A/HRC/S-8/2 page 6 II. Organization of work of the eighth special session 1. Pursuant to paragraph 10 of General Assembly resolution 60/251, and in accordance with rule 6 of the rules of procedure of the Human Rights Council as contained in the annex to Council resolution 5/1, the Council shall hold special sessions, when needed, at the request of a member of the Council with the support of one third of the membership of the Council. 2. In a letter dated 25 November 2008, addressed to the President of the Council (A/HRC/S-8/1), the Representative of the Permanent Mission of France, on behalf of the European Union, requested the convening of a special session of the Council on 28 November 2008 to consider and take action on the situation of human rights in the east of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. 3. The letter, received by the President on the same day, was accompanied by signatures in support of the above-mentioned request from the following 16 States members of the Council: Argentina, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Canada, Chile, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Mexico, the Netherlands, the Republic of Korea, Slovakia, Slovenia, Switzerland, Ukraine and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. 4. In addition to the above-mentioned States members of the Council, the request was also supported by the following observer States of the Council: Australia, Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Cyprus, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Monaco, Poland, Portugal, the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Romania, Spain and Sweden. Subsequently, Albania, Israel and Panama signed the request. 5. As more than one third of the membership of the Council supported the above-mentioned request, the President of the Council, following consultations with interested parties, decided to convene a special session of the Council on 28 November and 1 December 2008. A. Opening and duration of the session 6. The Council held its eighth special session at the United Nations Office at Geneva on 28 November and 1 December 2008. It held two meetings during the session. 7. The eighth special session was opened by the President of the Council. B. Attendance 8. The special session was attended by representatives of States members of the Council, observer States of the Council, observers for non-member States of the United Nations and other observers, as well as observers for United Nations entities, specialized agencies and related organizations, intergovernmental organizations and other entities, national human rights institutions and non-governmental organizations.