II. ACTION BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY AT ITS FORTY-SIXTH SESSION AND BY THE COMMISSION ON HUMAN RIGHTS AT ITS FORTY-EIGHTH SESSION 26. At its 1140th meeting, held on 21 April 1992, the Committee considered, the agenda item in the light of the relevant summary records of the Third Committee, General Assembly resolutions 46/81 of 16 December 1991, 46/111 and 46/113 of 17 December 1991, and Commission on Human Rights resolutions 1992/14 and 1992/15 of 21 February 1992. 27. In relation to the annual report of the Committee, submitted under article 45 of the Covenant, and the discussions held in the Third Committee at its 39th to 43rd meetings, from 12 to 18 November 1991, the Committee expressed full agreement that the question of discrimination against minorities was of particular importance. It was noted, in that regard, that preparatory work had already been initiated on a draft general comment relating to article 27 of the Covenant, which was the only binding provision on that matter currently in force. It was suggested that the work on that general comment should be accelerated. 28. Concerning the discussion in the General Assembly relating to the effective implementation of human rights instruments and the effective functioning of human rights treaty bodies, the Committee agreed that computer technology would help to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of the overall reporting procedures and reiterated the importance of coordination between the Human Rights Committee and the other treaty bodies. In that connection, at its 1148th meeting, held on 10 April 1992, individual members of the Committee were appointed to be responsible for liaison with the Subcommission on Prevention of Discrimination and Protection of Minorities, the Committee against Torture, the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women, the Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, the Committee on the Rights of the Child and the Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination. The Committee also endorsed suggestions made in the Third Committee that the question of emergency humanitarian intervention should be examined more closely. In that regard, it endorsed the suggestion that representatives of human rights treaty bodies could offer their assistance to States parties whenever a serious situation appeared to justify such action. 29. The Committee discussed the relevant resolutions adopted by the Commission on Human Rights at its forty-eighth session and noted with appreciation the Commission's favourable comments on its work. The Committee expressed strong agreement, in particular, with the recommendation that countries having difficulties in introducing necessary changes in their legislation that would allow for ratification of international instruments on human rights should be encouraged to request appropriate support from the Centre for Human Rights under the advisory services and technical assistance programmes. The Committee also noted, with particular satisfaction, the Commission's renewed request to ensure that recent periodic reports of States parties to treaty-monitoring bodies and the summary records of Committee discussions pertaining to them were made available in the United Nations information centres in the countries submitting the reports. -6-

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