Mediterranean security and cooperation – First Cttee report

STRENGTHENING OF SECURITY AND CO-OPERATION

IN THE MEDITERRANEAN REGION

Report of the First Committee

Rapporteur:  Mr. Virgilio A. REYES (Philippines)

I.  INTRODUCTION

1. The item entitled "Strengthening of security and co-operation in the Mediterranean region" was included in the provisional agenda of the forty-third session in accordance with General Assembly resolution 42/90 of 7 December 1987.

2. At its 3rd plenary meeting, on 23 September 1988, the General Assembly, on the recommendation of the General Committee, decided to include the item in its agenda, and to allocate it to the First Committee.

3. The First Committee considered it 71 jointly with items 72 and 73 at its 47th to 54th meetings, on 23, 25 and 28 to 30 November 1988 (see A/C.1/43/PV.47-54).

4. In connection with item 71, the Committee had before it the following documents:

(a) Report of the Secretary-General (A/43/579);

(b) Letter dated 21 December 1987 from the Permanent Representative of the Libyan Arab Jamahiriya to the United Nations addressed to the Secretary-General (A/43/59-S/19370);

(c) Letter dated 31 March 1988 from the Permanent Representative of Bulgaria to the United Nations addressed to the Secretary-General, transmitting the text of the Communiqué and the Appeal issued by the Committee of the Ministers for Foreign Affairs of the States Parties to the Warsaw Treaty at its Sofia meeting, on 29 and 30 March 1988 (A/43/276);

(d) Letter dated 5 April 1988 from the Permanent Representative of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics and Yugoslavia to the United Nations addressed to the Secretary-General (A/43/283-S/19736);

(e) Letter dated 6 October 1988 from the Permanent Representative of Zimbabwe to the United Nations addressed to the Secretary-General, transmitting the text of the final communiqué of the Meeting of the Ministers for Foreign Affairs and Heads of Delegation of the Movement of Non-Aligned Countries to the forty-third session of the General Assembly held in New York on 3 October 1988 (A/43/709).

II.  CONSIDERATION OF DRAFT RESOLUTION A/C.1/43/L.86

5. On 28 November 1988, Algeria, Cyrus, the Libyan Arab Jamahiriya, Malta, Morocco, Romania, Tunisia and Yugoslavia submitted a draft resolution entitled "Strengthening of security and co-operation in the Mediterranean region" (A/C.1/43/L.86).

6. At the 53rd meeting, on 29 November, the delegation of Malta introduced the draft resolution to the Committee.

7. At the 54th meeting, on 30 November 1988, the Committee adopted draft resolution A/C.1/43/L.86 without a vote (see para. 8).

III.  RECOMMENDATION OF THE FIRST COMMITTEE

8. The First Committee recommends to the General Assembly the adoption of the following resolution:

Strengthening of security and co-operation

in the Mediterranean region

The General Assembly,

Recalling its resolution 36/102 of 9 December 1981, 37/118 of 16 December 1982, 38/189 of 20 December 1983, 39/153 of 17 December 1984, 40/157 of 16 December 1985, 41/89 of 4 December 1986 and 42/90 of 7 December 1987,

Recognizing the importance of promoting peace, security and co-operation in the Mediterranean region and strengthening further the economic, commercial and cultural links in the region,

Expressing concern at the persistent tension in parts of the Mediterranean region and the consequent threat to peace,

Deeply concerned at the continuing military operations in the Mediterranean and the grave dangers that they create for peace, security and general equilibrium in the region,

Considering, in this regard, the urgency of all States to conform in their actions to the purposes and principles of the Charter of the United Nations, as well as to the provisions of the Declaration on Principles of International Law concerning Friendly Relations and Co-operation among States in accordance with the Charter of the United Nations, 1/

Reaffirming the need to intensify and promote peace and security and to strengthen co-operation in the region, as provided for in the Mediterranean chapter of the Final Act of the Conference on Security and Co-operation in Europe, signed at Helsinki on 1 August 1975,

Recalling the declarations of successive meetings of non-aligned countries concerning the Mediterranean, as well as official declarations on, and contributions to, peace and security in the Mediterranean region made by individual countries,

Reaffirming the primary role of Mediterranean countries in the promotion of security and co-operation in the Mediterranean region,

Recalling, in this connection, the Final Declaration adopted at Valletta on 11 September 1984 by the Mediterranean members of the Movement of Non-Aligned Countries, 2/ and the commitments assumed by the participants that opened the process of joint efforts with the objective of contributing to peace, security and co-operation in the region,

Taking note of the important meeting of Ministers for Foreign Affairs of the Mediterranean members of the Movement of Non-Aligned Countries, held at Brioni, Yugoslavia, on 3 and 4 June 1987,

Welcoming the efforts realized by the Mediterranean members of the Movement of Non-Aligned Countries to strengthen regional co-operation in various fields among themselves and between them and the European countries,

Taking note also of the new developments evolving in the ongoing negotiations on nuclear and conventional disarmament in Europe, which have a direct relevance and importance for peace and security in the Mediterranean,

Recognizing the strong desire of the non-aligned Mediterranean countries to intensify the process of dialogue and consultations with the European-Mediterranean and other European countries aimed at strengthening efforts towards the promotion of peace, security and co-operation in the region, and thus contributing to the stabilization of the situation in the Mediterranean,

Taking note of the debate on this item during the various sessions of the General Assembly and, in particular, of the report of the Secretary-General on this item, 3/

1. Reaffirms:

(a) That the security of the Mediterranean is closely linked with European security and with international peace and security;

(b) That further efforts are necessary for the reduction of tension and of armaments and for the creation of conditions of security and fruitful co-operation in all fields for all countries and peoples of the Mediterranean, on the basis of the principles of sovereignty, independence, territorial integrity, security, non-intervention and non-interference, non-violation of international borders, non-use of force or threat of use of force, the inadmissibility of the acquisition of territory by force, peaceful settlement of disputes and respect for permanent sovereignty over natural resources;

(c) The need for just and viable solutions of existing problems and crises in the area on the basis of the provisions of the Charter and of relevant resolutions of the United Nations, the withdrawal of foreign forces of occupation and the right of peoples under colonial or foreign domination to self-determination and independence,

2. Takes note of paragraph 24 of the Document of the Stockholm Conference on Confidence- and Security-building Measures and  Disarmament in Europe which, inter alia, confirms the intention of the participants in the Conference on Security and Co-operation in Europe to develop good-neighbourly relations with all States of the region, with due regard to reciprocity, and in the spirit of the principles contained in the Declaration of Principles Guiding Relations between Participating States, so as to promote confidence and security and make peace prevail in the region in accordance with the provisions contained in the Mediterranean chapter of the Final Act of the Conference on Security and Co-operation in Europe;

3. Calls upon all States participating in the Vienna meeting of the Conference on Security and Co-operation in Europe to take all possible measures and to exert every effort in order to ensure substantial and balances results of this meeting in the implementation of the principles and goal of the Final Act, including those provisions relating to the Mediterranean, as well as the continuity of the multilateral process initiated by the Conference, which also has great significance for the strengthening of peace, security and co-operation;

4. Urges all States to co-operate with the Mediterranean States in the further efforts required to reduce tension and promote peace, security and co-operation in the region in accordance with the purposes and principles of the Charter of the United Nations and with the provisions of the Declaration on Principles of International Law concerning Friendly Relations and Co-operation among States;

5. Encourages once again efforts to intensify existing forms and to promote new forms of co-operation in various fields, particularly those aimed at reducing tension and strengthening confidence and security in the region;

6. Reaffirms also the importance of intensifying and constantly promoting contacts in all fields where common interests exist in order to eliminate gradually, through co-operation, the causes preventing the faster social and economic development of the Mediterranean States, particularly the developing States of the region;

7. Takes note, in this regard, of the idea of the establishment of a Mediterranean forum as a multidisciplinary framework for the promotion of co-operation in the region, which would bring together not only the representatives of Governments but also of scientific, educational, cultural and other institutions, as well as prominent individuals specializing in Mediterranean studies;

8. Welcomes any further communication to the Secretary-General from all States, of proposals, declarations and recommendations on strengthening peace, security and co-operation in the Mediterranean region;

9. Renews its invitation to the Secretary-General to give due attention to the question of peace, security and co-operation in the Mediterranean region and, if requested to do so, to render advice and assistance to concerted efforts by Mediterranean countries in promoting peace, security and co-operation in the region;

10. Invites the States member of the relevant regional organizations to lend support and to submit to the Secretary-General concrete ideas and suggestions on their potential contribution to the strengthening of peace and co-operation in the Mediterranean region;

11. Requests the Secretary-General to submit to the General Assembly at its forty-fourth session, on the basis of all replies received and notifications submitted in the implementation of the present resolution and taking into account the debate on this question during its forty-third session, an updated report on the strengthening of security and co-operation in the Mediterranean region;

12. Decides to include in the provisional agenda of its forty-fourth session the item entitled "Strengthening of security and co-operation in the Mediterranean region".

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Notes