Following is the text of Montenegrin Foreign Minister Roćen’s address at the VIIth Session of the Human Rights Council, High Level Segment, in Geneva, Switzerland, March 3rd:

MR. PRESIDENT,
HIGH COMMISSIONER MADAM ARBOUR,
EXCELLENCIES,
LADIES AND GENTLEMEN,

I would like to greet the Secretary-General and the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights and express our appreciation for their excellent work.

It is an honour to address the High Level Segment of the VIIth Session of the Human Rights Council on which Montenegro particpates for the first time. I would like to reiterate our full support to the Council in promoting universal respect for the protection of human rights and fundamental freedoms. We are strongly committted to strive for the universality and indivisibility of human rights, civil and political, economic, social and cultural rights, including the right to development.

As a state in the Stabilisation and Association Process with the EU, Montenegro supports standards and values of the EU.

Appreciating the contribution of the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, the Government of Montenegro decided do contribute financially to the campaigne led by the High Commissioner to mark the 60 years of the adoption of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

Montenegro fully supports the process of establishment and the institution building of the Human Rights Council. We believe that a new mechanism — Universal Periodic Review — would provide a method for a transparent and objective assessment of the human rights situation in each UN Member State.

In that sense, it is very important to have an active role, participation and cooperation of the governmental institutions, civil societies and UN human rights treaty bodies, particularly the Committee against Torture, the Committee against Racial Discrimination and the Committee for the Elimination of the Discrimination against Women.

Montenegro was among the countries which supported and co-sponsored Resolution abolition of the death penalty. Montenegro, as a party to all major human rights treaties, supports their goals and will actively participate in creation and implementation of new standards in promotion and protection of human rights. With that aim we are constantly enhancing our cooperation with UN agencies in Montenegro. Montenegro was among the first countries to sign the International Convention for the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearance. We have also signed the International Convention on Rights of Persons with Disabilities and the Optional Protocol.

As the youngest UN Member State, we are aware of our obligations concerning submission of the reports on basis of other international human rights treaties. Our ministries are in the process of coordination and preparations of their reports as a part of a national one. We are in the final stage of the submission of the report on the implementation of the Convention on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women.

Montenegro, as a multicultural, multiethnic and multireligious society, would like to underline the significance of the promotion and development of intercultural dialogue and cooperation among different cultural and religious communities. We are proud of the fact that Montenegro is recognized as a multiethnic oasis and European success story in our region.

LADIES AND GENTLEMEN,

The success of the Human Rights Council depends not only on its members, but on each and every UN member state and every actor in the international community. We hope that the Human Rights Council will continue to shape the modern system of human rights protection based on traditional values in the Universal Declaration whose 60th anniversary we celebrate this year. Let me assure you that Montengro will be a reliable and supportive partner.

Thank you.
Geneva, Switzerland, March 3rd, 2008.

Address by Foreign Minister, H.E. Mr. Milan Roćen, at the VIIth Session of the Human Rights Council, High Level Segment, March 3rd, 2008