A/HRC/23/52 2010. In 2013, Belarus has the CIS Chairmanship and is deepening its economic and policy integration with the Russian Federation. B. Methodology 7. According to Human Rights Council resolution 20/13, the Special Rapporteur has a mandate: (a) To monitor the human rights situation in Belarus and recommendations for its improvement; provide (b) To help to implement the recommendations contained in the report of the High Commissioner; (c) To assist the Government of Belarus in fulfilling its human rights obligations; (d) To offer support and advice to civil society; (e) To seek, receive, examine and act on information from all relevant stakeholders pertaining to the situation of human rights in Belarus. 8. Since taking up his mandate, the Special Rapporteur has stressed his commitment to independence, impartiality and objectivity, and to cooperation with all stakeholders, as the guiding principles for his work. In particular, he has sought to enlist the cooperation of the Government of Belarus in order to engage in a constructive dialogue and to assess fully the situation of human rights. The Special Rapporteur addressed four letters to the Permanent Representative of the Republic of Belarus to the United Nations Office at Geneva or, through him, to the Minister for Foreign Affairs, to request meetings and to seek to arrange an initial visit.5 No reply has been received to date. 9. The Special Rapporteur has pursued wherever possible the collection of information from primary sources, convinced that this is a key factor to an accurate, time-bound and measured report on the situation of human rights in Belarus. 10. The Special Rapporteur is grateful for the extensive cooperation he enjoyed with many stakeholders living in Belarus. Since assuming his mandate, he has undertaken three trips to Lithuania and Ukraine to meet with a broad range of civil society representatives and victims of human rights violations. In both States, he met with representatives of the respective Ministries of Foreign Affairs. 11. From 11 to 15 November 2012, in Vilnius, the Special Rapporteur participated in his first consultation with civil society, organized by the Belarusian Human Rights House.6 From 12 to 16 January 2013, also in Vilnius, the Special Rapporteur held consultations, also organized by the Belarusian Human Rights House, with legal professionals on matters concerning the justice system and lawyers, and met with individuals from Belarus with particular human rights concerns. From 18 to 21 February 2013, during the joint event on “Media space and human rights” organized by the Belarusian Human Rights House, the Human Rights House Kyiv and the Human Rights House Foundation, he met with media experts, human rights defenders and civil society representatives in Kyiv. From these firsthand consultations, information was collected, documented and recorded on the prevailing human rights concerns in Belarus. 5 6 4 On 6 November and19 December 2012, and on 2 and 18 January 2013. See http://humanrightshouse.org/Articles/18851.html.