A/HRC/15/16 Introduction 1. The Working Group on the Universal Periodic Review, established in accordance with Human Rights Council resolution 5/1, held its eighth session from 3 to 14 May 2010. The review of Belarus was held at the 16th meeting, on 12 May 2010. The delegation of Belarus was headed by the Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary, Permanent Representative to the United Nations Office and other International Organizations at Geneva, Mikhail Khvostov. At its 17th meeting, held on 14 May 2010, the Working Group adopted the report on Belarus. 2. On 7 September 2009, the Human Rights Council selected the following group of rapporteurs (troika) to facilitate the review of Belarus: Norway, the Philippines and Senegal. 3. In accordance with paragraph 15 of the annex to resolution 5/1, the following documents were issued for the review of Belarus: (a) A national report submitted/written presentation made in accordance with paragraph 15 (a) (A/HRC/WG.6/8/BLR/1); (b) A compilation prepared by the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) in accordance with paragraph 15 (b) (A/HRC/WG.6/8/BLR/2); (c) A summary prepared by OHCHR in accordance with paragraph 15 (c) (A/HRC/WG.6/8/BLR/3). 4. A list of questions prepared in advance by Argentina, Denmark, the Netherlands, Norway, Latvia, Lithuania, Slovenia, Sweden, Switzerland and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland was transmitted to Belarus through the troika. Those questions are available on the extranet of the universal periodic review. I. Summary of the proceedings of the review process A. Presentation by the State under review 5. At the 16th meeting, the delegation of Belarus, headed by the Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary, Permanent Representative of Belarus to the United Nations Office and other International Organizations at Geneva, Mikhail Khvostov, began its presentation of the national report. It expressed its view that the universal periodic review process had successfully fulfilled its purpose of ensuring the objective review of the human rights situation in all countries. According to the delegation, consultations had been held with a maximum number of interested actors, including civil society, during the preparation of the national report. The delegation stressed that it had no intention of ignoring the challenges and shortcomings in the protection and promotion of human rights, while noting that the pace and conditions of the development and capabilities of Governments differed. 6. The delegation noted that Belarus had managed to accomplish a series of achievements under difficult conditions, including, inter alia, the accident at the Chernobyl nuclear power station in 1986, and that those achievements were a basis for confidence that human rights in Belarus were in the process of sustainable development. 7. The delegation referred to the United Nations Human Development Report 2009, according to which Belarus ranked 68th in the human development index and was included 3