TNAG-2321-FCO40-3365-Human-rights-in-Hong-Kong-1991 — Page 214

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VII.

Convinced that the protection of the rights of persons belonging to national minorities necessitates free flow of information and exchange of

ideas, the participating States emphasize the importance of communication between persons belonging to national minorities without interference by public authorities and regardless of frontiers. The exercise of such rights may be subject only to such restrictions as are prescribed by law and are consistent with international standards. They reaffirm that no one belonging to a national minority, simply by virtue of belonging to such a minority, will

be subject to penal or administrative sanctions for having had contacts within or outside his/her own country.

In access to the media, they will not discriminate against anyone based

on ethnic, cultural, linguistic or religious grounds. They will make

information available that will assist the electronic mass media in taking

into account, in their programmes, the ethnic, cultural, linguistic and religious identity of national minorities.

They reaffirm that establishment and maintenance of unimpeded contacts

among persons belonging to a national minority, as well as contacts across

frontiers by persons belonging to a national minority with persons with whom

they share a common ethnic or national origin, cultural heritage or religious

belief, contributes to mutual understanding and promotes good-neighbourly

relations.

They therefore encourage transfrontier co-operation arrangements on a

national, regional and local level, inter alia, on local border crossings, the

preservation of and visits to cultural and historical monuments and sites,

tourism, the improvement of traffic, the economy, youth exchange, the

protection of the environment and the establishment of regional commissions.

They will also encourage the creation of informal working arrangements

(e.g. workshops, committees both within and between the participating States) where national minorities live, to discuss issues of, exchange experience on, and present proposals on, issues related to national minorities.