V. ACTIVITIES OF THE COMMITTEE UNDER ARTICLE 20 OF THE CONVENTION A. General information 174. In accordance with article 20, paragraph 1, of the Convention, if the Committee receives reliable information that appears to it to contain wellfounded indications that torture is being systematically practised in the territory of a State party, the Committee shall invite that State party to cooperate in the examination of the information and, to that end, to submit observations with regard to the information concerned. 175. In accordance with rule 69 of the Committee’s rules of procedure, the Secretary-General shall bring to the attention of the Committee information that is, or appears to be, submitted for the Committee’s consideration under article 20, paragraph 1, of the Convention. 176. No information shall be received by the Committee if it concerns a State party that, in accordance with article 28, paragraph 1, of the Convention, declared at the time of ratification of or accession to the Convention that it did not recognize the competence of the Committee provided for in article 20, unless that State party has subsequently withdrawn its reservation in accordance with article 28, paragraph 2, of the Convention. 177. The Committee’s work under article 20 of the Convention thus commenced at its fourth session and continued at its fifth to sixteenth session. During those sessions the Committee devoted the following number of closed meetings to its activities under that article: Number of closed meetings Sessions Fourth Fifth Sixth Seventh Eighth Ninth Tenth Eleventh Twelfth Thirteenth Fourteenth Fifteenth Sixteenth 4 4 3 2 3 3 8 4 4 3 6 4 4 178. In accordance with the provisions of article 20 of the Convention and rules 72 and 73 of the rules of procedure, all documents and proceedings of the Committee relating to its functions under article 20 are confidential and all the meetings concerning its proceedings under that article are closed. 179. However, in accordance with article 20, paragraph 5, of the Convention, the Committee may after consultations with the State party concerned decide to include a summary account of the results of the proceedings in its annual report to the States parties and to the General Assembly. -29-