-7- I. ORGANIZATIONAL AND OTHER MATTERS A. States parties to the Convention 1. As at 18 May 2001, the closing date of the twenty-sixth session of the Committee against Torture, there were 124 States parties to the Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment. The Convention was adopted by the General Assembly in resolution 39/46 of 10 December 1984 and opened for signature and ratification in New York on 4 February 1985. It entered into force on 26 June 1987 in accordance with the provisions of its article 27. The list of States which have signed, ratified or acceded to the Convention is contained in annex I to the present report. The States parties that have declared that they do not recognize the competence of the Committee provided for by article 20 of the Convention are listed in annex II. The States parties that have made declarations provided for in articles 21 and 22 of the Convention are listed in annex III. 2. The text of the declarations, reservations or objections made by States parties with respect to the Convention are reproduced in document CAT/C/2/Rev.5. Updated information in that regard may be found in the United Nations Human Rights Web site (www.un.org/human rights/treaties. Sample access - Status of multilateral treaties deposited with the Secretary-General - Chapter IV.9). B. Opening and duration of the sessions 3. The Committee against Torture has held two sessions since the adoption of its last annual report. The twenty-fifth and twenty-sixth sessions of the Committee were held at the United Nations Office at Geneva from 13 to 24 November 2000 and from 30 April to 18 May 2001. 4. At its twenty-fifth session, the Committee held 18 meetings (439th to 456th meeting) and at its twenty-sixth session, the Committee held 28 meetings (457th to 484th meeting). An account of the deliberations of the Committee at its twenty-fifth and twenty-sixth sessions is contained in the relevant summary records (CAT/C/SR.439-484). C. Membership and attendance 5. The membership of the Committee remained the same during the period covered by the present report. The list of members, with their terms of office, appears in annex IV to the present report. 6. All the members attended the twenty-fifth and the twenty-sixth sessions of the Committee, except Mr. Silva Henriques Gaspar, who attended one week of the twenty-fifth session.