CAT/C/42/2 page 13 41. The SPT has been turning its focus to key questions about the functioning of NPMs in order to inform its approach to implementing its tasks in relation to NPMs, starting from the framework in article 11 of the OPCAT: (a) advising and assisting States parties in establishing NPMs, (b) offering NPMs training and technical assistance with a view to strengthening their capacities, (c) advising and assisting NPMs in evaluating the needs and the means necessary to strengthen the protection of people deprived of their liberty and (d) making recommendations and observations to States parties with a view to strengthening the mandate and capacity of NPMs to prevent ill-treatment. 42. At this early stage of building confidence and developing relations, the SPT intends to proceed empirically, supporting NPMs and being constructively critical in its cooperation with NPMs, as with States parties. Through its work in “direct contact” with NPMs, as stipulated in the OPCAT, the SPT seeks to consider what NPMs need in order to improve their functioning in practice as a key part of an effective preventive visiting system. Under article 16, the SPT shall communicate its recommendations and observations confidentially to the State party and, if relevant, to the national preventive mechanisms. The SPT considers that most, if not all, of its recommendations and observations would be relevant to national preventive mechanisms. The SPT is keen to continue and intensify its direct contact with NPMs and looks forward to being in a position to devote more resources to this important part of its mandate (see section VI below). V. COOPERATION WITH OTHER BODIES A. Relations with relevant United Nations bodies 43. The OPCAT establishes a special relationship between the Committee against Torture (CAT) and the SPT and provides that both organs shall hold simultaneous sessions at least once a year. 21 The sixth session of the SPT was held simultaneously with part of the forty-first session of CAT, and the second joint meeting took place on 18 November 2008. The discussion included the following issues: implementation of the OPCAT through ratifications; NPMs; country visits and their time-tabling; cooperation between CAT and the SPT and sharing of information between the two bodies; public annual reports of the SPT. 44. The CAT/SPT contact group, consisting of two members from each treaty body, continued to facilitate communications. The APT supported these contacts by providing funding for a meeting, including the chairpersons of the two treaty bodies, before the November joint meeting. This enabled the participants to exchange views on a number of issues of importance to both bodies, including ways of coordinated working. The SPT greatly appreciates the support of CAT in presenting the SPT public annual report to the General Assembly together with the CAT’s own annual report. 45. In November 2008 the General Assembly decided that the chairpersons of CAT and SPT would make presentations to the General Assembly in October 2009 concerning their work in relation to torture with interactive discussions. The SPT warmly welcomes this opportunity to engage with the General Assembly on matters relating to its mandate. 21 Article 10, paragraph 3 of OPCAT.