The UN Human Rights Council on Thursday adopted a resolution calling for the lifting of Libya's suspension from the rights body.

The Human Rights Council "recommends that the General Assembly lift the suspension of the rights of membership of Libya in the Human Rights Council at its current session," the resolution said.

In February, the same body decided by consensus to ask the General Assembly in New York to suspend Libya's membership in the Council, citing gross human rights violations by Muammar Gaddafi's forces and rebels.

It will now be up to the General Assembly to heed the Council's advice, as it did in March.

Thursday's resolution said that the Council "welcomes the commitments made by Libya to uphold its obligations under international human rights law, to promote and protect human rights, democracy and the rule of law."

The resolution was sponsored by a large number of countries, including France and Britain, and a large number of Arab states.