Russian Federation on item V 9th session of the Forum on Minority Issues - ohchr 24/25 November 2016 Unites Nations - Geneva Thank you Chair. To save time, I will just give some proposals on the report on the draft recommendations. First, in paragraph 25 of the report there is a definition of humanitarian crises, which appears incomplete because it covers only conflict situations and that specific stage in their development where the needs arises to involvement of the international community. I think we should not have such definition at all and this is outside the terms of reference of the special rapporteur. Secondly, we have to take out of the draft recommendations the reference to lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender persons in paragraphs 9 and 25 subparagraph G. The draft recommendations are grounded on the Declaration, which has full categories of minorities and adding LGBT to this, from a legal point of view, is not admissible. And three, paragraph 22 subparagraph A and B raise questions. We don’t understand what is meant by developing a comprehensive UN strategy for the proposal to appoint experts within the UN system. This is ambitious, but we have to see whether it is possible to implement such recommendations. Each recommendation has to be thematic and relevant but it also has financial implications, especially now the UN is working on zero budget grounds. Fourth, I would like to reiterate the recommendation of my delegation. We need to prepare clear rules for the work of the Forum and procedure for accreditation of participants. We hope that the UN human rights council will prepare such rules of procedure that will be consonant with the rules of the UN General assembly and ECOSOC. Thank you.