Declaration of the Indian Ocean as a zone of peace

The Declaration of the Indian Ocean as a Zone of Peace was adopted by the General Assembly in 1971 as resolution 2832 (XXVI) on the basis of an initiative of Sri Lanka, later joined by the United Republic of Tanzania. By that Declaration, the Indian Ocean, within limits to be determined, together with the airspace above and the ocean floor subjacent thereto, was designated for all time as a zone of peace. The Assembly also called upon the great Powers to enter into consultations with the littoral States of the Indian Ocean with a view to halting the further escalation of their military presence there and to eliminating from the area all bases, military installations and logistical supply facilities, nuclear weapons and other weapons of mass destruction. By the Declaration, the Assembly furthermore called upon the littoral and hinterland States of the Indian Ocean, the permanent members of the Security Council and other major maritime users of the Indian Ocean to enter into consultations aimed towards the implementation of the Declaration whereby (a) warships and military aircraft would not use the Indian Ocean for any threat or use of force against any littoral or hinterland State; (b) the right to free and unimpeded use of the zone by the vessels of all nations would be assured; and (c) international agreement would be reached for the maintenance of the Indian Ocean as a zone of peace.

Related Subject(s): Disarmament

Countries: India