Committee on Non-Use of Force completes work on draft Declaration.

Committee on Non-Use of Force completes work on draft Declaration

The Special Committee on Enhancingthe Effectiveness of the Principle of Non-Use of Force in International Relations at its 1987 session (9-27 March, New York) completed work on a draft Declaration on the enhancement of the effectiveness of the principle of refraining from the threat or use of force in international relations for submission to the General Assembly at its forty-second session.

Under the text, the General Assemblywould solemnly declare that every State has the duty to refrain in its international relations from the threat or use 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. Such a threat or use of force constitutes a violation of international law and the Charter of the United Nations and entails international responsibility.

The Declaration would also providethat States should fulfil their obligations under international law to refrain from organizing, instigating, assisting or participating in paramilitary, terrorist or subversive acts, including acts of mercenaries, in other States, or acquiescing in organized activities within their territory directed towards the commission of such acts.

Speaking at the closing meeting ofthe Committee, Carl-August Fleischhauer, Under-Secretary-General for Legal Affairs and United Nations Legal Counsel, said the outcome of the Committee's work was politically important and constituted a credit to the United Nations.

Established in 1977 under GeneralAssembly resolution 32/150, the 35-member Committee was originally asked to draft a treaty on the non-use of force in international relations, as well as the peaceful settlement of disputes, or such other recommendations as the Committee might deem appropriate. The body has met annually since 1978, but has been unable to carry out that mandate.

At previous sessions, the Committeeexamined various sets of proposals, including a draft treaty submitted in 1976 by the Soviet Union; a working paper submitted in 1979 by five Western States--Belgium, France, the Federal Republic of Germany, Italy and the United Kingdom; a working paper submitted in 1981 by 10 nonaligned countries--Benin, Cyprus, Egypt, India, Iraq, Morocco, Nepal, Nicaragua, Senegal and Uganda; and an informal working paper proposed by the Chairman of the 1982 session, Nabil A. Elaraby (Egypt).

In 1986, the Assembly, by its resolution41/76 adopted without a vote, decided that the Special Committee "shall complete a draft declaration on the enhancement of the effectiveness of the principle of non-use of force in international relations, including, as appropriate, recommendations on the peaceful settlement of disputes'.

The Committee membership in 1987is: Argentina, Belgium, Benin, Brazil, Bulgaria, Chile, Cuba, Cyprus, Ecuador, Egypt, Finland, France, Federal Republic of Germany, Greece, Guinea, Hungary, India, Iraq, Italy, Japan, Mexico, Mongolia, Morocco, Nepal, Poland, Romania, Senegal, Somalia, Spain, Togo, Turkey, Uganda, USSR, United Kingdom and United States.