A senior United Nations human rights official on March 5 concluded a three-day visit to Tajikistan, part of a trip to Central Asia to enhance dialogue and technical cooperation between the governments of the region and the UN High Commission for Human Rights (UNHCHR). Following-up on UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan¨ˆs visit to the region last October, the Deputy High Commissioner for Human Rights, Bertrand Ramcharan, met with top government officials, including Deputy Prime Minister, Saidamir Zukhurov. Mr. Ramcharan discussed various matters pertaining to enhancing and protecting human rights, including the submission of outstanding reports under the human rights treaties ratified by Tajikistan and compliance with interim measures of protection ordered by the UN Human Rights Committee. The Deputy High Commissioner also recalled the regional project for Central Asia of the Office of the High Commissioner, which focuses on human rights education and the development of materials for teaching rights in schools. It also foresees the establishment of a high-level expert, based in the region, to provide advice on human rights. During his visit, Mr. Ramcharan heard the human rights concerns of more than two dozens representatives of local non-governmental organizations, and had meetings with the UN country team, the Representative of the Secretary-General and Head of the UN Office of Peace-building in Tajikistan (UNTOP), Vladimir Sotirov, and the representatives of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) and the diplomatic community in Dushanbe. (UN Press center)