UN General Assembly
2005

status as a permanent organ, will have been defined. The election of its members by a two-thirds majority of the Assembly, as we propose, will strengthen that organ’s legitimacy. Comprehensive reporting by the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner would also enhance the credibility of the multilateral human rights system. In order to avoid the politicization and selectivity that are harming United Nations human rights work, a peer review system would promote greater cooperation, with all countries subject to objective evaluations — particularly for those that aspire to seats on the Human Rights Council. Democratic values are cross-cutting: they apply to the citizens who participate in the life of a community, they underlie the organization of government and public institutions, and they are also the linchpin of international coexistence. Democratic values are a priority on the multilateral agenda and should be reflected in the active commitment of Member States to promote and defend democracy. It was that interest that has motivated Chile’s efforts within the Community of Democracies. While some peoples and regions are part of