Brussels, 11/03/2002 (Agence Europe) - Before the 58th session of the United Nations' Human Right Committee, in Geneva, the General Affairs Council adopted lengthy conclusions on Monday on the Committee and the role the European Union has to play in it. The Fifteen stressed that "human right are a fundamental component of the external action of the European Union", the "Human Rights Committee has reaffirmed itself s an essential forum for the defense and protection of human rights around the world". "The European Union is determined to continue to play a major role at the Committee", "in the spirit of commitment and dialogue". The Council also noted that the "European Union will submit a significant number of initiatives on countries or subjects" to the Human Rights Committee, "including the death sentence, children's rights and the human rights situation in a certain number of countries". It "urges in particular the United States to actively participate in the 58th session of the Committee in which it has played, every year since its creation, an eminent role in the defence and promotion of human rights and fundamental freedoms". The Fifteen hope that a "strong" operational Protocol at the Convention against torture will be adopted. Finally, the Council "reaffirms its attachment to the International Criminal Tribunal as essential means to promote the respect of humanitarian rights and human rights". The Fifteen welcome that the ratification of the "Rome Convention on the statute of the International Criminal Tribunal is moving ahead quickly, consequently, the 60 acts of ratification necessary for its statute to enter into force will be attained quickly".