General Assembly

Distr. GENERAL  

27 November 1990

ORIGINAL:
ENGLISH

                                                     A/RES/45/36
                                                     47th plenary meeting
                                                     27 November 1990
 
           Zone of peace and co-operation 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 co-operation of the South Atlantic",
 
      Recalling also its resolution 42/16 of 10 November 1987, in which it
 urged States of the region to continue their actions aiming at fulfilling the
 goals of the declaration, especially through the adoption and implementation
 of specific programmes for this purpose, its resolution 43/23 of 14 November
 1988, in which it commended initiatives by States of the zone to promote peace
 and regional co-operation in the South Atlantic, and its resolution 44/20 of
 14 November 1989, in which it noted with appreciation the efforts of States of
 the zone towards fulfilling the goals of the declaration,
 
      Reaffirming that the questions of peace and security and those of
 development are interrelated and inseparable, and considering that
 co-operation among all States, in particular those of the region, for peace
 and development is essential to promote the objectives of the zone of peace
 and co-operation of the South Atlantic,
 
      Also reaffirming the determination of the States of the zone to
 accelerate their co-operation in political, economic, scientific, technical,
 cultural and other spheres,
 
      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,
 
      Also aware of the importance of the South Atlantic to global maritime and
 commercial transactions, and determined to preserve the region for all
 activities enshrined in relevant international law, including the freedom of
 navigation in the high seas,
 
      Noting with satisfaction the various initiatives of the States of the
 zone to contribute to the achievement of the objectives of the zone,
 
      1.   Takes note of the report submitted by the Secretary-General in
 accordance with resolution 44/20;
 
      2.   Calls upon all States to co-operate in the promotion of the
 objectives of peace and co-operation established in the declaration of the
 zone of peace and co-operation of the South Atlantic and to refrain from any
 action inconsistent with those objectives, as well as with the Charter of the
 United Nations and relevant resolutions of the Organization, particularly
 actions which may create or aggravate situations of tension and potential
 conflict in the region;
 
      3.   Welcomes the holding of the second meeting of the States of the zone
 of peace and co-operation of the South Atlantic at Abuja, Nigeria, from 25 to
 29 June 1990, and takes note of the final document of the meeting;
 
      4.   Also welcomes the independence of Namibia, its admission as a member
 of the community of the States of the zone and its participation in the
 activities of the zone, and calls upon the international community to render
 necessary assistance to Namibia in the areas of its defined needs in order to
 consolidate its independence and sovereignty;
 
      5.   Urges all States to abstain from transferring into and disposing
 within the region hazardous, toxic and nuclear wastes and notes the
 determination of the States of the zone to establish a mechanism aimed at
 monitoring, collating and disseminating information and data on the movement
 of hazardous, toxic and nuclear wastes within the region;
 
      6.   Emphasizes the imperative need to preserve the environment of the
 region and urges all States to take the necessary measures in order to ensure
 its protection from environmental damage;
 
      7.   Welcomes with appreciation the assistance that the Office for Ocean
 Affairs and the Law of the Sea of the Secretariat and the United Nations
 Development Programme have extended towards the convening by the States of the
 zone of a seminar of a group of experts held at Brazzaville, from 12 to 15
 June 1990, which was devoted to the review of the development and
 implementation of the legal regime established by the United Nations
 Convention on the Law of the Sea, and looks forward to the convening of the
 second seminar on the subject in Uruguay in
 1991, particularly with a view of its indication of specific areas for
 co-operation by the States of the zone, on all common marine programmes;
 
      8.   Expresses support for the determination of the States of the zone
 that technical co-operation among developing countries be recognized as
 activities that can be financed by the United Nations Development Programme,
 and requests the United Nations as well as other relevant international bodies
 to assist the States of the zone in the realization of their needs in this
 regard, at their request;
 
      9.   Also expresses support for the aspirations of the States of the zone
 to make it an active instrument for fostering human rights, fundamental
 freedoms, racial equality, justice and liberty as integral elements of peace,
 development and co-operation at national and regional levels;
 
      10.  Requests the Secretary-General to keep the implementation of
 resolution 41/11 under review and to submit a report to the General Assembly
 at its forty-sixth session, taking into account, inter alia, the views
 expressed by Member States;
 
      11.  Decides to include in the provisional agenda of its forty-sixth
 session the item entitled "Zone of peace and co-operation of the South
 Atlantic".