Declaration of the Indian Ocean as a zone of peace

In 1971, AT THE REQUEST OF Sri L anka, latcf joined by the United Republic of Tanzania, an item entitled “Declaration of the Indian Ocean as a zone of peace” was included in the agenda of the twenty-sixth session of the General Assembly. The General Assembly, at that session, adopted resolution 2832 (XXVI) in which it solemnly declared that the Indian Ocean, within limits to be determined, together with the air space above and the ocean floor subjacent thereto, was designated for all time as a zone of peace. At also called upon the great Powers, in conformity with the Declaration, to enter into consultations with the littoral States of the Indian Ocean, with a view to halting the further expansion of their military presence in the Indian Ocean and eliminating from the area all bases, military installations, nuclear weapons and weapons of mass destruction and any manifestation of great power rivalry, and 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, with a view to implementing the Declaration and ensuring that: (a) warships and military aircraft would not use the Indian Ocean for any threat or use of force against any of its littoral or hinterland States; (b) subject to the foregoing and to the norms and principles of international law, the right to free and unimpeded use of the zone by all nations would be unaffected; and (c) arrangements would be made to give effect to any international agreement ultimately reached on the question.

Related Subject(s): Disarmament

Countries: India