Romania took over on Tuesday the presidency of UN Human Rights Council (HRC) for a one-year term, the Foreign Ministry said in a press release.

The HRC presidency is the most important mandate Romania has held in the last 17 years within the UN system, after the terms of office held with the UN Security Council (1990-91 and 2004-2006). Romania is at the same time the first EU member state to hold this mandate.

Romania will be in the position to demonstrate through hard facts its commitment to human rights and the way it understands to act in order to ensure the necessary conditions for the promotion and defense thereof in the only global jurisdiction body dedicated to these fundamental values, according to the release.

Romania is a member of the Human Rights Council for a two-year term (2006-2008). The effective presidency of the council is ensured by Romania's permanent representative to the UN Office in Geneva, said the release.

Source: Xinhua