HUMAN RIGHTS COMMITTEE OPENS SIXTY-SIXTH SESSION

MORNING


HR/CT/99/7
12 July 1999




Hears Statement by Deputy High Commissioner for Human Rights


The Human Rights Committee this morning opened its sixty-sixth session by adopting its agenda and programme of work. Committee members also heard a report on the activities of the Committee's pre-sessional working group and adopted, as amended, the written list of issues to be raised during its current session in relation to the consideration of the country reports.

In an opening statement, Bertram Ramcharan, Deputy High Commissioner for Human Rights, said that the role played by the Human Rights Committee was of great importance and should lead into the new millennium with a state of stature and sense of a new beginning. The International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights had been at the heart of the endeavours of the international community to promote human rights, Mr. Ramcharan stated.

During its three-week session, the 18-member body will consider reports submitted by Cambodia, Mexico, Poland and Romania on the measures they had undertaken to give effect to the provisions of the Covenant on Civil and Political Rights.

The four countries are among the 144 States parties to the Covenant, which was adopted in 1966 by the General Assembly. Government officials of those countries will introduce their respective country reports and respond to oral and written questions from the members of the Committee, acting in their personal capacity.

At the beginning of the meeting, Committee Chairperson Cecilia Medina Quiroga expressed regret that one of the experts, Thomas Buergenthal, of the United States, had presented his resignation to the Committee.


The Committee reconvenes at 3 p.m. to discuss a draft proposal on the guidelines of country reporting. (For further information, refer to Press Release HR/CT/99/6 of 8 July 1999.)



Statement by Deputy High Commissioner for Human Rights

BERTRAM RAMCHARAN, Deputy High Commissioner for Human Rights, stated that the role played by the Human Rights Committee was of great importance and should perpetuate into the new millennium with a state of stature and sense of a new beginning. Since its beginning, the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights was part of the process of the implementation of the international bill of human rights.

The Covenants on Civil and Political Rights and on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights had special places, he continued. They were at the heart of the endeavours of the international community to promote human rights, Mr. Ramcharan went on to state. In the early years of the Human Rights Committee and during the Cold War era, wisdom and patience had guided the Chairpersons of the Committee. In addition, while a uniformed implementation of the provisions of the Covenant was required, a measure of understanding had been taken into consideration with regard to developing countries.

Speaking on human rights enterprises, Mr. Ramcharan said that national systems, including the judiciary and the legislative bodies, should be inspired by the Covenants and their provisions.