E/CN.4/1999/58/Add.1 page 25 rights instruments and conforming with those two clauses would provide appropriate and necessary legal protection for the freedom of religion and belief in general, but above all for communities in the field of religion or belief. Such a law could also be able to incorporate the advantages of the two constitutional clauses while encouraging State-religion relations based on an appropriate dynamic equilibrium and avoiding extreme situations of “anti-religious clericalism” and “religious clericalism”. 73. Finally, ratification of the Convention on the Rights of the Child by the United States is strongly encouraged: it would be a logical consequence of the human rights policy proclaimed by that country at the international level. It will be remembered, however, that as happened in the case of Mr. Bacre Waly Ndiaye's mission, the federal authorities which are supposed to represent the states of the Union at the international level did not take it upon themselves to organize meetings between the Special Rapporteur and the state authorities. Furthermore, most of the official and non-official representatives that the Special Rapporteur met in the states did not seem to know the international human rights instruments. Similarly, statements by certain public figures irritated by United Nations special rapporteurs' visits to the United States are surprising to say the least, in that they would seem to imply that the world's leading Power fears United Nations “domination”, on the one hand, and on the other, wishes to set itself up as entitled to give other countries lessons while rejecting criticisms of its domestic situation, which is seen in a positive light without any limitations or reservations. It would therefore be desirable that these individual positions should remain incidental phenomena not affecting the move towards a more open policy both at home and abroad which is evident in the United States and that the country's commitment in the field of human rights should take on a practical aspect rather than remaining simply a matter of form - both internationally and nationally. 74. As far as tolerance and non-discrimination based on religion or belief are concerned, the Special Rapporteur notes that the United States, a vast mosaic of religions and beliefs (as can be seen in some Washington avenues consisting of an extraordinary succession of places of worship of all denominations), not only extends a welcome to different faiths, but itself begets them, as a country which is free and open to all religions and beliefs. The representation of the United States through the symbol of the mosaic is in fact relevant, because although there is a dominant European and Judaeo-Christian element, the great variety of denominations in the majority Christian religion and of minorities in the field of religion and belief leads one to see all denominations as minorities. At the end of his study, the Special Rapporteur considers that the actual situation in the United States in the field of tolerance and non-discrimination is in general satisfactory. There are nevertheless some evident exceptions that must be pointed out, particularly as regards the situation of Native Americans. The Jewish community 75. The Jews are satisfied with their lot as a whole and do not hesitate to describe their situation as privileged, and indeed unique, in particular because of a degree of religious liberty which the representatives of the Jewish community consider to be without equal elsewhere in the world. Faced