AG/RES. 1410 (XXVI-O/96): Promotion of Security in the Small Island States

(Resolution adopted at the eighth plenary session, held on June 7, 1996)

THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY,

MINDFUL that the size of the small island states makes them especially vulnerable to all forms of aggression;

TAKING INTO ACCOUNT the role of the Organization of American States (OAS), pursuant to Article 1 of its Charter, in achieving an order of peace and justice and defending the sovereignty, territorial integrity, and independence of the member states;

RECALLING that Article 3.b of the OAS Charter establishes that "international order consists essentially of respect for the personality, sovereignty, and independence of States, and the faithful fulfillment of obligations derived from treaties and other sources of international law";

ALSO RECALLING the Declaration of Santiago on Confidence- and Security-Building Measures and, especially, its recommendations that seminars and studies be conducted and a high-level meeting on the special security concerns of small island states be held;

TAKING INTO ACCOUNT the Program of Action drawn up at the United Nations Global Conference on the Sustainable Development of Small Island Developing States, held in Barbados in April 1994;

TAKING INTO CONSIDERATION that the small states of the Caribbean believe that security concerns are not confined to military aspects but involve economic, social, and natural dimensions; and

NOTING the Rapporteur's Report on Special Problems of the Hemisphere's Small States (CE/SH-39/94) and the document entitled "Hemispheric Security: Security of Small States. Report of the Commonwealth Group" (AG/doc.2838/92 add. 2),

RESOLVES:

1. To convene a special meeting of the Committee on Hemispheric Security on the special security concerns of small island states, to be held in Washington, D.C., on October 7 and 8, 1996, with the participation of government experts from the member states of the Organization.

2. To recommend to the General Secretariat that it provide the necessary resources, subject to the availability of funds, for holding the special meeting.

3. To make the final report of the special meeting available to other interested multilateral institutions, including the Association of Caribbean States, the Caribbean Community (CARICOM), the Central American Integration System, the United Nations, the Commonwealth, and the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe.

4. To continue consultations on holding a high-level meeting on the special security concerns of the small island states, taking account of the findings of the special meeting of the Committee on Hemispheric Security on this subject.

5. To request the Permanent Council, through its Committee on Hemispheric Security, to continue to address the subject and report thereon to the General Assembly at its twenty-seventh regular session.