A/RES/57/216 GA

United Nations A/RES/57/216 General Assembly Distr.: General 27 February 2003 Fifty-seventh session Agenda item 109 (b) 02 55346 Resolution adopted by the General Assembly [on the report of the Third Committee (A/57/556/Add.2 and Corr.1-3)] 57/216. Promotion of the right of peoples to peace The General Assembly, Recalling its resolution 39/11 of 12 November 1984, entitled “Declaration on the Right of Peoples to Peace”, Recalling also Commission on Human Rights resolution 2002/71 of 25 April 2002, entitled “Promotion of the right of peoples to peace”,1 Bearing in mind the fundamental principles of international law set forth in the Charter of the United Nations, Reaffirming the obligation of all States to settle their international disputes by peaceful means in such a manner that international peace and security, and justice are not endangered, Reaffirming also the obligation of all States to refrain in their international relations from the threat or use of force against the territorial integrity or political independence of any State, or in any other manner inconsistent with the purposes of the United Nations, Reaffirming further the importance of ensuring respect for the principles of sovereignty, territorial integrity and political independence of States and non-intervention in matters which are essentially within the domestic jurisdiction of any State, in accordance with the Charter and international law, Reaffirming that all peoples have the right to self-determination, by virtue of which they freely determine their political status and freely pursue their economic, social and cultural development, Reaffirming also that the subjection of peoples to alien subjugation, domination and exploitation constitutes a denial of fundamental rights, is contrary to the Charter and is an impediment to the promotion of world peace and cooperation, _______________ 1 See Official Records of the Economic and Social Council, 2002, Supplement No. 3 (E/2002/23), chap.II, sect. A. A/RES/57/216 2 Recalling that everyone is entitled to a social and international order in which the rights and freedoms set forth in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights2 can be fully realized, Reaffirming that there is a close relationship between disarmament and development and that progress in the field of disarmament would considerably promote progress in the field of development and that resources released through disarmament measures should be devoted to the economic and social development and well-being of all peoples, in particular those of the developing countries, Convinced of the aim of the creation of conditions of stability and well-being which are necessary for peaceful and friendly relations among nations based on respect for the principle of equal rights and self-determination of peoples, Convinced also that life without war is the primary international prerequisite for the material well-being, development and progress of countries, and for the full implementation of the rights and fundamental human freedoms proclaimed by the United Nations, 1. Reaffirms the solemn proclamation that the peoples of our planet have a sacred right to peace; 2. Solemnly declares that the preservation of the right of peoples to peace and the promotion of its implementation constitute a fundamental obligation of each State; 3. Emphasizes that ensuring the exercise of the right of peoples to peace demands that the policies of States be directed towards the elimination of the threat of war, particularly nuclear war, the renunciation of the use or threat of use of force in international relations and the settlement of international disputes by peaceful means on the basis of the Charter of the United Nations; 4. Affirms that all States should promote the establishment, maintenance and strengthening of international peace and security and, to that end, should do their utmost to achieve general and complete disarmament under effective international control, as well as to ensure that the resources released by effective disarmament measures are used for comprehensive development, in particular that of the developing countries; 5. Urges the international community to devote part of the resources made available by the implementation of disarmament and arms limitation agreements to economic and social development, with a view to reducing the ever-widening gap between developed and developing countries, and to promote the realization of all human rights for all; 6. Urges all States to refrain from using weapons with indiscriminate effects on human health, the environment and economic and social well-being; 7. Expresses concern about the real danger of the weaponization of outer space, and calls upon all States to contribute actively to the objective of the peaceful use of outer space and of the prevention of an arms race in outer space; 8. Urges all States to refrain from taking measures which encourage the resurgence of a new arms race, bearing in mind all the resulting predictable consequences for global peace and security, for development and for the full realization of all human rights for all; _______________ 2 Resolution 217 A (III). A/RES/57/216 3 9. Decides to continue consideration of the question of the promotion of the right of peoples to peace at its fifty-eighth session, under the item entitled “Human rights questions”. 77th plenary meeting 18 December 2002

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