A/RES/53/34 GA

UNITED A NATIONS General Assembly Distr. GENERAL A/RES/53/34 13 January 1999 Fifty-third session Agenda item 32 RESOLUTION ADOPTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY [without reference to a Main Committee (A/53/L.41 and Corr.1)] 53/34. 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 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, cultural and other spheres, Reaffirming that the questions of peace and security and those of development are interrelated and inseparable and that cooperation for peace and development among States of the region will promote 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 environment of the region, and recognizing the threat that pollution from any source poses to the marine and coastal environment, its ecological balance and its resources, 1. Reaffirms the importance of the purposes and objectives of the zone of peace and cooperation of the South Atlantic as a basis for the promotion of cooperation among the countries of the region; 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 99-76135 /... A/RES/53/34 Page 2 the Organization, in particular actions that may create or aggravate situations of tension and potential conflict in the region; 3. Takes note of the report of the Secretary-General,1 submitted in accordance with its resolution 52/14 of 20 November 1997; 4. Recalls the agreement reached at the third meeting of the States members of the zone, held in Brasilia in 1994, to encourage democracy and political pluralism and, in accordance with the Vienna Declaration and Programme of Action adopted by the World Conference on Human Rights on 25 June 1993,2 to promote and defend all human rights and fundamental freedoms and to cooperate towards the achievement of those goals; 5. Welcomes with satisfaction the holding of the fifth meeting of the States members of the zone in Buenos Aires, on 21 and 22 October 1998, and takes note of the Final Declaration and Plan of Action adopted at the meeting;3 6. Welcomes the progress towards the full entry into force of the Treaty for the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons in Latin America and the Caribbean (Treaty of Tlatelolco)4 and the signing of the African Nuclear-Weapon-Free Zone Treaty (Treaty of Pelindaba);5 7. Also welcomes the entry into force of the Inter-American Convention against the Illicit Manufacturing of and Trafficking in Firearms, Ammunition, Explosives and Other Related Materials,6 adopted in November 1997, as well as the decision on the proliferation of small arms and light weapons taken by the Council of Ministers of the Organization of African Unity at its sixty-eighth ordinary session, held in Ouagadougou from 4 to 7 June 1998;7 8. Further welcomes the restoration of democracy in Sierra Leone and Liberia, and in that regard commends the active efforts of the Economic Community of West African States and the States that have contributed to the Economic Community of West African States Monitoring Group; 9. Welcomes the agreement reached in Abuja on 1 November 19988 by the Government of Guinea- Bissau and the self-proclaimed military junta as a positive step towards national reconciliation in Guinea- Bissau, and in that context commends the mediation efforts conducted by the Economic Community of 1 A/53/488. 2 A/CONF.157/24 (Part I), chap. III. 3 A/53/650, annex. 4 United Nations, Treaty Series, vol. 634, No. 9068. 5 See A/50/426, annex. 6 A/53/78, annex. 7 A/53/179, annex I. 8 See Official Records of the Security Council, Fifty-third Year, Supplement for October, November and December 1998, document S/1998/1028. /... A/RES/53/34 Page 3 West African States and the Community of Portuguese-Speaking Countries, and calls upon the Government and the so-called junta to abide by the agreement; 10. Also welcomes the commitment of the Government of Nigeria to carry out the plan for transition to general elections and the establishment of new democratic structures, and welcomes the action of the Government in releasing political prisoners as well as the continued progress being made in the observance of human rights in that country; 11. Views with concern the present armed conflict in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, stresses the need to respect the territorial integrity of that country, urges the parties to that conflict and the States that have offered their good offices to bring hostilities to an end and to spare no effort in the negotiations leading to the restoration of peace, welcomes the positive response by the Southern African Development Community to the request of the Government of the Democratic Republic of the Congo to provide assistance in the restoration of peace and stability in that country, and also welcomes the decision of the Democratic Republic of the Congo to conduct elections in that country in June 1999; 12. Welcomes the positive steps taken by the Government of Angola in implementing the Lusaka Protocol,9 and reiterates that the primary cause of the crisis in Angola and of the current impasse in the peace process is the failure by the leadership of the National Union for the Total Independence of Angola to comply with its obligations under the “Acordos de Paz”,10 the Lusaka Protocol and relevant Security Council resolutions; 13. Reaffirms its willingness to contribute by all means at its disposal to an effective and lasting peace in Angola; 14. Urges the international community and all relevant international and private organizations to fulfil expeditiously their pledges to provide assistance to facilitate the demobilization and social reintegration of ex-combatants, the demining process, the resettlement of displaced persons and the reconstruction of the Angolan economy in order to consolidate the gains in the peace process; 15. Commends the efforts of Member States and humanitarian organizations in rendering humanitarian assistance to Angola and Sierra Leone, and urges them to continue to provide and to increase such assistance; 16. Affirms the importance of the South Atlantic to global maritime and commercial transactions and its determination to preserve the region for all peaceful purposes and activities protected by international law, in particular the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea;11 17. Calls upon Member States to continue their efforts towards the achievement of appropriate regulation of maritime transport of radioactive and toxic wastes, taking into account the interests of coastal 9 Ibid., Forty-ninth Year, Supplement for October, November and December 1994, document S/1994/1441. 10 Ibid., Forty-sixth Year, Supplement for April, May and June 1991, document S/22609. 11 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. /... A/RES/53/34 Page 4 States, in accordance with the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea and the regulations of the International Maritime Organization and the International Atomic Energy Agency; 18. Views with concern the increase in drug trafficking and related crimes, including drug abuse, and calls upon the States members of the zone to promote regional cooperation to combat all aspects of the problem of drugs and related offences; 19. Recognizes, in the light of the number, magnitude and complexity of natural disasters and other emergencies, the need to strengthen the coordination of humanitarian assistance by States members of the zone, so as to ensure a timely and effective response; 20. Welcomes the offer by Benin to host the sixth meeting of the States members of the zone; 21. Requests the relevant organizations, organs and bodies of the United Nations system to render all appropriate assistance that States members of the zone may seek in their joint efforts to implement the declaration of the zone of peace and cooperation of the South Atlantic; 22. 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 fifty-fourth session, taking into account, inter alia, the views expressed by Member States; 23. Decides to include in the provisional agenda of its fifty-fourth session the item entitled “Zone of peace and cooperation of the South Atlantic”. 70th plenary meeting 25 November 1998

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