A/62/286 38. His participation in both the events held in Cambodia also offered the Special Rapporteur the opportunity to initiate a constructive dialogue with United Nations agencies and indigenous organizations in the country. They, among others, expressed their concern about the new land policy that is currently under discussion. That policy was the subject of a recent exchange of information between the Special Rapporteur and the Government; it is hoped that that preliminary exchange will contribute to the effective implementation, in cooperation with OHCHR, ILO and other relevant stakeholders, of existing domestic provisions designed to protect indigenous rights. 39. On 26 and 27 March 2007, the Special Rapporteur took part in the Arctic regional workshop on indigenous peoples’ territories, lands and natural resources, organized in Copenhagen by the Sami Parliamentary Council, in collaboration with the Inuit Circumpolar Council and the Sami Council. The Arctic regional workshop was attended by the Chairperson and other members of the Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues, representatives of Denmark, Finland, Norway and Sweden, representatives of the Sami Parliament and the autonomous government of Greenland, representatives of indigenous organizations and independent experts. The workshop, which provided input to the debate on the special theme of the sixth session of the Permanent Forum, gave the Special Rapporteur an in-depth view of the status of indigenous lands and territories in the region and provided him with an opportunity to initiate a dialogue on those issues with government officials and indigenous organizations. 40. To mark the 80th anniversary of the establishment of the ILO Committee of Experts on the Application of Conventions and Recommendations, an international colloquium entitled “Protecting labour rights as human rights: Present and future of international supervision” was held in Geneva in November 2006. As part of efforts to enhance his collaboration with ILO in the area of the application of international standards, the Special Rapporteur shared his experiences with issues relating to indigenous and tribal peoples that fell within the scope of the Organization’s standards. 41. ILO Convention No. 169, the only international agreement focusing specifically on the human rights of indigenous peoples, has also been the subject of discussions at the German Bundestag, where, in February 2007, the Special Rapporteur was invited to speak to legislators about the importance of ratifying the Convention. Despite the interest and good faith of many members of that body, the proposal to ratify Convention No. 169 was not adopted on that occasion. 42. In July 2007, at the invitation of the Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues, the Special Rapporteur took part in an international workshop on indigenous peoples and international companies, held in the Yamal-Nenets district of the Russian Federation. During the workshop, detailed descriptions were given of the human rights problems facing indigenous populations in regions such as Siberia, where heavy mining for hydrocarbons has, for several decades, been affecting the environment and the human rights of the local population. As well as human rights issues, the relevant obligations of State and private entities were also discussed. 43. In May 2007, as in previous years, the Special Rapporteur took part in the Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues session in New York, during which he informed participants of his activities. The debate allowed him to reflect, together with Forum members, indigenous organizations and Government delegations, on the 10 07-48664