› › Necessity of bodies with clear, autonomous mandates to monitor implementation; Role of Chairman-in-Office to inform (the PC) on (non-) implementation. II. Possible supplementary commitments • • • • • • • Identification of areas in which supplementary commitments are recommended/ needed, i.a., to strengthen democratic development in the OSCE area; Need for implementation of existing commitments prevails over the need for more explicit and new commitments/mandates; as a corollary, political will to implement existing commitments prevails over the need for more explicit and new commitments/mandates; Role of the ODIHR with regard to suggesting or drafting new commitments; Question of a need for a reaffirmation of commitments; Question of specific commitments on the implementation of existing commitments’ ODIHR asked for opinion whether there is a need for new and/or reinforced commitments to address new challenges and enhance the implementation of existing commitments in the HD: › Torture prevention › Migration, › Combating discrimination against Christians; › Combating discrimination in the field of sexual orientation, › Human rights defenders, › HR and the Fight against Terrorism; Question of a “Copenhagen plus” document as developed over a number of HD events and expert consultations and presented in an ODIHR Explanatory Note on possible additional commitments on democratic elections of October 2005: › Transparency and new voting methods › Accountability › Public Confidence III. Strengthening and furthering election-related activities A. The debate about the ODIHR’s election related activities • Ways to enhance and ensure transparency, objectivity and professionalism, while guaranteeing credibility and autonomy; • Ways to ensure impartiality and political as well as operational independence of ODIHR’s election-related activities; • Ways to define and ensure equal treatment in election observation and follow-up activities; • Accountability on election work to pS; • Best practices of pS in dealing with civil society, domestic and international media during election periods. B. The ODIHR’s mandate and methodology • Commitment to invite the ODIHR; • Identification of possibilities to further strengthen observation methodology; • Implementation of new challenges in methodology; • Need for periodic briefings on methodology (esp. on statistical process); • Observation Handbook and periodic updating, possible role of PC; Common Responsibility: Commitments and Implementation 99