A/51/536 English Page 18 stressed that effective channels of communication were crucial in establishing a collaborative relationship and that it was important to identify the type of information to be shared. The following areas in which cooperation could be strengthened were suggested: collection of legislation protecting the identity and characteristics of minorities, education for and about minorities, discrimination in the area of labour, and housing rights, the right to a nationality, the incorporation of minority concerns into the mainstream activities of the agencies and the relevant training and other programmes, and minority-related issues to be raised at the Commission on Human Rights. In conclusion, it was suggested that the next meeting, to be held in early 1997, focus on one or two subjects of mutual concern to the agencies. 63. The High Commissioner has continued to engage in a constructive dialogue with Governments, in particular on the occasion of his visits to Austria, Bhutan, Burundi, Estonia, India, Latvia, Lithuania, Rwanda, the former Yugoslavia and the United States of America. In some of his country visits, the High Commissioner has referred to issues relating to minorities as complex human problems. He has appealed for full respect for human rights of persons belonging to minorities as expressed in the United Nations Declaration, the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and other international instruments. During his country visits, the High Commissioner, in addition to government officials, has met with representatives of minority groups. 64. The High Commissioner has sent observers to Burundi who will participate in efforts aimed at preventing and limiting human rights violations and inter-ethnic violence. With reference to the war-torn societies of the former Yugoslavia, the High Commissioner mentioned that the priorities of the human rights programme should, inter alia, include the establishment of a programme for the protection of minorities for the former Yugoslavia. 65. The General Assembly, in its resolution 49/184 of 23 December 1994, proclaimed the United Nations Decade for Human Rights Education, 1995-2004, and requested the High Commissioner/Centre for Human Rights to coordinate the implementation of the Plan of Action for the Decade, which stressed that special emphasis should be given to, inter alia, the human rights of minorities. The activities of the High Commissioner have centred on carrying out a survey on human rights education, including the collection of information on education for and about persons belonging to minorities, the establishment of advisory boards at the national level and the translation of the Universal Declaration on Human Rights into local languages, including minority languages. 66. On 30 and 31 May 1996, staff of the High Commissioner/Centre for Human Rights participated in a regional Conference to address the problems of refugees, displaced persons, other forms of involuntary displacement and returnees in the countries of the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) and relevant neighbouring States. The objectives of the conference process are to provide a reliable forum for the countries of the region to discuss population displacement and refugee problems; to review the population movements taking place in the CIS countries, clarifying the categories of concern; and to elaborate a non-binding programme of action for the CIS countries. A set of principles were adopted which contain various provisions of relevance to the protection of persons belonging to minorities, including the right to a /...