Foreign Minister Tuomioja to the opening session of UN Human Rights Council

Press release 191/2006
16 June, 2006

The newly established UN Human Rights Council will start off on 19 June. The festive opening session in Geneva, Switzerland, will be attended by cabinet members from different countries. Finland will be represented by Foreign Minister Erkki Tuomioja who will deliver Finland´s statement in the opening session on Monday.

The UN Human Rights Council was established on 15 March after lengthy consultations. The new council is expected to support the United Nations' agenda of promoting human rights. It is more permanent than its predecessor, the Human Rights Commission, with a higher status. Its members are expected to implement the highest human rights standards which will also be monitored in the future.

The first session of the council will continue for a fortnight, and the next session will be held during the Finnish EU Presidency in September. Finland was elected a member in May and as the forthcoming EU President Finland will have a key role in developing the working methods of the new council.

Further information: Director Johanna Suurpää, Unit for Human Rights Policy, tel. +358 40 724 0287