The General Assembly,
 
      Recalling its resolution 41/11 of 27 October 1986, in which it solemnly
declared the Atlantic Ocean, in the region between Africa and South America,
the "Zone of peace and cooperation of the South Atlantic",
 
      Recalling also its subsequent resolutions on the matter, including
resolution 45/36 of 27 November 1990, in which it reaffirmed the determination
of the States of the zone to enhance and accelerate their cooperation in the
political, economic, scientific, cultural and other spheres,
 
      Reaffirming that the questions of peace and security and those of
development are interrelated and inseparable, and that cooperation for peace
and development among States of the region will promote the objectives of the
zone of peace and cooperation of the South Atlantic,
 
      Aware of the importance that the States of the zone attach to the
environment of the region, and recognizing the threat that pollution from any
source poses to the marine and coastal environment, its ecological balance and
its resources,
 
      1.    Reaffirms the importance of the purposes and objectives of the
zone of peace and cooperation of the South Atlantic as a basis for the
promotion of cooperation among the countries of the region;
 
      2.    Calls upon all States to cooperate in the promotion of the
objectives established in the declaration of the zone of peace and cooperation
of the South Atlantic and to refrain from any action inconsistent with those
objectives and with the Charter of the United Nations and relevant resolutions
of the Organization, particularly action which may create or aggravate
situations of tension and potential conflict in the region;
 
      3.    Takes note of the report of the Secretary-General, submitted in
accordance with its resolution 50/18 of 27 November 1995;
 
      4.    Recalls the agreement reached at the third meeting of the States
members of the zone of peace and cooperation of the South Atlantic, held at
Brasilia in 1994, to encourage democracy and political pluralism and, in
accordance with the Vienna Declaration and Programme of Action adopted by the
World Conference on Human Rights on 25 June 1993, to promote and defend all
human rights and fundamental freedoms and to cooperate towards the achievement
of those goals;
 
      5.    Welcomes with satisfaction the holding of the fourth meeting of
the States members of the zone at Somerset West, South Africa, on 1 and 2
April 1996, and takes note of the Final Declaration, the decision on drug
trafficking, the decision on the protection of the marine environment and the
decision on illegal fishing activities in the zone, adopted at the meeting;
 
      6.    Welcomes the progress towards the full entry into force of the
Treaty for the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons in Latin America and the
Caribbean (Treaty of Tlatelolco), and the conclusion of the African
Nuclear-Weapon-Free Zone Treaty (Treaty of Pelindaba);
 
      7.    Also welcomes the efforts of the Government of Angola to implement
the Lusaka Protocol, expresses its deep concern at the delay in fully
implementing the Lusaka Protocol and calls upon the Uniao Nacional para a
Independencia Total de Angola to fulfil immediately the tasks enumerated in
the "Mediation Document" formulated by the Special Representative of the
Secretary-General in consultation with the three observer States, as contained
in Security Council resolution 1075 (1996) of 11 October 1996;
 
      8.    Reaffirms its willingness to contribute by all means at its
disposal to an effective and lasting peace in Angola;
 
      9.    Urges the international community to fulfil expeditiously its
pledges to provide assistance to facilitate the rehabilitation of the Angolan
national economy and the resettlement of displaced persons, and stresses the
importance of such assistance at this time in order to consolidate the gains
in the peace process;
 
      10.   Welcomes the outcome of the summit meeting of the Economic
Community of West African States Committee of Nine on Liberia, which
revalidated the Abuja Agreement and, inter alia, foresees the holding of
democratic elections in Liberia by 30 May 1997;
 
      11.   Commends and encourages Nigeria in its capacity as chair of the
Committee of Nine, as well as all the members of the Economic Community of
West African States, to pursue positive efforts towards peace in Liberia, and
requests the international community to support the endeavours of the new
chairperson of the Council of State of the Liberian National Transitional
Government and to provide the necessary assistance to the Economic Community
of West African States Monitoring Group to enable it to carry out its mandate;
 
      12.   Commends the efforts of Member States and humanitarian
organizations to render humanitarian assistance to Angola and Liberia, and
urges them to continue to provide and to increase such assistance;
 
      13.   Affirms the importance of the South Atlantic to global maritime
and commercial transactions and its determination to preserve the region for
all peaceful purposes and activities protected by international law, in
particular the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea;
 
      14.   Welcomes the offer by Argentina to host the fifth meeting of the
States members of the zone;
 
      15.   Requests the relevant organizations, organs and bodies of the
United Nations system to render all appropriate assistance which States of the
zone may seek in their joint efforts to implement the declaration of the zone
of peace and cooperation of the South Atlantic;
 
      16.   Requests the Secretary-General to keep the implementation of
resolution 41/11 and subsequent resolutions on the matter under review and to
submit a report to the General Assembly at its fifty-second session, taking
into account, inter alia, the views expressed by Member States;
 
      17.   Decides to include in the provisional agenda of its fifty-second
session the item entitled "Zone of peace and cooperation of the South
Atlantic".