A/50/514 English Page 21 taken to implement the principles contained in the Declaration, that a greater number of States submit relevant and complete information in response to the request of the Secretary-General. 69. Evidence that minority rights in general and their implementation in particular are vital issues is manifested in the consideration of those issues and related proposals made at the Commission on Human Rights and the Subcommission on Prevention of Discrimination and Protection of Minorities. Those proposals, in particular the ones made by non-governmental organizations and included in the report of the Secretary-General submitted to the Subcommission at its forty-seventh session (E/CN.4/Sub.2/1995/33, paras. 69-74), may be considered as conducive to furthering concrete measures to be taken by the relevant United Nations organs, organizations and bodies and by Governments themselves aimed at the promotion of the Declaration. 70. The Commission on Human Rights and subsequently the Economic and Social Council authorized the Subcommission on Prevention of Discrimination and Protection of Minorities to establish a working group on minorities with the mandate referred to above. It is hoped that the working group becomes a genuine forum for dialogue and mutual understanding between Governments and minorities and that possible solutions to minority problems will be found. 71. As the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights stated with reference to the role of the United Nations in situations where there is no declared conflict, the bodies set up under the United Nations international conventions relating to human rights all have an important role to play, which could in fact be strengthened in accordance with the spirit of the Declaration. The role of the High Commissioner is especially important in developing networks of cooperation with international and regional bodies on the issue of minority protection. 72. The High Commissioner will continue to pay particular attention, in his ongoing dialogue with Governments, to issues involving minorities. He will pursue the task entrusted to him to provide, through the Centre for Human Rights and other appropriate institutions, programmes of technical assistance and advisory services and to promote activities in the field of information and education on issues concerning minorities. 73. UNESCO described the wide range of activities it is undertaking with respect to the protection of minorities, especially in the cultural field, which serve as a basis for further reflection and action. UNESCO recommended, in particular, that the ongoing dialogue between minorities and Governments be encouraged, that the recommendations contained in the report of Mr. Asbjørn Eide and the text of the Declaration be widely disseminated, and that all relevant issues concerning minorities be incorporated into the United Nations procedures and mechanisms. 74. With reference to the Human Rights Committee and the Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination, it is important to stress that countries should continue to include in their periodic reports measures taken with regard to the protection and promotion of the rights of minorities, with particular reference to article 27 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political /...