Last week, the entire Russian parliamentary delegation refused to go to the capital of Finland. Because the head of the Russian State Duma, Sergei Naryshkin, along with six other parliamentarians, was included in the sanctions lists. On this basis, the Finnish authorities denied them the opportunity to take part in the session Parliamentary Assembly OSCE in Helsinki, although OSCE events are not subject to visa sanctions

I think it would not be an exaggeration to say that such a situation has become a symbol of political changes in the world. The Helsinki Peace, created on the basis of agreements between the USSR and the USA in the capital of Finland, virtually ceased to exist.

The circle is closed.

A new political era is dawning.

And it makes sense for us to remember and compare.

What are the Helsinki Accords?

Many of us, especially those from younger generation they no longer remember the time when our country was not just a completely sovereign power, but an EQUAL country in all respects compared to the United States. And the world was divided into two spheres of influence: ours and theirs. There was also a third part of the world - one that did not join the first two. It was called that - the non-aligned movement.

Under these conditions, the USSR, together with its allies in Warsaw Pact took the initiative to agree on the rules of the game. Reduce tension, reduce, or better yet, stop the arms race, which is leading the planet to self-destruction.

The result was the “Helsinki Conference on Security and Cooperation in Europe.” 33 states took part in it - all European countries except Albania, as well as the USA and Canada. It is clear that the main ones were Moscow and Washington. And neutral Finland provided a platform that suited everyone. The country's relations were equally good with both political European blocs.

Without going into long details, I would like to note that the negotiations took place in several stages for almost two years. Finally, July 30 - Aug 1. 1975 at a meeting at top level The Final Act was adopted in Helsinki.

This document determined life in Europe.

It formulated 10 fundamental principles, which should determine the rules and norms of relations between the states participating in the Conference.

— sovereign equality, respect for the rights inherent in sovereignty;

— non-use of force or threat of force;

— inviolability of borders;

— territorial integrity of states;

— peaceful settlement of disputes;

- non-interference in internal affairs;

— respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms, including freedom of thought, conscience, religion and belief;

- equality and the right of peoples to control their own destinies;

— cooperation between states;

— conscientious fulfillment of obligations under international law.

When the USSR existed, when we were strong, the West respected this agreement. But only as long as there was someone who could punish for non-compliance with agreements.

Today, the Helsinki peace is buried by the efforts of the USA and NATO:

  • the sovereignty of states is not respected, the United States considers itself to have the right to interfere in the affairs of any state that cannot defend itself. Including in Europe - the fate of Yugoslavia is a terrible example of this;
  • The non-use of force as a principle of European policy is a thing of the past - the collapse of Yugoslavia was carried out with the use of foreign armed force;
  • The inviolability of borders, as a principle that liberals and the United States constantly remind us of, was violated during the destruction of the USSR, Yugoslavia, Czechoslovakia and the emergence of such “states” as Kosovo;
  • The territorial integrity of states was not violated at all in 2014 - this principle was buried in Kosovo, tearing apart Yugoslavia, whose borders were recreated in 1945;
  • Peaceful settlement of disputes - this principle in the practice of NATO and the United States sounds like a mockery today;
  • Non-interference in internal affairs - the United States does nothing but interfere in them, trying to teach and instruct everyone how to live, who to choose as a leader, and now they are also trying to present a mortal sin in the form of a new human norm;
  • Respect for rights and freedoms - by carrying out their policies, NATO and the United States violate the fundamental human right - the right to life, denying everyone the right to make their own decisions about their inner life, following their ideals and traditions;
  • Equality of peoples - against the backdrop of the crisis in the European Union, we see how “equal” the EU member countries are, the right of peoples to control their own destinies - against the backdrop of support for the coup in Ukraine by the United States, we see permanent violation this principle on the part of the World Hegemon;
  • Cooperation between states - the United States is confident that all countries are obliged to buy their debt obligations and fulfill all their political demands, any attempt to pursue a sovereign policy Washington tries to punish different ways: from color revolutions to sanctions and aggression;
  • It is impossible to talk about the conscientious fulfillment of obligations on the part of the United States and NATO - deception follows deception, and lie after lie, NATO expanded to the East and absorbed even part of former territory The USSR also refers to the issue of “the inviolability of borders in Europe.”

TO today There is nothing left of the Helsinki Agreement. Everything has been destroyed by the West, which wants to continue to play the role of the only force.

The inability of the Delegation of our country to fully participate in the anniversary (40 years) of the agreement signed in the capital of Finland is very typical.

It is difficult to imagine that in 1975 anyone could have included members of the Politburo or the General Secretary of the CPSU on any sanctions lists. This is nonsense - when the leaders of countries with which negotiations need to be held... are not allowed to attend them.

And this is a symbol. There is no more Helsinki Peace. There are no inviolable borders in Europe.

There is nothing at all.

Except for the army and navy of Russia, which are the only guarantee of our existence as a people, as a unique Russian civilization.

And the “lessons of Helsinki” are lessons for us all.

You can't trust the West.

He will deceive and break agreements at the first opportunity.

But we must not become weak - the West respects all agreements only as long as you are strong. If you become weak, no one will honor the agreements; they will immediately try to tear them apart.

These are the thoughts that arise after analyzing what happened with our parliamentary delegation.

If they don’t want to talk, they don’t need to.

Once again they didn’t want to talk to us near Moscow and Stalingrad.

I had to speak in Tehran, and then in Potsdam.

We will wait.

Although we are for peace. At least based on the Helsinki Agreement...

August 1, 1975 in the capital of Finland, Helsinki, representatives of Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Hungary, German Democratic Republic, Federal Republic of Germany, Greece, Denmark, Ireland, Iceland, Spain, Italy, Canada, Cyprus, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Malta, Monaco, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, San Marino, Holy See, United Kingdom, United States States of America, Union of Soviet Socialist Republics, Turkey, Finland, France, Czechoslovakia, Switzerland, Sweden and Yugoslaviasigned final act Meetings on security and cooperation in Europe.

The meeting was convened at the proposal of the socialist participating statesWarsaw Pact and took place in three stages. From 3 to 7 July 1973 Ministers of Foreign Affairs conferred in Helsinki. The second stage of the meeting took place in Geneva from 18 September 1973 to July 21, 1975 d. tours lasting from 3 to 6 months at the level of delegates and experts appointed by participating states. The final chord was the meeting in Helsinki July 30 - August 1, 1975 senior state and political leaders.

Interstate agreements were grouped into several sections.

In the first section, relating to security issues in Europe, 10principles defining the rules and norms of relations and cooperation of all states participating in the Conference: sovereign equality, respect for the rights inherent in sovereignty; non-use of force or threat of force; inviolability of borders; territorial integrity of states; peaceful settlement of disputes; non-interference in internal affairs; respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms, including freedom of thought, conscience, religion and belief; equality and the right of peoples to control their own destinies; cooperation between states; conscientious fulfillment of obligations under international law.

The second section agreed on the main areas of cooperation in the fields of economics, science and technology, and environmental protection.

The third section included issues related to security and cooperation in the Mediterranean.

The fourth section contained provisions on cooperation in the field of culture, education, information and other humanitarian areas, subject to the agreed principles of interstate relations, including the principles of non-interference in internal affairs and respect for the sovereign rights of states.

The original of the Final Act was drawn up in English, Spanish, Italian, German, Russian and French, Andtransferred to the government of FinlandRepublic for storage in its archives. Each of the participating States received a certified copy of the Act.

The agreement on the next steps after the meeting provided for the continuation of the multilateral process initiated by the pan-European meeting, which resulted in whole line new agreements designedprevent interstate conflicts and overcome their consequences. In 1994d. The meeting was renamed the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe.

Lit.: Zagorsky A. B. Helsinki Process: (Negotiations within the framework of the Conference on Security and Cooperation in Europe 1972-1991). M., 2005; Krokhin V. A. Conference on Security and Cooperation in Europe // Bolshaya Soviet encyclopedia. T. 24. Book. 1. M., 1976; Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe: website. 1995-2015. URL: http://www. osce. org/; Conference on Security and Cooperation in Europe. Final act. Helsinki, 1975; Chervov Ya. F. Helsinki Meeting // Soviet Military Encyclopedia. T. 8. M., 1976; Same [Electronic resource]. URL: http://militera. lib. ru/ enc/ enc1976/ index. html.

See also in the Presidential Library:

Birthday of Soviet statesman, diplomat Andrei Andreevich Gromyko // On this day. July 18, 1909 .

Agreement of 35 European States and North America, which established the principles of a peaceful and humane international order in Europe. This agreement was the result of highest point"Détente" policy.

Participating countries: Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Vatican, Great Britain, Hungary, East Germany, Germany, Greece, Denmark, Ireland, Iceland, Spain, Italy, Canada, Cyprus, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Malta, Monaco, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, San Marino, USA, USSR, Turkey, Finland, France, Czechoslovakia, Switzerland, Sweden, Yugoslavia.

On July 3, 1973, in Helsinki, on the initiative of the superpowers, the Conference on Security and Cooperation in Europe began, which was supposed to resolve all issues that arose during the “ cold war» international problems in Europe. The meeting was attended by representatives of almost all European countries, as well as the USA and Canada.

September 18, 1973 - July 21, 1975 negotiations took place in Geneva with the participation of Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Hungary, the German Democratic Republic, the Federal Republic of Germany, Greece, Denmark, Ireland, Iceland, Spain, Italy, Canada, Cyprus, Liechtenstein , Luxembourg, Malta, Monaco, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, San Marino, the Holy See, the United Kingdom, the United States of America, the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics, Turkey, Finland, France, Czechoslovakia, Switzerland, Sweden and Yugoslavia.

On August 1, 1975, the heads of these states, meeting in Helsinki, solemnly signed the Final Act of the meeting. This was the moment of triumph of the policy of peace, peaceful and good-neighborly coexistence of countries with different social systems.
The act affected the widest circle international problems, including trade, industrial cooperation, cooperation in the field of science and technology, environmental protection, cultural and interpersonal relations.

The states that signed the Act pledged to “respect each other’s sovereign equality and identity”… “each other’s right freely to choose and develop their political, social, economic and cultural systems, as well as the right to establish their own laws and administrative regulations.”

An important provision that remains relevant today was that “borders may be changed, in accordance with international law, peacefully and by agreement. They also have the right to belong or not belong to international organizations, to be or not to be a party to bilateral or multilateral treaties, including the right to be or not to be a party to union treaties; they also have the right to neutrality”...

The participating States promised to refrain from international relations"from the use or threat of force against the territorial integrity or political independence of any State or in any other manner inconsistent with the purposes of the United Nations and with this Declaration."

“The participating States regard as inviolable all of each other's borders, as well as the borders of all states in Europe, and will therefore refrain now and in the future from any encroachment on these borders.

They will accordingly also refrain from any demands or actions aimed at the seizure and usurpation of part or all of the territory of any participating State.”

Chapter VII was specifically devoted to respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms, including freedom of thought, conscience, religion and belief.

In the field of human rights and fundamental freedoms, participating States will act in accordance with the purposes and principles of the UN Charter and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.”

There was a contradiction between the principles of non-interference in each other's internal affairs and guarantees of civil rights - after all, in order to guarantee rights, it was necessary to intervene in the affairs of countries that violate them.

In those countries where civil rights were violated, they continued to be trampled upon, and attempts by other states were criticized domestic policy governments violating human rights were declared interference in internal affairs.

The Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) was created to monitor compliance with the Helsinki Agreement. In some countries of Eastern Europe, including the USSR, public Helsinki groups arose that exposed violations of the agreement in the field of human rights on the territory of socialist countries. Members of these groups were persecuted by the authorities, and in the early 80s. most of them were destroyed.

The act became the apogee of “Détente”, after which relations between the USSR and the USA began to gradually deteriorate.

In 1979, due to disputes over deployment in Europe nuclear missiles medium range two blocks, and also due to the input Soviet troops to Afghanistan, Soviet-American relations deteriorated again, “Détente” ended, and the “Cold War” resumed.

Historical sources:

Akhromeev S., Kornienko G. Through the eyes of a marshal and a diplomat. M., 1992;

In the name of security and cooperation. To the results of the Conference on Security and Cooperation in Europe, held in Helsinki on July 30 - August 1, 1975. M., 1975;

Dobrynin A. Purely confidential. Ambassador to Washington under six US presidents (1962-1986). M., 1996;

L.I. Brezhnev. 1964-1982. Bulletin of the Presidential Archive. Special edition. M., 2006;

Kissinger G. Diplomacy. M., 1997.


The Conference on Security and Cooperation in Europe, which began in Helsinki on July 3, 1973 and continued in Geneva from September 18, 1973 to July 21, 1975, was concluded in Helsinki on August 1, 1975 by the High Representatives of Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Hungary, the German Democratic Republic Republic, Federal Republic of Germany, Greece, Denmark, Ireland, Iceland, Spain, Italy, Canada, Cyprus, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Malta, Monaco, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, San Marino, Holy See, United Kingdom, United States of America, Union of Soviet Socialist Republics, Turkey, Finland, France, Czechoslovakia, Switzerland, Sweden and Yugoslavia.

During the opening and closing stages of the Meeting, the Secretary-General of the United Nations addressed the participants as the guest of honor. During the second phase of the Meeting, the Director-General of UNESCO and the Executive Secretary of the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe made their contributions.

During the meetings of the second stage of the Meeting, the following decisions were also made:

contributions on various agenda items by representatives of the following non-participating Mediterranean States: Algerian People's Democratic Republic, Arab Republic of Egypt, Israel, Kingdom of Morocco, Syrian Arab Republic, Tunisian Republic.

Inspired by political will, in the interests of peoples, to improve and intensify their relations, promote peace, security, justice and cooperation in Europe, rapprochement between them, as well as with other states of the world.

Determined in this regard to give full effect to the results of the Conference and to ensure that the fruits flowing from these results are enjoyed among their states and throughout Europe, and thereby expand, deepen and make progressive and lasting the process of detente.

High Representatives States Parties solemnly adopted the following:

States parties to the Conference on Security and Cooperation in Europe,

Reaffirming its goal of promoting the improvement of relations between them and providing conditions in which their peoples can live in genuine and lasting peace, protected from any threat or attack on their security;

Convinced of the need to make efforts to make detente both a continuous and increasingly viable and comprehensive process, universal in scope, and that the implementation of the results of the Conference on Security and Cooperation in Europe will be one of the largest contributions to this process;

Considering that solidarity between peoples, as well as the common desire of participating States to achieve the goals as set forth by the Conference on Security and Cooperation in Europe, should lead to the development of better and closer relations between them in all areas and thus to overcome confrontation arising from the nature of their relationship in the past, and towards better mutual understanding;

Mindful of your general history and recognizing that existence common elements in their traditions and values ​​can help them develop their relationships, and are willing to seek, fully taking into account the uniqueness and diversity of their positions and views, opportunities to unite their efforts in order to overcome mistrust and strengthen trust, to resolve the problems that divide them , and cooperate in the interests of humanity;

Recognizing the indivisibility of security in Europe, as well as their common interest in developing cooperation throughout Europe and among themselves, and expressing their intention to make efforts accordingly;

Recognizing the close link between peace and security in Europe and the world as a whole, and conscious of the need for each to contribute to the strengthening of international peace and security and to the promotion of fundamental rights, economic and social progress and the well-being of all peoples;

The following was accepted:

a) Declaration of Principles to Which States Parties

States Parties,

Convinced that their efforts aimed at developing cooperation in the fields of trade, industry, science and technology, the environment, as well as in other areas economic activity, contribute to strengthening peace and security in Europe and throughout the world,

Recognizing that cooperation in these areas would contribute to economic and social progress and improvement of living conditions, recognizing the differences in their economic and social systems Oh,

reaffirming their readiness to intensify such cooperation with each other regardless of their systems,

Recognizing what cooperation is, taking into account differences in levels economic development can develop on the basis of equality and mutual satisfaction of partners and reciprocity, allowing for a generally fair distribution of benefits and obligations of comparable magnitude, while respecting bilateral and multilateral agreements,

name in mind interests developing countries all over the world, including among the participating countries, since economically they are at the level of developing ones; Reaffirming its readiness to cooperate in achieving the goals and objectives set by the relevant bodies of the United Nations in development documents, on the understanding that each participating State adheres to the position it has taken on them; paying special attention to least developed countries,

convinced that the growing economic interdependence in the world encourages more effective common efforts to solve the world's major economic problems, such as food, energy, raw materials and monetary and financial problems, and thereby emphasizes the need to promote the development of sustainable and equitable international economic relations, which would contribute to the long-term and diversified economic development of all countries,

Considering the work already done by the relevant international organizations and wishing to take advantage of the opportunities provided by these organizations, in particular the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe, to implement the provisions of the final documents of the Meeting,

Considering that the guidelines and specific recommendations contained in the following texts are intended to promote the further development of their economic relations, and being convinced that their cooperation in this field should be carried out in full respect for the principles governing the relations between the participating States as set out in the relevant document,

accepted the following:

Trade

Industrial cooperation

Harmonization of standards and technical specifications

Transport development

States Parties,

Taking into account the geographical, historical, cultural, economic and political aspects of its relations with the non-participating Mediterranean States,

Convinced that security in Europe should be seen in the broader context of security in the world, that it is closely linked to security in the Mediterranean region as a whole and that, therefore, the process of strengthening security, not limited to Europe, should extend to other areas of the world, particularly in the Mediterranean,

Believing that strengthening security and developing cooperation in Europe will stimulate positive developments in the Mediterranean area, and expressing the intention to contribute to the cause of peace, security and justice in the area in the common interests of the participating States and non-participating Mediterranean States,

Recognizing the importance of its economic relationships with non-participating Mediterranean States and taking into account the common interest in further development cooperation, cooperation

Noting with satisfaction the interest shown by the non-participating Mediterranean States in the Meeting since its inception, and having taken due account of their contributions,

Declaring their intention:

promote the development of good neighborly relations with the non-participating Mediterranean States, in accordance with the purposes and principles of the Charter of the United Nations on which their relations are based and with the United Nations Declaration of Principles of International Law concerning Friendly Relations and Co-operation among States, and proceed accordingly, in connection with this, in its relations with the non-participating Mediterranean States, in the spirit of the principles set out in the Declaration of Principles Guiding the Participating States' Mutual Relations;

strive, through further improvement of relations with non-participating Mediterranean States, to strengthen mutual trust in order to contribute to security and stability in the Mediterranean area as a whole;

promote the development of mutually beneficial cooperation with non-participating Mediterranean States in various fields of economic activity, especially through the expansion of trade, based on a common understanding of the need for stability and progress in trade relations, their mutual economic interests and differences in levels of economic development, thereby contributing to their economic growth and well-being;

contribute comprehensive development economies of non-participating Mediterranean countries, taking into account the objectives of their national development and cooperate with them, especially in the fields of industry, science and technology, in their efforts to best use their resources, thereby contributing to a more harmonious development of economic relations;

to intensify efforts and cooperation on a bilateral and multilateral basis with non-participating Mediterranean States with a view to improving the environment in the Mediterranean, especially to preserve the biological resources and ecological balance of the sea through appropriate measures, including pollution prevention and control; for these purposes, and taking into account the current situation, cooperate through competent international organizations, in particular within the framework of the UN Program for environment(UNEP);

promote further contacts and cooperation with non-participating Mediterranean States in other relevant areas.

To further the objectives set out above, the participating States also declare their intention to maintain and expand the contacts and dialogue initiated by the Conference on Security and Cooperation in Europe with non-participating Mediterranean States, including all States Mediterranean Sea, with the aim of promoting peace, reducing military forces in the area, strengthening security, easing tension in the area and expanding the scope of cooperation - tasks in which everyone has a common interest, as well as with a view to defining further joint tasks.

The participating States will endeavor, through their multilateral efforts, to promote progress and related initiatives, and to exchange views regarding the achievement of the objectives set out above.

States Parties,

Desiring to contribute to the strengthening of peace and mutual understanding between peoples and the spiritual enrichment of the human person without distinction of race, gender, language and religion,

Aware that the development of cultural and educational ties, wider dissemination of information, people-to-people contacts and solutions humanitarian problems will contribute to achieving these goals,

Determined therefore to cooperate among themselves, regardless of their political, economic and social systems, in order to create Better conditions in the areas mentioned above, develop and strengthen existing forms cooperation, and to develop new ways and means consistent with these goals,

Convinced that this cooperation must be carried out in full respect for the principles governing relations between the participating States, as set out in the relevant document,

The following was accepted:

1. Contacts between people

States Parties,

Having reviewed and assessed the progress made at the Conference on Security and Cooperation in Europe;

Considering further that, in the wider world context, the Conference is an important part of the process of strengthening security and cooperation in Europe and that its results will make a significant contribution to this process;

intending to implement the provisions of the Final Act of the Conference in order to give full effect to its results and thereby advance the process of strengthening security and developing cooperation in Europe;

Convinced that, in order to achieve the goals pursued by the Meeting, they must make new unilateral, bilateral and multilateral efforts and continue, in the appropriate forms set out below, the multilateral process initiated by the Meeting,

1. Declare their determination, in the period following the Meeting, to take due account of and implement the provisions of the Final Act of the Meeting:

a) unilaterally in all cases that are suitable for such action;

b) bilaterally through negotiations with other participating States;

c) multilaterally through meetings of experts of participating States, as well as within the framework of existing international organizations, such as the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe and UNESCO with regard to cooperation in the fields of education, science and culture;

a) through an in-depth exchange of views both on the implementation of the provisions of the Final Act and the tasks determined by the Conference, and in the context of the issues discussed at it, on improving their relations, strengthening security and developing cooperation in Europe, and developing the process of détente in the future;

b) by organizing for this purpose meetings between their representatives, starting with a meeting at the level of representatives designated by the Ministers of Foreign Affairs. This meeting will determine appropriate modalities for other meetings, which could include further meetings of this nature and the possibility of a new meeting;

3. The first of the meetings mentioned above will take place in Belgrade in 197. The preparatory meeting for the organization of this meeting will take place in Belgrade on June 15, 1977. The preparatory meeting will decide on the date, duration, agenda and other conditions of the meeting of the representatives appointed by the Ministers of Foreign Affairs;

4. The rules of procedure, working methods and scale of distribution of expenses of this Meeting will, mutatis mutandis, apply to the meetings provided for in paragraphs 1 (c), 2 and 3 above. All the above meetings will be held in the participating States on a rotating basis. The technical secretariat will be provided by the host country.

The original of this Final Act, drawn up in English, Spanish, Italian, German, Russian and French, will be transmitted to the Government Republic of Finland, which will store it in its archives. Each of the participating States will receive from the Government of the Republic of Finland a certified copy of this Final Act.

The text of this Final Act will be published in each participating State, which will disseminate it and make it known as widely as possible.

The Government of the Republic of Finland is requested to send Secretary General United Nations, the text of this Final Act, which is not subject to registration under Article 102 of the Charter of the United Nations, for the purpose of distributing it to all Members of the Organization as official document United Nations.

The Government of the Republic of Finland is also requested to forward the text of this Final Act to CEO UNESCO and the Executive Secretary of the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe.

In witness of all this, the undersigned High Representatives of the participating States, conscious of the high political significance which they attach to the results of the Meeting, and declaring their determination to act in accordance with the provisions contained in the texts set out above, have signed this Final Act.

on behalf of:

Federal Republic of Germany:
Helmut SCHMIDT
Federal Chancellor
German Democratic Republic:
Erich HONECKER

Socialist Unity Party of Germany
United States of America:
Gerald FORD
President of the United States of America
Republic of Austria:
Bruno KRAYSKY
Federal Chancellor
Kingdoms of Belgium:
Leo TINDEMANS
Prime Minister
People's Republic of Bulgaria:
Todor ZHIVKOV
First Secretary of the Central Committee
Bulgarian Communist Party
and Chairman of the State Council
People's Republic of Bulgaria
Canada:
Pierre Elliott Trudeau
Prime Minister
Republic of Cyprus:
His Beatitude Archbishop MAKARIOS III
President of the Republic of Cyprus
Denmark:
Arker JORGENSEN

Helsinki, August 1, 1975 FINAL ACT OF THE CSCE (extract) Questions relating to security in Europe The participating States of the Conference on Security and Co-operation in Europe, reaffirming their goal of promoting improved relations between them and providing conditions in which their peoples can live in conditions of genuine and lasting peace, being protected from any threat or attack on their safety; Convinced of the need to make efforts to make détente both a continuous and increasingly viable and comprehensive process, universal in scope, and that the implementation of the results of the Conference on Security and Cooperation in Europe will be one of the greatest contributions into this process; Considering that solidarity among peoples, as well as the common desire of the participating States to achieve the goals as set forth by the Conference on Security and Cooperation in Europe, should lead to the development of better and closer relations between them in all fields and thus therefore, to overcome the opposition arising from the nature of their relationship in the past, and to better mutual understanding; mindful of their common history and recognizing that the existence of common elements in their traditions and values ​​can help them in the development of their relationships, and willing to seek, fully taking into account the uniqueness and diversity of their positions and views, opportunities to combine their efforts in order to to overcome mistrust and build trust, resolve issues that divide them, and cooperate in the interests of humanity; Recognizing the indivisibility of security in Europe, as well as their common interest in developing cooperation throughout Europe and among themselves, and expressing their intention to make efforts accordingly; Recognizing the close relationship between peace and security in Europe and the world as a whole, and conscious of the need for each to contribute to the strengthening of international peace and security and to the promotion of fundamental rights, economic and social progress and the well-being of all peoples; Adopted the following: 1 a) Declaration of Principles to Guide the Relationships of the Participating States Participating States, reaffirming their commitment to peace, security and justice and to the process of developing friendly relations and cooperation; Recognizing that this commitment, reflecting the interests and aspirations of peoples, embodies for each participating State a responsibility now and in the future, enhanced by past experience; Reaffirming, in accordance with their membership in the United Nations and in accordance with the purposes and principles of the United Nations, their full and active support for the United Nations and for enhancing its role and effectiveness in promoting international peace, security and justice and in promoting the solution of international problems, as well as the development of friendly relations and cooperation between states; Expressing their general commitment to the principles set out below, which are in accordance with the Charter of the United Nations, and their general will to act, in the application of these principles, in accordance with the purposes and principles of the Charter of the United Nations; Declare their determination to respect and apply in the relations of each of them with all other participating States, regardless of their political, economic and social systems, as well as their size, geographical location and level of economic development, the following principles, which are all paramount importance and by which they will be guided in mutual relations: I. Sovereign equality, respect for the rights inherent in sovereignty The participating States will respect each other's sovereign equality and identity, as well as all rights inherent in and covered by their sovereignty, which include, in particular, the right of each State to legal equality, territorial integrity, freedom and political independence. They will also respect each other's right to freely choose and develop their political, social, economic and cultural systems, as well as the right to establish their own laws and administrative regulations. Under international law, all participating states have equal rights and obligations. They will respect each other's right to determine and carry out as they wish their relations with other States, in accordance with international law and in the spirit of this Declaration. They believe that their borders can be changed, in accordance with international law, peacefully and by agreement. They also have the right to belong or not to belong to international organizations, to be or not to be a party to bilateral or multilateral treaties, including the right to be or not to be a party to union treaties; they also have the right to neutrality. II. Non-use of force or threat of force The participating States will refrain in their mutual, as well as in their international relations generally, from the use of force or threat of force against the territorial integrity or political independence of any state or in any other manner inconsistent - We are committed to the purposes of the United Nations and to this Declaration. No considerations may be used to justify resorting to the threat or use of force in violation of this principle. Accordingly, participating States will refrain from any action that constitutes a threat of force or the direct or indirect use of force against another participating State. Equally, they will refrain from all manifestations of force for the purpose of coercing another participating State to renounce the full exercise of its sovereign rights. Likewise, they will also refrain in their mutual relations from any acts of reprisal by force. No such use of force or threat of force will be used as a means of settling disputes or matters that may give rise to disputes between them. III. Inviolability of Borders The participating States regard as inviolable all of each other's borders, as well as the borders of all states in Europe, and will therefore refrain, now and in the future, from any encroachment on these borders. They will accordingly also refrain from any demands or actions aimed at the seizure and usurpation of part or all of the territory of any participating State. IV. Territorial integrity of the state The participating states will respect the territorial integrity of each of the participating states. Accordingly, they will refrain from any action inconsistent with the purposes and principles of the Charter of the United Nations against the territorial integrity, political independence or unity of any participating State and, in particular, from any such action constituting the use of force or threat of force. The participating States will likewise refrain from making each other's territory the subject of military occupation or other direct or indirect measures of force in violation of international law, or the subject of acquisition through such measures or the threat thereof. implementation. No occupation or acquisition of this kind will be recognized as legal. V. Peaceful Settlement of Disputes The participating States will resolve disputes between them by peaceful means in a manner that does not jeopardize international peace and security and justice. They will endeavor in good faith and in a spirit of cooperation to short term reach a fair solution based on international law. To this end, they will use such means as negotiation, inquiry, mediation, conciliation, arbitration, judicial proceedings or other peaceful means of their own choice, including any settlement procedure agreed to before the disputes in which they were involved parties. In the event that the parties to a dispute do not reach a resolution of the dispute through one of the above-mentioned peaceful means, they will continue to seek mutually agreed upon means of peacefully resolving the dispute. The participating States that are parties to a dispute between them, like other participating States, will refrain from any action that may aggravate the situation to such an extent as to jeopardize the maintenance of international peace and security, and thereby make a peaceful settlement of the dispute more difficult. VI. Non-interference in internal affairs The participating States will refrain from any interference, direct or indirect, individual or collective, in the internal or external affairs within the domestic competence of another participating State, regardless of their relationship. They will accordingly refrain from any form of armed intervention or threat of such intervention against another participating State. They will likewise, in all circumstances, refrain from any other act of military or political, economic or other coercion intended to subordinate to their own interests the exercise by another participating State of the rights inherent in its sovereignty, and such in a way to secure advantages of any kind. Accordingly, they will, among other things, refrain from providing direct or indirect assistance terrorist activities or subversive or other activities aimed at the violent overthrow of the regime of another participating State. VII. Respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms, including freedom of thought, conscience, religion or belief The participating States will respect human rights and fundamental freedoms, including freedom of thought, conscience, religion or belief, for everyone, without distinction as to race, sex, language or religion. They will promote and develop the effective exercise of civil, political, economic, social, cultural and other rights and freedoms which all flow from the inherent dignity of the human person and are essential to his free and full development. Within this framework, the participating States will recognize and respect the freedom of the individual to profess, alone or in community with others, a religion or belief, acting in accordance with the dictates of his own conscience. The participating States on whose territory there are national minorities will respect the right of persons belonging to such minorities to equality before the law, will provide them with full opportunity to effectively enjoy human rights and fundamental freedoms and will thus protect their legitimate interests in this area. The participating States recognize the universal importance of human rights and fundamental freedoms, respect for which is an essential factor for peace, justice and prosperity, necessary to ensure the development of friendly relations and cooperation between them, as among all States. They will respect these rights and freedoms at all times in their mutual relations and will endeavor, jointly and individually, including in cooperation with the United Nations, to promote universal and effective respect for them. They affirm the right of individuals to know their rights and responsibilities in this area and to act in accordance with them. In the field of human rights and fundamental freedoms, participating States will act in accordance with the purposes and principles of the UN Charter and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. They will also fulfill their obligations as set out in international declarations and agreements in this area, including, but not limited to, the International Covenants on Human Rights, if bound by them. VIII. Equality and the right of peoples to control their own destinies The participating States will respect the equal rights and the right of peoples to control their own destinies, acting at all times in accordance with the purposes and principles of the UN Charter and relevant rules of international law, including those relating to the territorial integrity of States. Based on the principle of equality and the right of peoples to decide their own destinies, all peoples always have the right to complete freedom determine, when and how they wish, their internal and external political status without outside interference and carry out their political, economic, social and cultural development at their own discretion. The participating States reaffirm the universal importance of respect and the effective implementation of equality and the right of peoples to control their own destinies for the development of friendly relations between them, as among all states; they also remind us of the importance of exceptions for any form of violation of this principle. IX. Cooperation among States Participating States will develop their cooperation with each other, as with all States, in all areas in accordance with the purposes and principles of the UN Charter. By developing their cooperation, the participating states will give special meaning areas as defined by the Conference on Security and Cooperation in Europe, with each contributing in full equality. They will strive, by developing their cooperation as equals, to promote mutual understanding and trust, friendly and good neighborly relations among themselves, international peace, security and justice. They will equally strive, by developing their co-operation, to enhance the welfare of peoples and contribute to the realization of their aspirations, taking advantage in particular of the benefits flowing from increasing mutual knowledge and from progress and achievements in the economic, scientific , technical, social, cultural and humanitarian fields. They will take steps to promote conditions conducive to making these benefits available to all; they will take into account the interests of all in reducing differences in levels of economic development and, in particular, the interests of developing countries throughout the world. They confirm that governments, institutions, organizations and people can play appropriate and positive role in helping to achieve these goals of their cooperation. They will strive, by expanding their cooperation as defined above, to develop closer relations among themselves on a better and more durable basis for the benefit of the people. X. Compliance in good faith with obligations under international law The participating States will fulfill in good faith their obligations under international law, both those obligations that arise from generally accepted principles and norms of international law and those obligations that arise from treaties consistent with international law or other agreements to which they are parties. In the exercise of their sovereign rights, including the right to establish their own laws and administrative regulations, they will be consistent with their legal obligations under international law; they will, in addition, take due account of and implement the provisions of the Final Act of the Conference on Security and Cooperation in Europe. The participating States confirm that, in the event that the obligations of Members of the United Nations under the Charter of the United Nations are found to be in conflict with their obligations under any treaty or other international agreement, their obligations under the Charter, in accordance with Article 103 of the UN Charter, shall prevail. All the principles stated above are of paramount importance and, therefore, they will be equally and strictly applied when each is interpreted in light of the others. The participating States express their determination to fully respect and apply these principles, as set out in this Declaration, in all aspects of their mutual relations and cooperation, so as to secure to each participating State the benefits arising from the respect and application of these principles by all. The States Parties, having due regard to the principles set out above and in particular the first sentence of the tenth principle, “Compliance in good faith with obligations under international law,” note that this Declaration does not affect their rights and obligations, nor those of relevant treaties and other agreements and arrangements. The participating States express the conviction that respect for these principles will contribute to the development of normal and friendly relations and the progress of cooperation between them in all fields. They also express the belief that respect for these principles will contribute to the development of political contacts between them, which, in turn, will contribute to a better mutual understanding of their positions and views. The participating States declare their intention to conduct their relations with all other States in the spirit of the principles set forth in this Declaration.