Statement of the Convening Group Chair in Celebration of Human Rights Day

Mr. President:
 
I have the honor to take the floor on behalf of the members of The Convening Group of the Community of Democracies, composed of the Czech Republic, India, the Republic of Korea, Mali, Mexico, Poland, Portugal, South Africa and the United States of America and of Chile.

Italy, Peru and Romania, special guests of the Convening Group also join this statement. The Community of Democracies was launched at a Ministerial Conference in Warsaw, Poland in June 2000, where more than 100 countries pledged to uphold democratic principles outlined in the Warsaw Declaration.

This Community, at the Second Ministerial Conference held in the Republic of Korea, in November 2002, also adopted the Seoul Plan of Action, reaffirming, inter-alia, the commitment of its members to promote, protect, and respect for human rights – civil, political, economic, social, and cultural – as essential
elements of democracy.

At a recent ministerial meeting, held in the headquarters of the United Nations, on September 26,2003, the Convening Group stressed the adherence of the Community of Democracies to the purposes and principles of the UN Charter, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, and fundamental principles of International Law.  The meeting also emphasized the interdependence between peace, development, human rights and democracy and reiterated the commitment of the Community of Democracies to the continuous promotion of democracy at the national, regional, and global levels.

Today, the Convening Countries of the Community of Democracies join in the celebration of the Human Rights Day, an occasion of the Fifty-Fifth anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the Tenth Anniversary of the adoption by the World Conference of Vienna, of the 1993 Vienna Declaration and Programme of Action on Human Rights.

It is by recognizing the universality of the principles of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights that we commit ourselves to the continuous promotion of democracy domestically, regionally, and globally.

On this occasion, we recall the commitment of the states members of the Community of Democracies with the full implementation of the 1993 Vienna Declaration and Programme of Action. We also reiterate the interdependence between peace, development, human rights and democracy.

Furthermore, the members of the Convening Group recall today the commitment of the Community of Democracies to collaborate on democracy-related issues with the United Nations system in its entirety and other international and regional organizations. In this context, we welcome the decision of the Secretary General to appoint a high-level panel, and other on-going efforts to reform the multilateral system.

We look forward to collaborating with all states committed to the promotion of democracy in the achievement of this goal.