A/RES/53/162 Page 3 5. Notes with deep concern the increased restrictions on the freedom of movement and the large numbers of arbitrary detentions and harassment of political activists, including elected representatives to the Parliament, and urges the Government of Myanmar to permit unrestricted communication with and physical access to Aung San Suu Kyi and other political leaders, and to protect their physical well-being; 6. Strongly urges the Government of Myanmar to release immediately and unconditionally detained political leaders and all political prisoners, to ensure their physical integrity and to permit them to participate in the process of national reconciliation; 7. Urges the Government of Myanmar urgently to expand and intensify its contacts with the National League for Democracy with a view to engaging in a substantive political dialogue with the General Secretary of the League, Aung San Suu Kyi, and other political leaders, including representatives of ethnic and other groups, as the best means of promoting national reconciliation and the full and early restoration of democracy; 8. Strongly urges the Government of Myanmar, taking into account its assurances given at various times, to take all necessary steps towards the restoration of democracy in accordance with the will of the people as expressed in the democratic elections held in 1990 and to ensure that political parties and nongovernmental organizations can function freely, and in this context notes that the National League for Democracy recently established a committee to represent the Parliament temporarily; 9. Also strongly urges the Government of Myanmar to take all appropriate measures to allow all citizens to participate freely in the political process, in accordance with the principles of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights,1 and to accelerate the process of transition to democracy, in particular through the transfer of power to democratically elected representatives; 10. Further strongly urges the Government of Myanmar to ensure full respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms, including freedom of expression, association, movement and assembly, the right to a fair trial and the protection of the rights of persons belonging to ethnic and religious minorities, to put an end to violations of the right to life and integrity of the human being, to the practices of torture, abuse of women, forced labour and forced relocations and to enforced disappearances and summary executions, and to fulfil its obligations to end the impunity of perpetrators of human rights violations, including members of the military, and to investigate and prosecute alleged violations committed by government agents in all circumstances; 11. Calls upon the Government of Myanmar to implement fully the recommendations made by the Special Rapporteur; 12. Welcomes the accession by the Government of Myanmar to the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women,8 and appeals to the Government of Myanmar to consider becoming a party to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights,2 the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights2 and the Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman and Degrading Treatment or Punishment9 and the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination;10 8 Resolution 34/180. 9 Resolution 39/46, annex. 10 Resolution 2106 A (XX), annex. /...