A/RES/58/43
Concerned that the continuation of disputes among States, particularly in the
absence of an effective mechanism to resolve them through peaceful means, may
contribute to the arms race and endanger the maintenance of international peace and
security and the efforts of the international community to promote arms control and
disarmament,
Calls upon Member States to refrain from the use or threat of use of force
1.
in accordance with the purposes and principles of the Charter of the United Nations;
2.
Reaffirms its commitment to the peaceful settlement of disputes under
Chapter VI of the Charter, in particular Article 33, which provides for a solution by
negotiation, enquiry, mediation, conciliation, arbitration, judicial settlement, resort
to regional agencies or arrangements or other peaceful means chosen by the parties;
Calls upon Member States that have not already done so to open
3.
consultations and dialogue in the regions of tension without preconditions;
4.
Urges States to comply strictly with all bilateral, regional and
international agreements, including arms control and disarmament agreements, to
which they are party;
Urges also, in the context of confidence-building measures, the
5.
maintenance of military balance between States in the regions of tension consistent
with the principle of undiminished security at the lowest level of armaments;
Encourages the promotion of unilateral, bilateral and regional
6.
confidence-building measures to avoid conflict and prevent the unintended and
accidental outbreak of hostilities;
Requests the Secretary-General to seek the views of Member States with
7.
a view to exploring possibilities of furthering efforts towards confidence-building
measures in the regional and subregional context, particularly in the regions of
tension;
Also requests the Secretary-General to report on the subject to the
8.
General Assembly at its fifty-ninth session;
9.
Decides to include in the provisional agenda of its fifty-ninth session an
item entitled “Confidence-building measures in the regional and subregional
context”.
71st plenary meeting
8 December 2003
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