E/CN.4/Sub.2/AC.5/2001/2 page 20 Article 9 The specialized agencies and other organizations of the United Nations system shall contribute to the full realization of the rights and principles set forth in the present Declaration, within their respective fields of competence 85. Wherever possible, the agencies and bodies of the United Nations system shall contribute to the full realization of the Declaration. Projects of technical cooperation and assistance shall take the standards contained in the Declaration fully into account. The Working Group on Minorities established by the United Nations in July 1995 serves as a stimulus for such cooperation. This article should be seen in the light of the Charter of the United Nations (arts. 55-56), according to which the Organization shall promote respect and observance for human rights and fundamental freedoms. Promotion of the rights of persons belonging to minorities form part of that obligation. United Nations organs and specialized agencies should give special consideration to requests for technical cooperation and assistance that are designed to achieve the aims of this Declaration. Notes 1 E/CN.4/Sub.2/AC.5/1998/WP.1. 2 E/CN.4/Sub.2/AC.5/1999/WP.1. 3 E/CN.4/Sub.2/AC.5/2000/WP.1. 4 The Framework Convention for the Protection of National Minorities, adopted by the Council of Europe in 1994. 5 Most important are the Helsinki Final Act of 1975 and the Document of the Copenhagen Meeting of the Conference on the Human Dimension of the Conference on Security and Co-operation in Europe, 1990, section IV, paragraphs 30 to 40. 6 Reference can here be made also to General Comment No. 23, adopted by the Human Rights Committee at its fiftieth session. It deals with article 27 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (the minority rights provision), and points out, in paragraph 3.1, the distinction between the right of peoples to self-determination and the rights of persons belonging to minorities, which are protected under article 27. 7 Human Rights Committee, General Comment No. 23, adopted at the fiftieth session, 1994, paragraphs 6.1 and 6.2. 8 Report of the CSE Meeting of Experts on National Minorities, Geneva, 19 July 1991, Part IV. Text in A. Bloed (Ed.), The Conference on Security and Co-operation in Europe (above, note 2),