1. Reiterates its position that UNHRC members should be elected among states which uphold the highest standards in the promotion and protection of human rights, the rule of law and democracy, and urges EU Member States to promote human rights performance-based criteria for any state to be elected as a member of the UNHRC; expresses its concerns about widespread and systematic human rights abuses in several member states of the UNHRC, including Russia, China and Saudi Arabia; calls on the EU Member States not to vote in support of the membership of states committing such large-scale human rights violations and to publicise their votes;

8. Considers that the continued harassment and detention of human rights defenders and opposition figures by a number of UNHRC members, including Algeria, China, Cuba, Ethiopia, Saudi Arabia, Russia, the United Arab Emirates, Gabon, Kazakhstan, Qatar and Vietnam, undermines the UNHRC’s credibility; Reiterates its position that UNHRC members should be elected from among states which uphold respect for human rights, the rule of law and democracy and which have agreed to extend standing invitations to all Special Procedures, and urges the Member States to promote and adopt human rights performance criteria, which should apply to any state ...[+++]to be elected as a member of the UNHRC; urges the Member States to encourage transparent, open and competitive processes for the election of UNHRC members;

8. Reiterates its position that UNHRC members should be elected from among states which uphold respect for human rights, the rule of law and democracy and which have agreed to extend standing invitations to all Special Procedures, and urges the Member States to promote and adopt human rights performance criteria, which should apply to any state to be elected as a member of the UNHRC; urges the Member States to encourage transparent, open and competitive processes for the election of UNHRC members;

7. Considers that the continued harassment and detention of human rights defenders and opposition figures by a number of HRC members undermines the credibility of the Council; reiterates its position that HRC members should be elected from among states which uphold respect for human rights, the rule of law and democracy and which have agreed to extend standing invitations to all Special Procedures; calls for the adoption of human rights performance criteria which should apply to any state elected as a member of the HRC; urges the Member States to encourage transparent, open and competitive processes for the election of UNHRC members;

23. Notes that Indian-administered Jammu and Kashmir enjoys a unique status under Article 370 of the Indian Constitution, granting it greater autonomy than other states in the Union; is pleased to see recent moves in Jammu and Kashmir to strengthen democracy (as evidenced by the 75% turnout in recent local elections), and the moves by Prime Minister Singh to reopen dialogue with the APHC; however, notes that there remain deficiencies in practice with regard to human rights and direct democracy, as evidenced by, for example, the fact that all candidates standing for office in Jammu and Kashmir (as in other states) have to sign an oath o ...[+++]f loyalty to the Constitution of the State of Jammu and Kashmir which upholds the integrity of India; urges India's National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) to exercise its full mandate with regard to any suspected or documented violations and, to lend it even greater credibility, urges the NHRC to make good the absence of any human rights professionals on its governing board; looks forward to enhanced progress in this area, and to positive outcomes from the new laws on child labour and on women and violence; notes with concern reports that large numbers of Kashmiris are detained without due process; deplores documented human rights violations by the armed forces of India, especially if the incidents of killing and rape continue in an atmosphere of impunity; notes with concern that the NHRC has no power under its statutes to investigate human rights abuses perpetrated by the Indian security forces; is nevertheless encouraged by the NHRC's recommendation that the army nominate senior military officers to oversee the implementation of fundamental human rights and the rule of law in their military units, which is being observed; notes the commitment given by the government of India in September 2005 that human rights violations will not be tolerated; and urges the Lok Sabha to consider amending the Human Rights Protection Act in ...

A programme to promote the transition to a market economy and to reinforce democracy and the rule of law in the partner States listed in Annex I (hereinafter called "the partner States") shall be implemented by the Community from 1 January 2000 to 31 December 2006 in accordance with the criteria laid down in this Regulation.