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United Nations documents. In addition, my Office has been given the task of summarizing the
credible and reliable information provided by relevant stakeholders. Such a broad basis of
information is critical to the development of an inclusive and objective review process. Further
developments were seen with regard to the universal periodic review mechanism, including the
selection of the order of review of the 192 countries to be considered by the Working Group
during the first four-year cycle.
7.
Resolution 5/1 provides the general framework of the review, yet remains silent on several
details. My Office has comprehensively contributed to further refining the modalities of the
process with a view to developing an effective, meaningful and transparent mechanism on the
basis of open and constructive dialogue. Policy issues associated with the establishment of the
universal periodic review continue to be addressed both by the Council Bureau and within
OHCHR.
8.
Progress has also been made in discussing the troika selection system. It is essential that all
troikas function in a consistent and coherent manner. This is crucial to ensuring effective
interaction with States under consideration by the Working Group.
9.
In addition to providing substantive and technical support to member States in establishing
the universal periodic review, I welcome the approval by the General Assembly of my request
for additional resources to enable my Office to take on this additional responsibility in
accordance with Council resolution 5/1.
10. I also encourage United Nations partners to further engage in the process, not only
concerning their input during the preparatory phase of the universal periodic review, but also in
the implementation and follow-up of the outcome, especially at the national level. The universal
periodic review is an opportunity to create greater synergies and coherence in the work of the
United Nations at the national, regional and international levels.
11. As I have mentioned on repeated occasions, I consider the universal periodic review one
of the main pillars of the institutional architecture of the Council. The review of the first
48 countries within this framework, in the course of 2008, constitutes an opportunity for the
Council to demonstrate that it has moved beyond politicization and selectivity by applying
universal and equal standards and parameters to the review of the commitments and obligations
of all States in the field of human rights. At the same time, I would like to emphasize that the
credibility of the Council will be put to the test and the success of the universal periodic review
will to a large extent depend on the willingness of States to engage in the process in a
meaningful and constructive manner. I therefore encourage all States Members of the
United Nations to live up to the commitments embodied in the institution-building package.
12. In my report to the General Assembly at the sixty-second session, I expressed my hope that
the Council would devise transitional measures to avoid a protection gap in relation to the new
complaint procedure, as the mandate of the Working Group on Communications expired on
18 June 2007. I welcome the decision adopted by the Council at its sixth session, which enabled
the holding of the first session of the Working Group on Communications in its former
composition, pending the nomination of new members from among the Human Rights Council
Advisory Committee. I am pleased to note that this agreement secured a seamless transition from
the 1503 procedure to the new complaint procedure. In the light of the many similarities between
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