PERMANENT MISSION
OF NORWAY
GENEVA 



Our Date 



Our Reference
 02.06.2006
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To : Permanent Missions 
to the United Nations in Geneva
Attn. 	: Human Rights Experts


Dear Colleagues,


On behalf of the Permanent Missions of Chile, India, Norway, the Russian Federation and South Africa,  we would like to thank all delegations that participated in the informal consultations on 3 May regarding the first session and initial phase of cooperation of the Human Rights Council (HRC).

Building on these and other consultations, we see the need for further sharing of views and we are pleased to invite all interested delegations to informal consultations at expert level regarding the Program of work for the first year of the Human Rights Council. These consultations should be seen as an informal input to the formal preparatory process.

The informal consultations will take place on Tuesday 6 June 2006 from 15:00 to 18:00 in the Palais des Nations, room XVIII.

The main purpose of the meeting is to exchange views informally on the Program of work for the first year of the Council, to enhance transparency, inclusiveness and early interaction. We would welcome views, proposals, priorities and initiatives both regarding the first meeting in June and the other meetings during the first year of the Council. 

To guide our discussion, please find enclosed a preliminary and non-exhaustive list of elements to be considered for inclusion in the program of work for the first year of HRC.  

We would welcome that delegations suggest issues pertaining to the preparatory work and to the work of the Council itself either at the meeting or in advance by mail to : mailto:vhe@mfa.no vhe@mfa.no or mailto:aeh@mfa.no aeh@mfa.no.  As stated in our last meeting, we appreciate that many States as well as other stakeholders are still in the process of preparing their positions regarding the work ahead, and that views and proposals shared in the meeting must be considered as provisional. We will hopefully all be in a better position to prepare for the Human Rights Council by sharing views at an early stage even before firm positions are taken. 


Yours sincerely,


Astrid Helle Ajamay
Minister Counsellor











		


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