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General Assemblv 60th Session 72"dplenary meeting Draft resolution N601L.48: Human Rights Council

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STATEMENT by H.E. Mr. JohanL. Lsvald Ambassador PermanentRepresentative

New York, 15 March 2006

PERItlANENT . l\llSSlONOFNOFWAY THEUNITED TO NATIONS 825THIRD AVENUE, NEWYORK, NEWYORK10022. TEL 212.421 .0280. FAX212.6eg.o|,u

Mr. President, Norway welcomes the adoption of this historic resolution. We join others in expressingour gratitude to you, Mr. President,and your two Co-chairs, Ambassador Kumalo from South Africa and AmbassadorAria from Panama,for your tireless efforts and dedication in bringing our long processof consultations a successful to conclusion. Our gratitude also goes to the Secretary-General not only having initiated the reform process,but for also for your continued support throughout the processin order to help geffing this resolution adopted. Mr. President. We regret that this historic resolution could not be adopted without a vote. Human rights are universal rights. In order for the new Council to be truly effective in the protection and promotion of human rights we need the support and strong engagementof all Member States.This is an obligation we all have to the victims of human rights violations. While the text is weaker in certain parts than we would have hoped for, we recognize that many other countries could claim the same.The text is a result of a compromise and cannot be an ideal blueprint for anyone. The establishmentof the Human Rights Council present,however, is a unique opporfunity to start puffing in place a reinvigorated system for the promotion and protection of human rights and fundamental freedoms around the world. We are confident that the new Council representan important step towards strengtheningthe IIN human rights machinery. The text we have adopted sets standardsfor new member countries, who will be asked to make explicit commitments to promote and protect human rights. While recognizing that the membership of the Council is open to all Member States,it is our responsibility to elect candidatesthat up q.rulified to fulfil the mandate of promoting and protecting human rights. Commitment to respectund "rrrrre those rights and freedoms will remain of utmost importance for Norway when consideiing candidatesfor the Council. Mr. President, From the very beginning we have supportedthe elevation of human rights throughout the IIN system and the upgrading of the Commission of Human Rights to a standing Human Rights Council. This will reflect at the institutional level the centrality of human rights in the IIN system,in line with securify and development. The text we just adoptedwill establisha Council with a clearmandateto addressall human rights situations, a more frequent meeting schedulethat allows it to react more effectively to urgent situations, and a new universal review mechanism to ensurethat all countries' human rights record are addressed periodically. The text also preseryeskey strengthsof the Commission, including its unique systemof specialprocedures and its practicesofNGO participation. Mr. President,

Our Heads of State and Govemments resolved at the Summit 2005 to further strengthenthe United Nation machinery. As part of the fulfilment of this commitment we agreed to revital ize theoffice of the High Commissioner for Human Rights. Now we have taken another important step. We must now show the political will to make the Council an effective human rights body. To this end, we find it essentialthat outstanding questionsabout the modalities of the Council and its working methods will be dealt with in an open and inclusive process. The political will and commitment of the international community will be as important to making the new Council a better tool for meaningful promotion and protection of human rights, as any changesin structure and working methods. The real test will be about implementing human rights standards. Mr. President, Before the new Council will be able to deal with substantialissues, the first tasks will inter alia be to adopt a new agendaand working methods. In order to avoid a potential protection gap, we find it crucial that we arrive at smooth transition affangementsfrom the Humun nignts Commission to the new Council. Thank you, Mr. President.