and duties laid down in the Covenant. It was the duty of the United Nations to ensure that the Committee was able to fulfil its obligations, particularly when the Organization was faced with an acute financial crisis. Governments for their part should also pay close attention to those comments. AGENDA ITEM 5 International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (E/1986/16) 94. Ms. DANIELSEN (Observer for Norway), speaking on behalf of Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Sweden and Norway, said that the Nordic countries attached equal importance to the International Cov­ enant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights16 and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights16 and held that States had an obligation to safeguard the individual against oppression and the abuse of power. All human rights were interdepen­ dent and mutually reinforcing. The theory that 16 For the text of the Covenant, see General Assembly resolution 2200 A (XXI), annex. 99. Lastly, in one's eagerness to elaborate new human-rights instruments, one must not forget that it was equally important to implement those instru­ ments that already existed. 100. Mr. SAFRONCHUK (Union of Soviet Social­ ist Republics) said that the universal recognition and implementation of the International Covenants on Human Rights and the conventions against apart- 17For the text of the Optional Protocol, idem. so Economic and Social Council-First Regular Session, 1986 heid, genocide and racial discrimination were the Western capitalist countries and had launched an driving force of international activities to guarantee offensive against the rights of the working people. All fundamental human rights and freedoms and to available means were being used to that end: trade strengthen the right to self-determination of peoples, unions were being subjected to persecution a_nd as well as the civil, political, economic and social economic blackmail; anti-labour laws were bemg 
**Analysis**
The text appears to be discussing the importance of human rights, specifically the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, and the need for states to implement and respect these rights. The mention of economic and social rights, as well as the rights to self-determination and the rights of the working people, suggests that the text may be related to issues of employment, economic development, and social welfare.

**Category**
Humanitarian aid and relief, Human rights