A/50/514 English Page 3 I. INTRODUCTION 1. The General Assembly, at its forty-ninth session, adopted resolution 49/192 of 23 December 1994 entitled "Effective promotion of the Declaration on the Rights of Persons Belonging to National or Ethnic, Religious and Linguistic Minorities" by which the Assembly urged States and the international community to promote and protect the rights of persons belonging to national or ethnic, religious and linguistic minorities as set out in the Declaration, including through the facilitation of their full participation in all aspects of the political, economic, social, religious and cultural life of society and in the economic progress and development in their country; and also urged States to take, as appropriate, all the necessary constitutional, legislative, administrative and other measures to promote and give effect to the principles contained in the Declaration. 2. In paragraph 8, the Assembly called upon the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights to promote, within his mandate, the implementation of the principles contained in the Declaration and to continue to engage in a dialogue with Governments concerned for that purpose. The Assembly also requested the Secretary-General to report to it at its fiftieth session on the implementation of the resolution under the item entitled "Human rights questions". 3. Pursuant to that resolution, the Secretary-General, by a communication dated 5 April 1995, invited States, interested intergovernmental and non-governmental organizations, special representatives, special rapporteurs and relevant working groups of the Commission on Human Rights and the Subcommission on Prevention of Discrimination and Protection of Minorities to submit their comments to the Centre for Human Rights by 4 July 1995. 4. As of 25 August 1995, replies had been received from the Governments of Argentina, Cyprus, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Dominica, Germany, the Lao People’s Democratic Republic, Maldives, Mauritius, Morocco, the Russian Federation, Saint Lucia, Saudi Arabia, Spain and Ukraine. 5. Information was also provided by the relevant organs, bodies and special rapporteurs of the United Nations giving due regard to the Declaration in the execution of their mandates. 6. The United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights submitted information on his activities in the field of minority protection. 7. A reply was also received from the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). 8. The Council of Europe sent a document on the work accomplished and currently being carried out in this field by the Council and its organs (European Court of Human Rights and European Commission on Human Rights). 9. Replies were received from two non-governmental organizations, Caritas Internationalis and the World Muslim Congress. /...