The United Nations Human Rights Council on Monday opened its fifth session, facing the critical task of finalizing its institution building work.

The 47-state council took the place of the former widely-discredited Human Rights Commission last June. According to related UN General Assembly resolutions, it has to agree on new structure and mechanisms for the promotion and protection of human rights in one year.

At the center of the debate is a so-called Universal Periodic Review system, which would regularly review the human rights record of all UN member states.

Luis Alfonso de Alba, president of the Human Rights Council until June 18, is leading the negotiations on implementing the council's procedural rules and mechanisms.

To this end he has submitted to the council's 47 member states a compromise text for discussion during the eight-day session.

"I hope that a text can be approved without a vote and that we will all be celebrating this historic event on June 18," de Alba told reporters last week.

According to related UN resolutions, the Human Rights Council should undertake the Universal Periodic Review in a manner which ensured universality of coverage and equal treatment with respect to all states.

The review should be a cooperative mechanism, based on an interactive dialogue, with the full involvement of the country concerned and with consideration given to its capacity-building needs.