A/HRC/17/19 Universal Periodic Review, the President directs discussions and ensures observance of the rules and procedures. In addition, the President is often called upon to make use of his authority and impartiality to facilitate consultations on any politically sensitive issues arising during Council sessions or inter-sessional periods. The President carries out specific mandates envisaged in the institution-building package , such as the consideration of recommendations made by the consultative group on the selection of special procedures mandate holders and related consultations. Pursuant to specific Council resolutions, the President is also increasingly requested to appoint members of fact-finding missions and commissions of inquiry following consultations with relevant groups and States. The President holds regular meetings with non-governmental organizations, holds press conferences and responds to requests for interviews from the media. The President receives a number of letters from permanent representatives, regional or other groups of States, national human rights institutions, non-governmental organizations and academic institutions on a variety of issues relating to the work of the Council, most of which require considered responses. The President travels to Headquarters to present the annual report of the Council to the General Assembly and hold consultations on issues relevant to the work of the Council. V. Office of the President of the Human Rights Council 9. To date, all Presidents have been supported by the staff of their own Governments serving as special assistant and the main focal point for interactions with the Human Rights Council secretariat. The tasks of the special assistants have typically included providing policy and political advice on all issues relating to the functions of the President during the sessions and beyond; drafting or clearing draft statements and other documents to be presented by the President to the Council; assisting in convening meetings of the Council Bureau, preparing talking points for the President and drafting minutes; and finalizing draft correspondence for the President. 10. The Presidents have also been supported by a few additional staff members provided by other individual Governments on the basis of a loan arrangement and/or financed by a foundation or a regional organization. Their tasks include organizing, under the supervision of the President’s special assistant, the agenda of the President; setting up and preparing for bilateral meetings of the President; and drafting standard letters of reply from the President to incoming correspondence. They undertake other ad hoc tasks requested by the President, and respond to other queries on the work of the President in general. VI. Secretariat of the Human Rights Council 11. The secretariat of the Human Rights Council is a small team located within the Human Rights Council Branch of OHCHR. As such, it is institutionally separate from the Council and its President and, as an organizational unit of OHCHR, operates under the authority of the High Commissioner and the Secretary-General. Throughout the year, the Council secretariat, inter alia, provides substantive support for the organization, servicing and follow-up to meetings of the Council and its subsidiary bodies. In the implementation of these tasks, the secretariat undertakes consultations with other parts of OHCHR, the United Nations Office at Geneva, which provides conference servicing support for the meetings of the Council, and other Departments at Headquarters, as needed. 12. Within the framework of the above-mentioned support for the Council, the Council secretariat provides the President with substantive and parliamentary advice and support in relation to formal and informal meetings of the Council; for instance, the secretariat prepares speaking points for the President in chairing meetings and provides advice on the 5