AG/RES. 1415 (XXVI-O/96)

COOPERATION FOR HEMISPHERIC SECURITY

(Resolution adopted at the eighth plenary session, held on June 7, 1996)

THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY,

BEARING IN MIND that, under Article 2 of the Charter of the Organization of American States (OAS), one of the essential purposes of the Organization is to strengthen the peace and security of the Hemisphere;

RECALLING that one of the essential purposes of the Charter of the OAS is to achieve an effective limitation of conventional weapons, making it possible to devote the largest possible amount of resources to the economic and social development of the member states;

TAKING NOTE of the Report of the Permanent Council on Hemispheric Security (AG/doc.3352/96);

RECOGNIZING:

That the strengthening of peace and security of the Hemisphere is one of the essential purposes of the OAS and that economic and social development and cooperation among its member states are fundamental for attaining that goal;

That it is necessary and opportune to continue to increase dialogue to build peace, confidence, and security in the region; and

That peace is not merely the absence of war but also consists of interdependence and cooperation to foster economic and social development and that, in addition, disarmament, arms control and limitations, human rights, the strengthening of democratic institutions, environmental protection, and improvement of the quality of life for all are indispensable factors in the establishment of peaceful and more secure democratic societies;

RECALLING that, under resolution AG/RES. 1353 (XXV-O/95), the Permanent Council was instructed to establish a Committee on Hemispheric Security; and

CONSIDERING that, pursuant to operative paragraph 8 of resolution AG/RES. 1353 (XXV-O/95) "Cooperation for Hemispheric Security," the General Assembly requested the Permanent Council to report to the General Assembly at its twenty-sixth regular session on the progress made in the fulfillment of the mandates set forth in resolutions AG/RES. 1179 (XXII-O/92), AG/RES. 1236 (XXIII-O/93), AG/RES. 1283 (XXIV-O/94), AG/RES. 1284 (XXIV-O/94), AG/RES. 1288 (XXIV-O/94), AG/RES. 1299 (XXIV-O/94), and AG/RES. 1302 (XXIV-O/94),

RESOLVES:

1. To take note of the Report of the Permanent Council on Hemispheric Security.

2. To recognize the advisability of and need for greater dialogue on cooperation in peace, confidence, and security issues among the nations of the Hemisphere.

3. To reaffirm the urgent need to intensify the common struggle and cooperative action against abject poverty to contribute to the reduction of economic and social inequality in the Hemisphere and thus help to promote and consolidate democracy in the region.

4. To recommend the prompt initiation of a process of consultation with a view to making progress in the limitation and control of conventional weapons and to instruct the Permanent Council, through the Committee on Hemispheric Security, to consider this matter.

5. To reiterate the request to the Permanent Council that it continue consideration of the matters assigned to it in operative paragraph 8 of resolution AG/RES. 1353 (XXV-O/95), "Cooperation for Hemispheric Security."

6. To request the Permanent Council to report to the General Assembly at its twenty-seventh regular session on the implementation of this resolution.