A/HRC/7/78 page 61 2. Decides to extend the mandate of 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 for a period of three years: (a) To elaborate and present concrete proposals on possible complementary and new standards aimed at filling existing gaps, as well as general guidelines or basic principles encouraging the further protection of human rights, in particular the right of peoples to self-determination, while facing current and emergent threats posed by mercenaries or mercenary-related activities; (b) To seek opinions and contributions from Governments and intergovernmental and non-governmental organizations on questions relating to its mandate; (c) To monitor mercenaries and mercenary-related activities in all their forms and manifestations in different parts of the world; (d) To study and identify sources and causes, emerging issues, manifestations and trends regarding mercenaries or mercenary-related activities and their impact on human rights, particularly on the right of peoples to self-determination; (e) To monitor and study the effects on the enjoyment of human rights, particularly the right of peoples to self-determination, of the activities of private companies offering military assistance, consultancy and security services on the international market and to prepare a draft of international basic principles that encourage respect for human rights by those companies in their activities; 3. Also decides to authorize the Working Group to hold three sessions per year of five working days each, two in Geneva and one in New York, in fulfilment of the mandate outlined in the present resolution; 4. Requests the Working Group to continue the work already done by the previous Special Rapporteurs on the strengthening of the international legal framework for the prevention and sanction of the recruitment, use, financing and training of mercenaries, taking into account the proposal for a new legal definition of a mercenary drafted by the Special Rapporteur in his report to the Commission on Human Rights at its sixtieth session (E/CN.4/2004/15, para. 47); 5. Requests the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, as a matter of priority, to publicize the adverse effects of the activities of mercenaries on the right of peoples to self-determination and, when requested and where necessary, to render advisory services to States that are affected by those activities; 6. Expresses its appreciation to the Office of the High Commissioner for its support for convening in Panama the regional governmental consultation for Latin American and Caribbean 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;