A/HRC/19/58 Cases concerning two or more countries 15. Reports on a disappearance indicating that officials from one country are directly responsible for or involved in a disappearance in another country, or in cases where officials from more than one country were directly responsible for or involved in the disappearance would be communicated to all Governments concerned. However, the case would only be counted in the statistics of the country in which the person was reportedly arrested, detained, abducted or last seen. The same principles are applied with respect to the transmission of all communications. In exceptional circumstances, and if the humanitarian mandate of the Working Group so requires, cases may be counted in the statistics of a different country. However, the State upon whose territory the disappearance occurred will be copied on all communications so that it could also play a role, where possible, to gather all available information which could lead to the clarification of the cases. Outstanding cases 16. The Working Group considers cases as outstanding for as long as they have not been clarified, closed or discontinued in accordance with the present methods of work. This principle is not affected by changes of Government in a given country nor in the event of State succession. Reminders 17. The Working Group reminds every Government concerned once a year of the cases which have not yet been clarified and three times a year of all urgent action cases transmitted since the previous session. On request, the Working Group provides to the Government concerned or the source, to the extent possible, updated information on specific cases. Government replies 18. All replies received from Governments concerning reports of disappearances are examined by the Working Group and summarized in the Working Group’s annual report to the Human Rights Council. Any information given on specific cases is forwarded to the sources of those reports, who are invited to make observations thereon or to provide additional details on the cases. The six-month rule 19. Any reply of the Government containing detailed information on the fate or whereabouts of the disappeared person is transmitted to the source. If the source does not respond within six months of the date on which the Government’s reply was communicated to it, or if it contests the Government’s information on grounds which are considered unreasonable by the Working Group, the case is considered clarified and is accordingly listed under the heading ―Cases clarified by the Government’s response‖ in the statistical summary of the annual report. If the source contests the Government’s information on reasonable grounds, the Government is so informed and invited to comment. Clarification 20. Clarification occurs when the fate or whereabouts of the disappeared persons are clearly established and detailed information is transmitted as a result of an investigation by the Government, inquiries by non-governmental organisations, fact-finding missions by the Working Group or by human rights personnel from the United Nations or from any other international organization operating in the field, or by the search of the family, irrespective 144