UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon welcomed on Wednesday the
establishment of the modalities for the Universal Periodic Review
by the Human Rights Council.
In a statement released by his spokesperson, Ban said he
welcomed the establishment of "the modalities for a strong and
meaningful Universal Periodic Review."
"It sends a clear message that all countries will have their
human rights record and performance examined at regular intervals,
starting with members of the Human Rights Council," he noted,
adding that "no country, big or small, will be immune from
scrutiny."
The UN chief claimed that the periodic review holds great
promise for opening a new chapter in human rights promotion and
underscores the universality of human rights.
The UN Human Rights Council formally adopted new working rules
on Tuesday in Geneva that oblige all member states to submit to
periodic scrutiny of their records.
The Human Rights Council was formally inaugurated on June 19,
2006, to replace its widely-discredited predecessor, the UN Human
Rights Commission.
(Xinhua News Agency June 21, 2007)
