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The Committee notes the Government's report for the period up to June 1996 and the information provided in reply to its previous direct request. It notes the information according to which a tripartite committee set up by Order No. 38 of 20 May 1997 of the Ministry of Maritime Transport is responsible for preparing a draft law on workers at sea which will take into account all the relevant international labour Conventions ratified by the Government. The Committee would be grateful if the Government would keep the ILO informed of any developments in the work of this tripartite committee. The Committee also notes that the Government's report contains insufficient information in reply to its previous comments and trusts that its next report will provide detailed replies to the questions raised in its previous direct request which concerned the following points:

Article 1, paragraph 2, of the Convention. The Committee refers to its previous comments relating to the definitions of "dockworkers" and "dock work" and to the need for such definitions to take account of new methods of cargo-handling and that establishment or revision of such definitions be implemented through consultation with organizations of employers and workers. The Committee requests specific information on this and trusts that this matter will receive consideration by the tripartite committee.

Article 5. The Committee refers also to its previous comments concerning any measures taken to encourage cooperation between employers or their organizations and workers' organizations to improve efficiency in the ports. The Committee requests specific information on this and trusts that this matter will receive consideration by the tripartite committee.