A/HRC/18/2 4. Concluding remarks of the State under review 273. The delegation expressed its sincere thanks for the comments made during the plenary session by members, observer States and from civil society. The head of the delegation made a personal remark with regard to the general elections that had taken place the previous week. Negotiations were continuing on the formation of the new Government, but the process could be expected to end soon. Whatever the outcome of the negotiations, the head of the delegation was sure that he could say also on behalf of the new Government that it would take all recommendations seriously and follow up on them according to the procedures of the Council and in other relevant forums. The delegation thanked the secretariat and the troika once again for their support in the process. Palau 274. The review of Palau was held on 3 May 2011 in conformity with all the relevant provisions contained in Human Rights Council resolution 5/1, and was based on the following documents: (a) The national report submitted by Palau in accordance with the annex to Council resolution 5/1, paragraph 15 (a) (A/HRC/WG.6/11/PLW/1); (b) The compilation prepared by OHCHR in accordance with paragraph 15 (b) (A/HRC/WG.6/11/PLW/2); (c) The summary prepared by OHCHR in accordance with paragraph 15 (c) (A/HRC/WG.6/11/PLW/3). 275. At its 18th meeting, on 21 September 2011, the Human Rights Council considered and adopted the outcome of the review of Palau (see section C below). 276. The outcome of the review of Palau comprises the report of the Working Group on the Universal Periodic Review (A/HRC/18/5), the views of Palau concerning the recommendations and/or conclusions, and its voluntary commitments and replies presented before the adoption of the outcome by the plenary to questions or issues that were not sufficiently addressed during the interactive dialogue in the Working Group (see also A/HRC/18/5/Add.1). 1. Views expressed by the State under review on the recommendations and/or conclusions, its voluntary commitments and the outcome 277. The Director of the Bureau of Foreign Affairs of Palau, Jeffrey Antol, thanked the President of the Human Rights Council, the many States that had participated constructively in the session of the Working Group for Palau’s universal periodic review, the troika (Ecuador, the Republic of Moldova and Senegal), the secretariat and, in particular, Palau’s own civil society for their hard work and many contributions to the review. 278. Palau had found the universal periodic review to be a useful tool in assessing how it could improve in achieving its human rights goals, and had found the process to be a uniting agent for Government and civil society. The process had allowed Palau to identify human rights priorities and to take the steps necessary to ensure that fundamental human rights were not only realized but also promoted and protected in Palau. 279. Palau referred to the recently concluded forty-second Pacific Island Forum leaders’ meeting, held in New Zealand, which had welcomed the successful participation of all Forum members in the first round of the universal periodic review as a major regional achievement. According to the leaders, the development of cooperation and the networks GE.12-17756 119