9 December 1981

Development and strengthening of good-neighbourliness between States

The General Assembly,

Bearing in mind the determination of the peoples of the United Nations as expressed in the Charter to practise tolerance and live together in peace with on another as good neighbours,

Recalling its resolutions 1236 (XII) of 14 December 1957, 1301 (XIII) of 10 December 1958, 2129 (XX) of 21 December 1965 and, in particular, 34/99 of 14 December 1979,

Bearing in mind that, owing to geographical proximity, there are particularly favourable opportunities for co-operation and mutual advantage between neighbouring countries in many fields and that the development of such co-operation may have a positive influence on international relations as a whole,

Considering that the great changes of a political, economic and social nature, as well as the scientific and technological progress, which have taken place in the world and led to unprecedented interdependence of nations, have given new dimensions to good-neighbourliness in the conduct of States and increased the need to develop and strengthen it,

1. Reaffirms that good-neighbourliness conforms with the purposes of the United Nations and is founded upon the strict observance of the principles inscribed in the Charter of the United Nations and in the Declaration on Principles of International Law concerning Friendly Relations and Co-operation among States in accordance with the Charter of the United Nations as well as upon the rejection of any acts seeking to establish zones of influence or domination;

2. Calls upon all States, in the interest of the maintenance of international peace and security, to develop good-neighbourly relations, acitng on the basis of these principles;

3. Considers that the generalization of the long practice and of principles and rules pertaining to good-neighbourliness is likely to strengthen friendly relations and co-operation among States in

accordance with the Charter;

4. Reaffirms the need to examine the question of good-neighbourliness in order to strengthen and further develop its content, as well as ways and modalities to enhance its effectiveness;

5. Believes that the results of the examination of good-neighbourliness and of the clarification of its elements could be included, at an appropriate time, in a suitable international document;

6. Requests the Governments which have not communicated their view and suggestions on good-neighbourliness, as well as on ways and modalities to enhance it, with a view to preventing conflicts and to increasing confidence among States, to do so as soon as possible, and invites the Governments which have already communicated such views and suggestions to supplement them if they deem it necessary;

7. Invites the United Nations organs, bodies and programmes, as well as the specialized agencies within their fields of competence, to continue to inform the Secretary-General of the aspects of their activities relevant to the development of relations of good-neighbourliness between States;

8. Requests the Secretary-General to submit to the General Assembly at its thirty-seventh session, on the basis of the replies of States and of the views expressed during the thirty-sixth session, as well as of comments of specialized agencies, a report containing an orderly presentation of the views and suggestions received concerning the content of good-

neighbourliness, as well as ways and modalities to enhance it;

9. Decides to include in the provisional agenda of its thirty-seventh session the item entitled "Development and strengthening of good-neighbourliness among States".