Human Rights Council Resolution 6/15. Forum on Minority Issues The Human Rights Council, Recalling the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and the Declaration on the Rights of Persons Belonging to National or Ethnic, Religious and Linguistic Minorities adopted by consensus by the General Assembly by its resolution 47/135 of 18 December 1992, Taking into consideration article 27 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights as well as other relevant existing international standards and national legislation, Recalling Commission on Human Rights resolution 1995/24 of 3 March 1995, Economic and Social Council resolution 1995/31 of 25 July 1995 and decision 1998/246 of 30 July 1998 on the mandate of the Working Group on Minorities of the Sub-Commission on the Promotion and Protection of Human Rights, Recalling also Human Rights Council resolution 5/1 of 18 June 2007, which calls upon the Council to decide at its sixth session on the most appropriate mechanisms to continue the work of the former working groups of the SubCommission, Taking note of the final report of the Working Group on Minorities (A/HRC/Sub.1/58/19), in particular the recommendations on the future of the Working Group, which emphasizes the need for a mechanism to serve as forum for dialogue and mutual understanding on minority rights issues, Taking note also of the report of the Secretary-General on the rights of persons belonging to national or ethnic, religious and linguistic minorities (A/HRC/4/109), in which he invites the Council to consider ways to maintain mechanisms offering opportunities for the meaningful participation of civil society,