On June 21 within the framework of the First session of the UN Human Rights Council a working meeting of representatives of interested countries on the draft Convention for the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearance took place. The meeting was organized by the mission of France.

Participants of the working meeting pointed out that United Nations Secretary General Kofi Annan as well as numerous representatives of member states of the Human Rights Council including Minister of Foreign Affairs of Austria Ursula Plassnik, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Argentina Jorge Taiana, Chilean minister Paulina Veloso in the chair, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine Boris Tarasiuk, Minister of Foreign Affairs and European Integration of Croatia Kolinda Grabar-Kitarovic, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Andorra Juli Minoves, Minister of Foreign Affairs of France Philippe Douste-Blazy, Minister of Justice, Human Rights, Rehabilitation, Law and Constitutional Affairs of Lesotho Moses Refiloe Masemene expressed their support for a prompt adoption of the draft Convention. Representatives of Chile, Argentina, Switzerland, Morocco, Spain, Austria, Russia, New Zealand, India, Brazil, Canada, Azerbaijan, Ireland, Mexico, Ukraine, Japan, Estonia and other countries who spoke at the working meeting also supported a quick adoption of the draft Convention. All speakers singled out a massive contribution of France, the country which during the last three years conducted negotiations on the text of the draft Convention, and agreed that the Convention will become an effective instrument that will help prevent new enforced disappearances, uncover the truth about already committed ones as well as render justice.

The report on the draft Convention for the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearance will be delivered on Tuesday, June 27 by Chairman of the Working Group on draft Convention Bernard Kessedjian. Also, in the context of the Human Rights Council session on the initiative of non-governmental organizations affiliating family members of enforcedly disappeared people two special events in favor of the Convention will be held on June 23 and June 25.

On June 23 issues of enforced disappearances in various countries will be discussed at the event jointly organized by the Latin American Federation of Associations of Relatives of Disappeared (FEDEFAM), Venezuela, Asian Federation Against Disappearances (AFAD), Philippines, Human Rights Watch, USA, Linking Solidarity, Netherlands, Civil Initiative We Remember, Belarus. The speakers will include: Ambassador of France to the UN Jean-Maurice Ripert, Ambassador of Argentina Alberto Dumont, Ambassador of Spain Juan Antonio March, Ambassador of Chile Juan Martabit, representative of the Commission on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Xochitl Galvez, Mexico, AFAD representative Mary Aileen Bacalso, Philippines, FEDEFAM representative Marta Ocampo de Vazquez, Argentina. At this event the open letter in support of the Convention signed by thousands of people and dozens of organizations throughout the world will be presented. The open letter will be distributed among all participants of the Human Rights Council session.

CIWR.ORG press-service