The Secretary-General transmits herewith to the Sixteenth Meeting of the States parties the above-mentioned communication.

Dear Colleague,

The Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination hopes that, at their Sixteenth Meeting, the States parties to the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination will take note of:

(i) General Assembly resolution 49/178, which in paragraph 6 "urges States parties to address, as a matter of priority, at their next meetings, the issue of States parties consistently not complying with their reporting obligations";

(ii) Commission on Human Rights resolution 1995/92 which, in paragraphs 7 and 9 urges the States parties, at their meetings, to find ways of improving reporting procedures and to address the issue of States parties consistently not complying with their reporting obligations;

(iii) The report of the Fifth Meeting of Persons Chairing Human Rights Treaty Bodies (A/49/537), especially paragraph 17 regarding overdue and non-submitted reports, where they "urge the States parties to the human rights treaties to deal with this matter at their regular meetings. These meetings should not only be devoted to elections of members of treaty bodies, but should consider general problems relating to the implementation of the treaties".

At their Sixteenth Meeting, the States parties might like to consider ways and means by which they might support the Committee's fulfilment of its mandate, including (a) encouraging and assisting States parties to ratify the amendments to article 8 (6) of the Convention adopted at the Fourteenth Meeting of States parties; (b) encouraging States parties to discharge their reporting and financial obligations; (c) investigating whether certain States might more easily be able to send a representative to present a periodic report if the Committee were enabled to hold an occasional session at United Nations Headquarters instead of in Geneva.

Sincerely yours,