NEW YORK , 1 AUGUST 2005
STATEMENT BY Mr. RUI MACIEIRA, CHARGÉ D’AFFAIRES A.I. AND DEPUTY PERMANENT REPRESENTATIVE OF PORTUGAL TO THE UNITED NATIONS, TO THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE UNITED NATIONS (speaking points at the informal meeting of the Plenary to discuss the revised text of the Draft Outcome Document of the High Level Plenary Meeting of the General Assembly)

Mr. President,

As I have mentioned last Friday, the revised draft outcome document provides us with a very good basis for making substantive progress in September on the way the United Nations may successfully help us overcome the threats and challenges facing the international community today.

This is particularly true of the section on human rights and rule of law, which deserves our strong support.

Following your invitation to be focused and concise on our comments, I would like to highlight only two aspects in relation to human rights and rule of law: the responsibility to protect and the Human Rights Council.

Mr. President,

The concept of responsibility to protect must be agreed and endorsed by our Heads of State and Government in September.  We stand fully behind the references to this concept to be made by the United Kingdom on behalf of the European Union.

We know that some still regard this concept as a “novelty” that has not been sufficiently discussed among ourselves.  On the contrary, these concepts are enshrined in the vast majority of our constitutional systems. We should give them the international dignity they deserve by having them endorsed by our Heads of State and Government.

Mr. President,

Allow me to also raise the question of the Human Rights Council that, while included in the section on strengthening the United Nations, is closely related to this section.

We fully support the outline of this new body contained in the revised draft outcome document, in particular in what concerns the more detailed definition of its mandate.

We consider the creation of this new body in replacement of the Commission on Human Rights to be one important deliverable of the Summit . A standing Human Rights Council would translate institutionally our stated intention to place Human Rights on the same footing as development and peace and security.  

Thank you, Mr. President.