Resolution 50/75
(December 12, 1995)
This was a relatively new resolution in the
roster of the Middle East agenda. Since it
contained no operative parts, and included hopes
and aspirations that all nations could subscribe
to, it was adopted without a vote.
The General Assembly,
Recalling its previous resolutions on the
subject, including resolution 49/81 of 15
December 1994,
Reaffirming the primary role of the
Mediterranean countries in strengthening and
promoting peace, security and cooperation in the
Mediterranean region,
Bearing in mind all the previous declarations
and commitments, as well as all the initiatives
taken by the riparian countries at the recent
summits, ministerial meetings and various forums
concerning the question of the Mediterranean
region,
Recognizing the efforts made so far and the
determination of the Mediterranean countries to
intensify the process of dialogue and
consultations with a view to resolving the
problems existing in the Mediterranean region and
to eliminate the causes of tension and the
consequent threat to peace and security,
Recognizing also the indivisible character of
security in the Mediterranean and that the
enhancement of cooperation among Mediterranean
countries with a view to promoting the economic
and social development of all peoples of the
region will contribute significantly to
stability, peace and security in the region,
Recognizing further that prospects for closer
Euro-Mediterranean cooperation in all spheres can
be enhanced by positive developments world wide,
in particular in Europe, in the Maghreb and in
the Middle East, Noting with satisfaction the
positive developments in the Middle East peace
process that will lead to achieving a
comprehensive, just and lasting peace in the
region and therefore to promoting
confidence-building measures and a
good-neighborly spirit among the countries of the
area,
Expressing satisfaction at the growing
awareness of the need for more joint efforts by
all Mediterranean countries so as to strengthen
economic, social, cultural and environmental
cooperation in the region,
Reaffirming the responsibility of all States
to contribute to the stability and prosperity of
the Mediterranean region and their commitment to
respect the purposes and principles of the
Charter of the United Nations, as well as the
provisions of the Declaration on Principles of
International Law concerning Friendly Relations
and Cooperation among States in accordance with
the Charter of the United Nations,
Expressing its concern at the persistent
tension and continuing military activities in
parts of the Mediterranean that hinder efforts to
strengthen security and cooperation in the
region,
Taking note of the report of the
Secretary-General on this item,
1. Reaffirms that security in the
Mediterranean is closely linked to European
security as well as to international peace and
security;
2. Expresses its satisfaction at the
continuing efforts by Mediterranean countries to
contribute actively to the elimination of all
causes of tension in the region and to the
promotion of just and lasting solutions to the
persistent problems of the region through
peaceful means, thus ensuring the withdrawal of
foreign forces of occupation and respecting the
sovereignty, independence and territorial
integrity of all countries of the Mediterranean
and the right of peoples to self-determination,
and therefore calls for full adherence to the
principles of non-interference, non-intervention,
non-use of force or threat of use of force and
the inadmissibility of the acquisition of
territory by force, in accordance with the
Charter and the relevant resolutions of the
United Nations;
3. Commends the efforts by the Mediterranean
countries in meeting common challenges through
coordinated overall responses, based on a spirit
of multilateral partnership, towards the general
objective of turning the Mediterranean basin into
an area of dialogue, exchanges and cooperation,
guaranteeing peace, stability and prosperity;
4. Recognizes that the elimination of the
economic and social disparities in levels of
development as well as other obstacles in the
Mediterranean area will contribute to enhancing
peace, security and cooperation among
Mediterranean countries through the existing
forums;
5. Calls upon all States of the Mediterranean
region that have not yet done so to adhere to all
the multilaterally negotiated legal instruments
related to the field of disarmament, thus
creating the necessary conditions for
strengthening peace and cooperation in the
region;
6. Encourages all States of the region to
favour the necessary conditions for strengthening
the confidence-building measures among them by
promoting genuine openness and transparency on
all military matters, by participating, inter
alia, in the United Nations system for the
standardized reporting of military expenditures
as well as by providing accurate data and
information to the United Nations Register of
Conventional Arms;
7. Encourages the Mediterranean countries to
strengthen further their cooperation in combating
terrorism, which poses a serious threat to peace,
security and stability in the region and
therefore to the improvement of the current
political, economic and social situation;
8. Invites all States of the region to
address, through various forms of cooperation,
problems and threats posed to the region, such as
terrorism, international crime and illicit arms
transfers, as well as illicit drug production,
consumption and trafficking, which jeopardize the
friendly relations among States, hinder the
development of international cooperation and
result in the destruction of human rights,
fundamental freedoms and the democratic basis of
pluralistic society;
9. Encourages the continued widespread support
among the Mediterranean countries for the
convening of a conference on security and
cooperation in the Mediterranean, as well as the
ongoing regional consultations to create the
appropriate conditions for its convening;
10. Requests the Secretary-General to submit a
report on means to strengthen security and
cooperation in the Mediterranean region;
11. Decides to include in the provisional
agenda of its fifty-first session the item
entitled “Strengthening of security and
cooperation in the Mediterranean region.”
Sources: The United Nations |