52/48 Development of good-neighbourly relations among Balkan States

The General Assembly,

Recalling its resolution 2625 (XXV) of 24 October 1970, the annex to which contains the Declaration of Principles of International Law concerning Friendly Relations and Cooperation among States in accordance with the Charter of the United Nations, and its resolutions 46/62 of 9 December 1991, 48/84 B of 16 December 1993 and 50/80 B of 12 December 1995,

Mindful of the importance of the activities aimed at the creation of peace, stability, security, cooperation and sustainable economic development in the Balkan region,

Affirming its determination that all nations should live together in peace with one another as good neighbours,

Emphasizing the urgency of the consolidation of the Balkans as a region of peace, security, stability and good-neighbourliness, thus contributing to the maintenance of international peace and security and so enhancing the prospects for sustained development and prosperity for all peoples in the region,

Noting the desire of the Balkan States to develop good-neighbourly relations among themselves and friendly relations with all nations in accordance with the Charter of the United Nations and the principles of international law,

Emphasizing the importance of the results of the summit meeting of the Heads of State and Government of countries of South-East Europe, held on Crete, Greece, on 3 and 4 November 1997, for the peace, good-neighbourliness, stability and prosperity of the region,

Expressing its support for the international efforts aimed at the implementation of the General Framework Agreement for Peace in Bosnia and Herzegovina, initialled at Dayton, Ohio, on 21 November 1995 and signed in Paris on 14 December 1995, ⁽¹⁷⁴⁾

Expressing also its support for the Pact of Stability in Europe, adopted in Paris on 21 March 1995, the Process of Stability and Good-Neighbourliness in South-East Europe (Royaumont Initiative), the South-East European Cooperative Initiative, the activities of the Central European Initiative, as well as for the inter-Balkan process initiated by the Sofia Declaration of 7 July 1996 and further enhanced by the Thessaloniki Declaration on Good-Neighbourly Relations, Stability, Security and Cooperation in the Balkans, ⁽¹⁷⁵⁾

Stressing the importance of good-neighbourliness and the development of friendly relations among States for the promotion of international cooperation and for the solution of problems among States in accordance with the Charter of the United Nations,

Taking into account the importance of the ongoing cooperation between the United Nations and the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe,

Having considered the report of the Secretary-General on the development of good-neighbourly relations among Balkan States, ⁽¹⁷⁶⁾

Taking note of its deliberations on the subject at the present session,

Mindful of the obligations of all States under the Charter of the United Nations,

1. Notes with interest the views of some States on the development of good-neighbourly relations among the Balkan States, contained in the report of the Secretary-General;

2. Emphasizes the importance for all Balkan States to promote mutual cooperation in all fields and, inter alia, in trade and other forms of economic cooperation, transport and telecommunications, protection of the environment, advancement of democratic processes, promotion of human rights and development of cultural and sport relations;

3. Calls upon all Balkan States to endeavour to promote good-neighbourly relations and continually to undertake unilateral and joint activities, including confidence-building measures as appropriate, in particular within the framework of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe;

4. Also calls upon all Balkan States and interested States outside the region to participate actively in and support the negotiations foreseen in annex 1 B, article V, of the General Framework Agreement for Peace in Bosnia and Herzegovina, ⁽¹⁷⁷⁾ with a view to reaching early results;

5. Calls upon the relevant international organizations and competent bodies and organizations of the United Nations system to continue to support and assist the ongoing process of development of good-neighbourly relations among the Balkan States and invites them to inform the Secretary-General of their activities and of their views on the subject;

6. Stresses that the closer engagement of Balkan States in cooperation agreements on the European continent will favourably influence the political and economic situation in the region, as well as the good-neighbourly relations among all Balkan States;

7. Urges normalization of the relations among all States of the Balkan region;

8. Affirms the need for strict compliance with the principles of sovereign equality, territorial integrity or political independence, the inviolability of international borders and non-intervention in matters that are essentially within the domestic jurisdiction of any State;

9. Stresses the urgency of the realization of the aim of the Balkans to become a region of peace, stability, security, cooperation and sustained economic development;

10. Requests the Secretary-General to continue to seek the views of Member States, particularly those from the Balkan region, and of the relevant international organizations and competent bodies and organizations of the United Nations system, on the development of good-neighbourly relations in the region and on measures aimed at the creation of peace, stability, security, cooperation and sustained economic development in the Balkan region, and to submit a report to the General Assembly at its fifty-fifth session, taking into account, inter alia, the views expressed by Member States on the subject;

11. Decides to consider the report of the Secretary-General on the subject at its fifty-fifth session.

174. See A/50/790-S/1995/999 and Official Records of the Security Council, Fiftieth Year, Supplement for October, November and December 1995, document S/1995/999.

175. A/52/217-S/1997/507, annex I.

176. A/52/373.

177. See A/50/790-S/1995/999 and Official Records of the Security Council, Fiftieth Year, Supplement for October, November and December 1995, document S/1995/999.