UNITED NATIONS CERD International Convention on the Elimination of all Forms of Racial Discrimination Distr. GENERAL CERD/C/65/CO/8 10 December 2004 Original: ENGLISH COMMITTEE ON THE ELIMINATION OF RACIAL DISCRIMINATION Sixty-fifth session 2 – 20 August 2004 CONSIDERATION OF REPORTS SUBMITTED BY STATEPARTIES UNDER ARTICLE 9 OF THE CONVENTION Concluding observations of the Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination TAJIKISTAN 1. The Committee considered the initial to fifth periodic reports of Tajikistan, due respectively from 1996 to 2004, submitted as one document (CERD/C/463/Add.1), at its 1658th and 1659th meetings (CERD/C/SR.1658 and 1659), held on 11 and 12 August 2004. At its 1670th meeting (CERD/C/SR.1670), held on 19 August 2004, it adopted the following concluding observations. A. Introduction 2. The Committee welcomes the report submitted and the opportunity thus afforded to enter into dialogue with the State party in a constructive manner. The Committee also appreciates the presence of a high-ranking delegation and the efforts it made to respond to the questions asked. 3. The Committee welcomes the efforts made by the State party to comply with the reporting guidelines of the Committee, in particular by providing information relating to the ethnic composition of the population as well as statistical data. More information should be provided, however, on the practical implementation of the Convention. 4. Taking into consideration that economic difficulties have prevented the State party submitting its initial report until nine years after its ratification of the Convention, the Committee invites the State party to take due account, in the submission of its future reports, of the timetable provided for by the Committee. B. Positive aspects 5. The Committee welcomes the establishment, in 2002, of the Commission on Fulfilment of International Human Rights Commitments entrusted with a mandate to GE.04-45160