A/RES/53/145 Page 3 6. Welcomes the role of the United Nations in monitoring the return of and full resumption of political activities by political leaders in the period leading up to, during and immediately after the elections; 7. Also welcomes the role of national non-governmental organizations in educating voters and providing observers at polling stations and of international observers during the recent elections, and takes note of the statements of the joint international observer group regarding the polling and counting processes of the elections; 8. Encourages the Government of Cambodia to continue to work with non-governmental organizations in efforts to strengthen and uphold human rights in Cambodia, in recognition of the vital and valuable role played by non-governmental organizations in the development of civil society in Cambodia; 9. Notes the formation of a provisional Cambodian human rights committee, and encourages the Government of Cambodia, in setting up a new Cambodian human rights commission, to take into account international standards, notably those on independence, and to request the Office of the High Commissioner to provide advice and technical assistance to this end; 10. Expresses grave concern about numerous instances of violations of human rights, including extrajudicial executions, torture, illegal arrests and detention, and violence in relation to political activities, as detailed in the reports of the Special Representative, including those that occurred in March and July 1997 and during the recent election campaign and its immediate aftermath, and calls upon the Government of Cambodia to investigate urgently and prosecute, in accordance with due process of the law and international standards relating to human rights, all those who have perpetrated human rights violations; 11. Also expresses grave concern at the situation of impunity in Cambodia, and stresses that addressing the continuing problem of impunity, as detailed by the Special Representative, including the repeal of article 51 of the 1994 Law on Civil Servants and bringing to justice those responsible for human rights violations, together with ensuring the security of persons and the rights of association, assembly and expression, remains a matter of critical and urgent priority; 12. Welcomes the convening for the first time of the Supreme Council of the Magistracy in December 1997, as well as the adoption of the Law on the Constitutional Council in March 1998, and looks forward to the active implementation of their constitutional mandates; 13. Condemns the use of racist rhetoric and acts of violence against ethnic minorities, especially Cambodians of Vietnamese ethnicity, as detailed in the report of the Special Representative, and urges all political parties in Cambodia to abstain from statements or activities that could be interpreted as incitement against ethnic minorities; 14. Notes with serious concern the comments of the Special Representative about the judicial system and the prison administration, strongly urges the Government of Cambodia to continue its efforts to create a functioning and impartial system of justice and to implement the Prison Regulations signed in March 1998, and welcomes the cooperation of the Government of Cambodia with international efforts to improve the judicial system; 15. Stresses the need for the Government of Cambodia to improve the implementation of the freedoms laid down in the Cambodian Constitution with regard to the operation of a free electronic and print media and the security of persons and the rights of association, assembly and expression, in accordance with the /...