of national growth and to play their part in the Government of the country of which they are citizens.
Also, Governments should consider, within their respective constitutional frameworks, vesting
persons belonging to ethnic or linguistic groups comprised of their citizens, where appropriate, with
the right to engage in activities which are particularly relevant to the preservation of the identity of
such persons or groups.
6.
The Committee emphasizes that, in accordance with the Declaration on Friendly Relations,
none of the Committee’s actions shall be construed as authorizing or encouraging any action which
would dismember or impair, totally or in part, the territorial integrity or political unity of sovereign
and independent States conducting themselves in compliance with the principle of equal rights and
self-determination of peoples and possessing a Government representing the whole people belonging
to the territory, without distinction as to race, creed or colour. In the view of the Committee,
international law has not recognized a general right of peoples unilaterally to declare secession from a
State. In this respect, the Committee follows the views expressed in An Agenda for Peace (paragraphs
17 and following), namely, that a fragmentation of States may be detrimental to the protection of
human rights, as well as to the preservation of peace and security. This does not, however, exclude the
possibility of arrangements reached by free agreements of all parties concerned.
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