UNITED NATIONS, Nov. 3, 2010 -- President of the UN General Assembly (GA) Joseph Deiss on Wednesday lauded the work of the UN Human Rights Council, recognizing the body's "vital contribution" to the world body's system.

The statement came as Deiss addressed a plenary meeting of the 65th session of the General Assembly on the annual report of the Geneva-based Human Rights Council.

The Council's annual report "stresses the importance of human rights as a third pillar of the mission of the United Nations, alongside the promotion of peace security and development," said Deiss.

"These pillars are interlinked and mutually reinforcing and it is therefore essential that progress is made in all these areas," he added.

The Council's creation five years ago "was instrumental in promoting and protecting human rights for all, without distinction of any kind and in a fair and equal manner," Deiss said.

Established by the UN General Assembly in 2006, the Human Rights Council is inter-governmental body composed of 47 UN member states that work to address human rights violations around the world and provide recommendations on dealing with them.

Meanwhile, the General Assembly president added that "it is now important to review the work and functioning of the Council," Deiss said, adding that he intents to complete the process of reviewing the Council's work during his term as the president of the 65th General Assembly session, which ends in September 2011.