PRESS RELEASE

The Russian Federation decided to take the cost related to the financing of the high-level thematic debate in the UN Council on human rights marking the 20-th anniversary of the World Conference on Human Rights in Vienna. The event is planned in the framework of the 22-th session of the Council, which will be held in Geneva in February and March of 2013.

The part of the annual voluntary contribution of the Russian Federation to the budget of the Office of the UN High Commissioner on Human Rights will be directed to the defrayment of expenses.

We presume that the Vienna Declaration and Programme of Action adopted by the World Conference remains the key universal international instruments in the field of the promotion and protection of human rights. We attach great importance to the implementation of the provisions of the documents declared to strengthen the international cooperation in the field of human rights as the key factor for the full ensuring of the UN goals. That is why Russia became the one of the initiators of conduction of the thematic debate reaffirming its commitment to the strengthening of universal respect of human rights and fundamental freedoms.

The Vienna Declaration and Programme of Action clearly state that the processes of promotion and protection of human rights must be implemented in accordance with the purposes and principles of the UN Charter and international law, and the approach to the consideration of human rights issues should be objective, universal and indiscriminate. Anniversary of the adoption of these important documents is the occasion to renew the commitment of states to implement the agreements reached at the conference, and take collective steps to strengthen the rule of law in international affairs and the development of constructive multilateral cooperation in the human rights sphere.

December 5, 2012