A/HRC/15/60 In favour: Angola, Argentina, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Belgium, Brazil, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Chile, China, Cuba, Djibouti, Ecuador, France, Gabon, Ghana, Guatemala, Hungary, Japan, Jordan, Kyrgyzstan, Libyan Arab Jamahiriya, Malaysia, Maldives, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mexico, Nigeria, Norway, Pakistan, Poland, Qatar, Republic of Korea, Republic of Moldova, Russian Federation, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Slovakia, Spain, Switzerland, Thailand, Uganda, Ukraine, United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, Zambia Abstention: United States of America] 15/26 Open-ended intergovernmental working group to consider the possibility of elaborating an international regulatory framework on the regulation, monitoring and oversight of the activities of private military and security companies The Human Rights Council, Guided by the Charter of the United Nations, Recalling all previous resolutions adopted by the General Assembly, the Council and the Commission on Human Rights on the use of mercenaries as a means of violating human rights and impeding the exercise of the right of peoples to self-determination, including Assembly resolution 62/145 of 18 December 2007, 1. Takes note with appreciation of the broad consultations held by the Working Group on the use of mercenaries as a means of violating human rights and impeding the exercise of the right of peoples to self-determination, including the various regional governmental consultations for States on traditional and new forms of mercenary activities as a means of violating human rights and impeding the exercise of the right of peoples to self-determination, in particular regarding the effects of the activities of private military and security companies on the enjoyment of human rights; 2. Also takes note with appreciation of the broad consultation process undertaken by the Working Group regarding the content and scope of a possible draft convention on private companies offering military assistance, consultancy and other military and security-related services on the international market, including a series of regional governmental consultations and consultations with intergovernmental and nongovernmental organizations, academic institutions and experts; 3. Takes note of the principles and main elements of the proposed draft convention on private military and security companies presented by the Working Group, as contained in its report;42 4. Decides, for the purposes of transparency and inclusivity, to establish an open-ended intergovernmental working group with the mandate to consider the possibility of elaborating an international regulatory framework, including, inter alia, the option of elaborating a legally binding instrument on the regulation, monitoring and oversight of the activities of private military and security companies, including their accountability, taking 42 GE.11-17043 A/HRC/15/25. 67