GENERAL ASSEMBLY INVITES SUPPORT FOR YEAR 2000 BENIN CONFERENCE OF NEW AND RESTORED DEMOCRACIES
Press Release
GA/9670/
GENERAL ASSEMBLY INVITES SUPPORT FOR YEAR 2000 BENIN CONFERENCE OF NEW AND RESTORED DEMOCRACIES
19991202CORRECTION
On page three of Press Release GA/9670 issued 29 November, the summary of document A/54/L.46, which contains amendments to the draft resolution on the Code of Democratic Conduct, was inadvertently abbreviated. The summary should read as follows:
An amendment to the resolution (document A/54/L.46) would revise each preambular paragraph, as well as the operative paragraph. Under the terms of the amendment, the first preambular paragraph, which concerns the purposes and principles of the United Nations Charter, would be replaced by the following:
Guided by the purposes and principles of the Charter of the United Nations and recalling that one of the purposes of the United Nations is to achieve international cooperation in solving international problems of an economic, social, cultural or humanitarian character and in promoting and encouraging respect for human rights and for fundamental freedoms for all without distinction as to race, sex, language or religion.
The second preambular paragraph, which concerns the link between the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and democracy, would be replaced by the following:
Reaffirming that democracy, development and respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms are interdependent and mutually reinforcing, that democracy is based on the freely expressed will of the people to determine their own political, economic, social and cultural systems and their full participation in all aspects of their lives, and that, in the context of the above, the promotion and protection of human rights and fundamental freedoms at the national and international levels should be universal and conducted without conditions attached.
After the second preambular paragraph, a new paragraph would be inserted as follows:
General Assembly Plenary - 2 - Press Release GA/9670/Corr.1 64th Meeting (AM) 2 December 1999
Reaffirming that every State has an inalienable right to choose its political, economic, social and cultural systems without interference in any form by another State.
At the end of the third preambular paragraph, the phrase taking into account the particular situation of peoples under colonial or other forms of alien domination or foreign occupation would be inserted.
The fourth preambular paragraph would be replaced by the following:
Recalling that in the Vienna Declaration and Programme of Action, the World Conference on Human Rights has recommended that priority be given to national and international action to promote democracy, development and all human rights, including the right to development.
The fifth preambular paragraph would be deleted and the sixth preambular paragraph would be replaced by the following:
Recalling that good governance, including in international institutions and organizations, is indispensable for creating an enabling environment for building peaceful, prosperous and democratic societies.
The seventh preambular paragraph would be replaced by the following:
Aware of the crucial importance of the active involvement of civil society in democratic processes that affect the lives of people.
The eighth preambular paragraph would be replaced by the following:
Recalling commitments undertaken by Member States for the promotion of democracy and the rule of law, within the framework of the United Nations and other international organizations.
The ninth preambular paragraph would be replaced by the following:
Encouraged by the wish of an increasing number of countries all over the world to devote their energy, means and political will to the building of a world where peoples and nations have the right and opportunity to shape their own destinies.
In the tenth preambular paragraph, the word Commending would be replaced by the word Noting.
The operative paragraph would be replaced by the following:
General Assembly Plenary - 3 - Press Release GA/9670/Corr.1 64th Meeting (AM) 2 December 1999
Requests the Secretary-General to seek the views of Member States on this issue for further consideration during the fifty-fifth session of the General Assembly.
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