China on Monday called on UN members to be flexible so that a draft resolution on creating a new Human Rights Council could be adopted this week.

"The resolution is not perfect but it is a compromise that can be accepted by all UN members so China hopes it can be adopted," said Sha Zukang, top Chinese diplomat to the UN office in Geneva.

Sha was speaking to Xinhua News Agency after the suspension of the 62nd annual session of the UN Human Rights Commission which has been widely criticized and would be replaced by the proposed Human Rights Council.

The one-week suspension was announced by Manuel Rodriguez Cuadros, the Commission's Peruvian president, only a few minutes after opening on Monday, citing the "extraordinary situation" brought about by ongoing talks in New York over the new Human Rights Council.

A final decision on the new body is expected to be made this week as General Assembly President Jan Eliasson, UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan and others are doing their best to convince Washington to support the setting-up of the new body. 

"Currently only the US is against the Resolution which is actually the best possible compromise among UN members and reflects a fragile balance of all members' concerns," Sha said.

He said the 62nd session of the Human Rights Commission might be the last annual session of the 53-member body which was created in 1946.

But he hoped that the last session would be successful and harmonious with progress being made on the various human rights causes around the world.

He also hoped the last session would foster a co-operative atmosphere and lay groundwork for its successor, the proposed Human Rights Council, which is expected to convene in June.

(Xinhua News Agency March 14, 2006)