Geneva, Sep. 10, 2019, SPA -- The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia affirmed its support for the efforts of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (UN Human Rights) and its keenness to cooperate closely with the Office of the High Commissioner and other international mechanisms for promoting and protecting human rights and updating its national regulations and legislation in accordance with its local circumstances and international obligations. This came in the speech delivered by the Kingdom's Permanent Representative to the United Nations in Geneva Dr. Abdulaziz Al-Wasel before the Human Rights Council, where he thanked High Commissioner for Human Rights Michelle Bachelet for her statement and efforts to promote and protect human rights. Dr. Al-Wasel explained that the Kingdom agrees with the High Commissioner for Human Rights on what she said about climate change and shares the same concerns, adding that the Kingdom supports everything that would help to mitigate the effects of climate change. Therefore, the Kingdom has joined international efforts in this field, including Paris Convention on Climate Change and Quito Protocol. Regarding the situation in Palestine, Al-Wasel strongly condemned the demolitions and displacements carried out by the Israeli occupation authorities against Palestinians for the illegal expansion which violates international norms and laws in construction of settlements throughout the occupied West Bank, including East Al-Quds. He also condemned the increase of assaults and violent cases against Palestinians in addition to the failure of the occupation authorities to protect Palestinians and hold perpetrators accountable, calling on all countries and organizations to support and protect Palestinians and to mount pressure on the occupation authorities to abide by international conventions and stop violations against the Palestinian people. Dr. Al-Wasel concluded that the Kingdom expressed grave concern with regard to information reported by the High Commissioner on the situation in Myanmar, particularly the ongoing conflicts between the so-called Arakan Army and the government's Army, calling on Myanmar's government to respond to international calls for an end to escalation and cooperation with relevant international mechanisms to end the problem of the Rohingya minority. --SPA 19:15 LOCAL TIME 16:15 GMT 0033 www.spa.gov.sa/w1169523