A/HRC/4/16 page 17 empower Belarusian society to defend these values. They should be encouraged and supported. However, recent developments show that this beneficial unity might be weakened by internal disputes and rivalries fuelled by, among other things, the frustrations induced by the general lack of progress in the democratization of the country. The international community - and especially the Human Rights Council - should call for the unity of democratic forces in Belarus to be maintained for the sake of the effectiveness of the efforts dedicated to the promotion and defence of human rights. While more political pluralism could be necessary within the democratic contest for political power, more unity is required as long as the actual priority is the defence of basic human rights, civil freedoms and democratic principles. 61. The Special Rapporteur notes that many of his recommendations addressed to the international community were not implemented, even though some positive steps are to be acknowledged. He would like once again to commend the European Union’s efforts to promote human rights in Belarus, especially through the measures set out in the non-paper issued by the European Commissioner for External Relations and European Neighbourhood Policy on 21 November 2006. The Parliamentary Assemblies of the Council of Europe, OSCE, NATO and the European Parliament remained attentive to the situation of human rights in Belarus. The Special Rapporteur also wishes to highlight the support given to his mandate by Poland, the Czech Republic, Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia, and the important contribution of international NGOs to the promotion of human rights in Belarus. He considers nonetheless that these efforts are insufficient, and calls upon the international community to take concrete action towards the fulfilment of all recommendations addressed to it. 62. Under the given circumstances, the mobilization and the action of the international community are of paramount importance for the destiny of Belarus and of its people. Therefore, at least the following recommendations addressed to the international community are to be reiterated: (a) The Human Rights Council should request the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights to immediately establish a group of legal experts to investigate whether senior officials of the Government of Belarus are responsible for the disappearance and murders of several politicians and journalists and make concrete proposals for their prosecution, in order to bring to an end the impunity enjoyed by those involved in such crimes; (b) An international fund for the promotion of human rights in Belarus should be established. Such a fund could finance in a coherent way comprehensive programmes for the development of the civil society, for democratic public education and for assistance to the human rights defenders who have been politically harassed, oppressed or prosecuted; (c) The Human Rights Council should request the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights to join the efforts of other international organizations to organize an international conference on the situation of human rights in