The General Assembly,
 
      Recalling its resolution 47/135 of 18 December 1992, by which it adopted
the Declaration on the Rights of Persons Belonging to National or Ethnic,
Religious and Linguistic Minorities, as well as its resolution 49/192 of 23
December 1994,
 
      Conscious of the need effectively to promote and protect the rights of
persons belonging to minorities, as set out in the Declaration,
 
      Taking note of Commission on Human Rights resolution 1995/24 of 3 March
1995 on the rights of persons belonging to national or ethnic, religious and
linguistic minorities, in which the Commission, inter alia, decided to
authorize the Subcommission on Prevention of Discrimination and Protection of
Minorities to establish, initially for a three-year period, an inter-sessional
working group consisting of five of its members, to meet each year for five
working days in order to promote the rights of persons belonging to national
or ethnic, religious and linguistic minorities,
 
      Taking note also of Economic and Social Council resolution 1995/31 of 25
July 1995, in which the Council authorized the establishment of the working
group,
 
      Noting that the working group held its first session from 28 August to 1
September 1995, and that its report will be made available to the Commission
on Human Rights,
 
      Aware of the provisions of article 27 of the International Covenant on
Civil and Political Rights concerning the rights of persons belonging to
ethnic, religious or linguistic minorities,
 
      Acknowledging that the United Nations has an increasingly important role
to play regarding the protection of minorities by, inter alia, taking due
account of and giving effect to the Declaration,
 
      Concerned by the growing frequency and severity of disputes and
conflicts concerning minorities in many countries, and their often tragic
consequences,
 
      Affirming that effective measures and the creation of favourable
conditions for the promotion and protection of the rights of persons belonging
to national or ethnic, religious and linguistic minorities, ensuring effective
non-discrimination and equality for all, contribute to the prevention and
peaceful solution of human rights problems and situations involving
minorities,
 
      Considering that the promotion and protection of the rights of persons
belonging to national or ethnic, religious and linguistic minorities
contribute to political and social stability and peace and enrich the cultural
heritage of society as a whole of the States in which such persons live,
 
      Reaffirming the obligation of States to ensure that persons belonging to
minorities may exercise fully and effectively all human rights and fundamental
freedoms without any discrimination and in full equality before the law in
accordance with the Declaration,
 
      Noting the positive initiatives of many countries as well as regional
organizations to protect minorities and promote mutual understanding,
 
      Having considered the report of the Secretary-General,
 
      1.    Takes note with appreciation of the report of the
Secretary-General;
 
      2.    Urges States and the international community to promote and
protect the rights of persons belonging to national or ethnic, religious and
linguistic minorities, as set out in the Declaration on the Rights of Persons
Belonging to National or Ethnic, Religious and Linguistic Minorities,
including through the facilitation of their full participation in all aspects
of the political, economic, social, religious and cultural life of society and
in the economic progress and development in their country;
 
      3.    Urges States to take, as appropriate, all the necessary
constitutional, legislative, administrative and other measures to promote and
give effect to the principles contained in the Declaration;
 
      4.    Appeals to States to make bilateral and multilateral efforts, as
appropriate, in order to protect the rights of persons belonging to national
or ethnic, religious and linguistic minorities in their countries, in
accordance with the Declaration;
 
      5.    Recognizes that respect for human rights and the promotion of
understanding and tolerance by Governments as well as between and among
minorities is central to the protection and promotion of the rights of persons
belonging to minorities;
 
      6.    Calls upon the Secretary-General to make available, at the request
of Governments concerned, qualified expertise on minority issues, including
the prevention and resolution of disputes, to assist in existing or potential
situations involving minorities;
 
      7.    Requests the Secretary-General, in the implementation of the
present resolution, to provide human and financial resources for such advisory
services and technical assistance by the Centre for Human Rights of the
Secretariat, within existing resources;
 
      8.    Calls upon the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights
to promote, within his mandate, the implementation of the Declaration and to
continue to engage in a dialogue with Governments concerned for that purpose;
 
      9.    Urges all treaty bodies and special representatives, special
rapporteurs and working groups of the Commission on Human Rights and the
Subcommission on Prevention of Discrimination and Protection of Minorities to
give due regard, within their respective mandates, to the promotion and
protection of the rights of persons belonging to minorities;
 
      10.   Invites States, interested intergovernmental and non-governmental
organizations, special representatives, special rapporteurs and working groups
of the Commission on Human Rights to continue to submit, as appropriate,
contributions as to how they promote and give effect to the Declaration;
 
      11.   Invites the Secretary-General to continue the dissemination of
information on the Declaration and the promotion of understanding thereof,
including through activities within the framework of the United Nations Decade
for Human Rights Education;
 
      12.   Calls upon States and the Secretary-General to give due regard to
the Declaration in their respective training programmes for officials;
 
      13.   Encourages intergovernmental as well as non-governmental
organizations to continue to contribute to the promotion and protection of the
rights of persons belonging to national or ethnic, religious and linguistic
minorities;
 
      14.   Requests the Secretary-General to report to the General Assembly
at its fifty-first session on the implementation of the present resolution
under the item entitled "Human rights questions".