted discussions regarding the sequence and link between the processes in New York and Geneva. In the absence of any new decision by the General Assembly, the provisions of resolution 60/251 should be respected. The two processes could dwelop in parallel and the results should be assembled to be adopted simultaneously by the General Assembly.
On a more substantive issue, we share the sense of urgency to clarifu the relationship between the General Assembly and the Human Rights Council. The Council review process offers a unique opportunity to make the reporting line between the Human Rights Council and the General ,A.ssembly more regular, clear and transparent, in full respect of the role of the General Assembly and the mandate of the Human Rights Council.
We trust that all Member States will collaborate constructively in Geneva and New York to ensure a successful and comprehensive review of the Human Rights Council.
Please accept, Excellency, the assurances

ofour highest consideration.

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All Permanent Representatives
Permanent Observers to the
and

United Nations

New York