United Nations General Assembly A/RES/59/190 Distr.: General 15 March 2005 Fifty-ninth session Agenda item 105 (b) Resolution adopted by the General Assembly on 20 December 2004 [on the report of the Third Committee (A/59/503/Add.2)] 59/190. Strengthening United Nations action in the field of human rights through the promotion of international cooperation and the importance of non-selectivity, impartiality and objectivity The General Assembly, Bearing in mind that among the purposes of the United Nations are those of developing friendly relations among nations based on respect for the principle of equal rights and self-determination of peoples and taking other appropriate measures to strengthen universal peace, as well as achieving international cooperation in solving international problems of an economic, social, cultural or humanitarian character and in promoting and encouraging respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms for all without distinction as to race, sex, language or religion, Desirous of achieving further progress in international cooperation in promoting and encouraging respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms, Considering that such international cooperation should be based on the principles embodied in international law, especially the Charter of the United Nations, as well as the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, 1 the International Covenants on Human Rights 2 and other relevant instruments, Deeply convinced that United Nations action in the field of human rights should be based not only on a profound understanding of the broad range of problems existing in all societies but also on full respect for the political, economic and social realities of each of them, in strict compliance with the purposes and principles of the Charter and for the basic purpose of promoting and encouraging respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms through international cooperation, Recalling its previous resolutions in this regard, _______________ 1 2 04-48766 Resolution 217 A (III). Resolution 2200 A (XXI), annex.