CAT/C/75 page 53 247. It should be pointed out that, although the report contains no information on torture by Navy personnel, the Office of the Secretary of the Mexican Navy has undertaken, in accordance with the current Government’s policy, to modernize and update its legislation in order to encourage unfailing respect for human rights by Navy personnel. To this end, it has issued: • Decision No. 040, published in the Diario Oficial de la Federación on 20 April 2001, giving guidelines for the commanders of operational Mexican Navy units conducting inspections in Mexican waters; • Directive No. 06/2001, published in the Diario Oficial de la Federación on 27 December 2001, whereby Mexico’s Naval High Command ordered naval commands to respect human rights; • Decision No. 036, published in the Diario Oficial de la Federación on 6 May 2002, announcing the Human Rights Handbook for Mexican Navy Personnel. 248. It should also be pointed out that, following the Committee’s visit to Mexico, the Federal Government established a mechanism for dialogue between the Interdepartmental Commission to Monitor Mexico’s International Human Rights Commitments and civil society organizations. The mechanism has eight committees coordinated jointly by representatives of the Interdepartmental Commission and civil society organizations. The objective is to promote joint activities to give effect to Mexico’s international commitments and to define Mexico’s position in international bodies. 249. One of the committees deals with civil and political rights. In view of the priority being given to action to combat torture, the first topic on the agenda was a discussion of 25 steps to combat torture drawn up to give effect to international recommendations in this regard, including those of the Committee. 250. The committee is coordinated at this stage by the Office of the Attorney-General and the Mexican Rehabilitation Foundation. The committee is also submitting various documents in order to define Mexico’s position in international bodies, such as the questionnaire circulated by the Organization of American States on the rights of and care for persons subjected to any form of detention or imprisonment. (The committee’s report is annexed.) 251. CNDH agrees with the Committee’s report, which, in its view, fairly faithfully reflects the comments which CNDH has made in its recommendations. III. CHARACTERISTICS AND FREQUENCY OF CASES OF TORTURE 252. In paragraphs 25, 38, 39, 77 and 109, the report refers to various cases in which acts of possible torture were apparently attributed to the Office of the Attorney-General in 2000 and 2001. 253. In this connection, it should be pointed out that, under article 44 of the regulations giving effect to the Office of the Attorney-General Organization Act, the Department for the Protection of Human Rights receives and deals with complaints of alleged human rights violations transmitted by CNDH, including those relating to alleged acts of torture.