17. In dealing with issues concerning the protection of persons belonging to national minorities, States should be guided by the rules and the principles established in international human rights documents, including those multilateral instruments and mechanisms which have been created specifically to support the implementation of standards and commitments relating to minorities. As part of international human rights, the rights of persons belonging to national minorities are universal. Against this background, it is important that these rights are interpreted in a uniform way and according to the standards contained in multilateral instruments, notably of the United Nations, the OSCE, the Council of Europe and the EU. As stated in Recommendation 3, minority rights are a matter of international concern. States may therefore prefer to voice their concerns through multilateral mechanisms, as bilateral relations may be affected by unequal negotiating positions and may overlook minorities without a “kin-State”. It should be noted that transparency helps to promote understanding and goodwill, and that independent monitoring helps ensure that international legal norms are upheld. States could, therefore, benefit from reporting consistently on all their activities involving national minorities abroad to international bodies such as the Committee on Elimination of Racial Discrimination (CERD) or the Advisory Committee on the FCNM. 18. States are encouraged to conclude bilateral treaties and make other bilateral arrangements in order to enhance and further develop the level of protection for persons belonging to national minorities. These mechanisms offer vehicles through which States can share information and concerns, pursue interests and ideas, and further support minorities on the basis of friendly relations. A bilateral approach should follow the spirit of fundamental rules and principles laid down in multilateral instruments. In recent times there has been a considerable increase of bilateral treaties on transfrontier co-operation in inter-State relations that aim to improve minority protection through, inter alia, the establishment of joint commissions. Within the framework of international standards, bilateral treaties and the mechanisms they envisage can serve a useful function in respecting and promoting the rights of persons belonging to minorities. Article 18 of the FCNM encourages States to conclude such agreements. They can offer a vehicle through which States can Recommendations on National Minorities in Inter-State Relations 25