CERD/C/AZE/CO/4 page 2 4. The Committee welcomes the adoption, in June 2002, of the Constitutional Law on the Implementation of Human Rights and Freedoms in the Republic of Azerbaijan. 5. The Committee welcomes the establishment of the Office of the Human Rights Commissioner of the Republic of Azerbaijan, pursuant to the Constitutional Act on the Ombudsman, adopted in December 2001. 6. The Committee welcomes the State party’s ratification of the Framework Convention for the Protection of National Minorities in 2000, the European Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms in 2002 and the European Social Charter in 2004. 7. The Committee notes with satisfaction that the State party has commenced the implementation of the refugee status determination procedure, in the framework of cooperation with UNHCR. 8. The Committee welcomes the adoption of the National Poverty Reduction Strategy for 2003-2005, which targets internally displaced persons as a vulnerable group. 9. The Committee notes with satisfaction that the State party has made the optional declaration recognizing the Committee’s competence to receive communications under article 14 of the Convention in 2001. D. Concerns and recommendations 10. The Committee notes the position of the State party that, despite the negative effects of the conflict in the Nagorny-Karabakh region, persons of Armenian origin do not experience discrimination in Azerbaijan. However, the Committee is concerned that, according to reports, incidents of racial discrimination against Armenians occur, and that a majority of the Armenians residing in Azerbaijan prefer to conceal their ethnic identity in order to avoid being discriminated against (Convention, art. 2). The Committee encourages the State party to continue to monitor all tendencies that give rise to racist and xenophobic behaviour and to combat the negative consequences of such tendencies. In particular, the Committee recommends to the State party that it conduct studies with a view to effectively assessing and evaluating occurrences of racial discrimination, in particular against ethnic Armenians. 11. While welcoming the information provided by the delegation on counter-trafficking measures taken by the State party, including the adoption, in 2004, of the National Plan of Action to combat trafficking in human beings and the establishment within the police service of a department to assist victims of trafficking, the Committee is concerned that human trafficking, including of foreign women, men and children, remains a serious problem in the State party, which is a country of origin and a transit point (art. 5). The Committee recommends that the State party include detailed information in its next periodic report on human trafficking and continue to undertake necessary legislative and policy measures to prevent and combat trafficking. The Committee urges the State party to provide support and assistance to victims, wherever possible