A/RES/48/23 GA

UNITED UNITED A NATIONS NATIONS General Assembly Distr. GENERAL A/RES/48/23 3 December 1993 Forty-eighth session Agenda item 37 RESOLUTION ADOPTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY [without reference to a Main Committee (A/48/L.25)] 48/23. Zone of peace and cooperation of the South Atlantic The General Assembly, Recalling its resolution 41/11 of 27 October 1986, in which it solemnly declared the Atlantic Ocean, in the region situated between Africa and South America, the "Zone of peace and cooperation of the South Atlantic", Recalling also its subsequent resolutions on the matter, including resolution 45/36 of 27 November 1990, in which it reaffirmed the determination of the States of the zone to enhance and accelerate their cooperation in the political, economic, scientific, technical, cultural and other spheres, Reaffirming that the questions of peace and security and those of development are interrelated and inseparable, and considering that cooperation among all States, in particular those of the region, for peace and development is essential in promoting the objectives of the zone of peace and cooperation of the South Atlantic, Aware of the importance that the States of the zone attach to the preservation of the region’s environment, and recognizing the threat that pollution from any source poses to the marine and coastal environment, its ecological balance and its resources, Noting the concern expressed on the use of fishing methods and practices that cause the over-exploitation of living marine resources, especially of highly migratory and straddling fish stocks, and that it has an adverse impact on the conservation and management of living resources of the marine environment, both within and beyond the exclusive economic zones, /... A/RES/48/23 Page 2 1. Reaffirms the purpose and objective of the zone of peace and cooperation of the South Atlantic; 2. Calls upon all States to cooperate in the promotion of the objectives established in the declaration of the zone of peace and cooperation of the South Atlantic and to refrain from any action inconsistent with those objectives and with the Charter of the United Nations and relevant resolutions of the Organization, particularly action which may create or aggravate situations of tension and potential conflict in the region; 3. Takes note of the report submitted by the Secretary-General in accordance with its resolution 47/74 of 14 December 1992; 1/ 4. Takes note also of the Declaration of the Ministerial Meeting of the Zone of Peace and Cooperation of the South Atlantic which was held at United Nations Headquarters on 5 October 1993; 2/ 5. Welcomes the initiatives leading to the full entry into force of the Treaty for the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons in Latin America and the Caribbean (Treaty of Tlatelolco), 3/ and stresses the relevance of such initiatives for the advancement of the objectives and principles of the zone of peace and cooperation of the South Atlantic; 6. Notes with interest the progress made in the drafting of a treaty on the establishment of a nuclear-weapon-free zone in Africa, and stresses the relevance of such a treaty to the advancement of the objectives of the zone of peace and cooperation of the South Atlantic; 7. Notes the proposal for negotiation among the South Atlantic countries of an appropriate instrument on marine protection as a complement to the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea 4/ and as a follow-up to the relevant parts of Agenda 21, particularly chapter 17, adopted by the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development, held at Rio de Janeiro from 3 to 14 June 1992; 5/ 8. Affirms the importance of the South Atlantic to global maritime and commercial transactions and its determination to preserve the region for all activities protected by relevant international law, including the freedom of navigation on the high seas; ____________ 1/ A/48/531. 2/ A/48/581, annex. 3/ United Nations, Treaty Series, vol. 634, No. 9068. 4/ Official Records of the Third United Nations Conference on the Law of the Sea, vol. XVII (United Nations publication, Sales No. E.84.V.3), document A/CONF.62/122. 5/ Report of the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development, Rio de Janeiro, 3-14 June 1992 (United Nations publication, Sales No. E.93.I.8 and corrigenda), vol. I: Resolutions adopted by the Conference, resolution 1, annex II. /... A/RES/48/23 Page 3 9. Stresses the importance for the zone of peace and cooperation of the South Atlantic of the results of the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development, particularly the principles of the Rio Declaration on Environment and Development 6/ and the programmes set forth in Agenda 21, as well as the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change 7/ and the Convention on Biological Diversity, 8/ in the conviction that their implementation will strengthen the basis for cooperation within the zone and for the benefit of the international community as a whole; 10. Notes with interest the hope expressed by the countries of the zone to welcome in the near future a united non-racial democratic South Africa into the community of South Atlantic States, and in that connection urges all parties concerned in South Africa to continue negotiations leading to the establishment of a united non-racial democratic South Africa; 11. Expresses its appreciation for the efforts of the international community, especially the recent adoption by the Security Council of resolutions aimed at achieving a permanent resolution of the conflicts in Angola and Liberia; 12. Welcomes with appreciation the humanitarian assistance thus far rendered to Angola and Liberia and urges the international community to continue to provide and also to increase such assistance; 13. Welcomes the agreement reached between the Governments of Namibia and South Africa setting 28 February 1994 as the date for the transfer and reintegration of Walvis Bay and the offshore islands to Namibia in accordance with Security Council resolution 432 (1978) of 27 July 1978; 14. Also welcomes the initiative of the Government of Namibia to host a meeting of Ministers of Trade and Industry of States members of the zone at Windhoek on 25 and 26 November 1993; 15. Further welcomes the offer by Brazil to host at Rio de Janeiro, in the second half of 1994, the third meeting of high officials of the zone, simultaneously with the meeting of high officials in charge of sports and youth affairs; 16. Requests the relevant organizations, organs and bodies of the United Nations system to render all appropriate assistance which States of the zone may seek in their joint efforts to implement the declaration of the zone of peace and cooperation of the South Atlantic; ____________ 6/ Ibid., resolution 1, annex I. 7/ A/AC.237/18 (Part II)/Add.1 and Corr.1, annex I. 8/ See United Nations Environment Programme, Convention on Biological Diversity (Environmental Law and Institutions Programme Activity Centre), June 1992. /... A/RES/48/23 Page 4 17. Requests the Secretary-General to keep the implementation of resolution 41/11 and subsequent resolutions on the matter under review and to submit a report to the General Assembly at its forty-ninth session, taking into account, inter alia, the views expressed by Member States; 18. Decides to include in the provisional agenda of its forty-ninth session the item entitled "Zone of peace and cooperation of the South Atlantic". 63rd plenary meeting 24 November 1993

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