Human Rights Council. Third session
Statement by Norway 08.12.2006
Mr President,
The rights of indigenous peoples are of key importance to Norway. This issue affects the lives of, not only the indigenous peoples in our country, but the population as a whole.
The Human Rights Council, during it’s first session in June this year, decided with a large majority to adopt the draft Declaration on the rights of Indigenous Peoples and to send it to the General Assembly for final adoption.
We regret the decision by the 3rd committee of the General Assembly to defer consideration and action on the Declaration. We do, however, welcome the commitment of the GA to take action on the Declaration before the end of its sixty-first session.
It is of utmost importance that the GA lives up to this committment. The work of hundreds of government's and indigenous peoples' representatives should be honored and the process be brought to a honorable and meaningfull end.
The General Assembly now has the responsibility of proclaiming the Declaration during its present session, consistent with its commitment to the universal protection and promotion of human rights. We call upon all Member States to support the adoption of the Declaration by the General Assembly.