the broadcasting stop. We are implementing a similar project in another minority populated region, which is showing similar results. In other OSCE participating States my office has facilitated the translation of campaign materials, party manifestos and party political broadcasts during election campaigns into minority languages so that minority members can make a more informed choice in these elections. HCNM projects also focus on promoting relations between the different parts of the executive and persons belonging to minorities. In several OSCE participating States, my office has provided training to civil servants on the management of interethnic relations. Other training courses focused on removing certain barriers to integration by providing State-language classes to civil servants in minority-populated areas. Dominance of the minority language and the lack of knowledge of the State language in certain regions form an obstacle to the active participation of minorities in political, economic and social life. Yet another area where project work has been particularly influential, is the improvement of relations between national minorities and the police, who often represent the sole agency of the criminal justice system that minority communities come into contact with. This means the police have a strong influence on the attitudes and perceptions of national minorities about the rule of law and the state's capacity to act in a just, legitimate and accountable way. One of the important outcomes of our work has been the publication of the Recommendations on Policing in Multi-Ethnic Societies, drawn up by a group of international experts at the request of the HCNM in 2005. Ladies and Gentlemen, Ultimately, my mission as OSCE High Commissioner on National Minorities is to prevent interethnic conflict, whether through quiet diplomacy, projects, thematic recommendations or any other means I see fit. Whatever form this takes, it is meant to address the root causes of conflict often linked to minority grievances about insufficient participation in public life, including and intrinsically related to economic, social and cultural life. It is my experience – time and time again – that integration through participation is crucial in forging links of mutual understanding and loyalty between majority and minority communities within the State. If minorities feel they have a stake in society, if they have input in discussions and are consulted by decision-making bodies, and if they feel that their identities are being