A/HRC/RES/S-18/1 United Nations General Assembly Distr.: General 5 December 2011 Original: English Human Rights Council Eighteenth special session 2 December 2011 Resolution adopted by the Human Rights Council S-18/1 The human rights situation in the Syrian Arab Republic The Human Rights Council, Reaffirming the purposes and principles of the Charter of the United Nations, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and relevant international human rights treaties, including the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, and that all States are bound to promote and protect human rights and fundamental freedoms, Recalling General Assembly resolutions 60/251 of 15 March 2006 and 65/281 of 17 June 2011, and Human Rights Council resolutions 5/1 and 5/2 of 18 June 2007, Recalling also Human Rights Council resolutions S-16/1 of 29 April 2011 and S17/1 of 22 August 2011, and the draft resolution adopted by the Third Committee of the General Assembly on 22 November 2011,1 Deploring the refusal of the Government of the Syrian Arab Republic to implement fully Human Rights Council resolutions S-16/1 and S-17/1 and its continued noncooperation with the independent commission of inquiry, in particular the continued lack of access to the country afforded to the commission, Deeply concerned by all ongoing grave violations of human rights by the Syrian authorities against their population, including civil and political rights, as well as economic, social and cultural rights, Stressing again the importance of ensuring accountability and the need to end impunity and to hold to account those responsible for human rights violations, including those violations that may amount to crimes against humanity, Welcoming the initiatives, efforts and measures of the League of Arab States to address all aspects of the situation in the Syrian Arab Republic, and the steps taken by the League to ensure the implementation of its Plan of Action of 2 November 2011, including those steps aimed at ending all human rights violations and all acts of violence, 1 GE.11-17209 A/C.3/66/L.57/Rev.1.