Page:United States Statutes at Large Volume 105 Part 1.djvu/503

 PUBLIC LAW 102-93—AUG. 14, 1991 105 STAT. 475 Public Law 102-93 102d Congress Joint Resolution Designating August 1, 1991, as "Helsinki Human Rights Day". Whereas August 1, 1991, is the 16th anniversary of the signing of the Final Act of the Conference on Security and Cooperation in Europe (CSCE) (hereinafter in this preamble referred to as the "Helsinki accords"); Whereas on August 1, 1975, the Helsinki accords were agreed to by the Governments of Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Canada, C)nprus, Czechoslovakia, Denmark, Finland, France, the German Democratic Republic, the Federal Republic of Germany, Greece, the Holy See, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Malta, Monaco, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, San Marino, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics, the United Kingdom, the United States of America, and Yugoslavia; Whereeis the Helsinki accords express the commitment of the participating states to "respect human rights and fundamental freedoms, including the freedom of thought, conscience, religion or belief, for all without distinction as to race, sex, language or religion"; Whereas the participating States have committed themselves to "ensure that their laws, regulations, practices and policies conform with their obligations under international law and are brought into harmony with the provisions of the Declaration of Principles and other CSCE commitments"; Whereas the participating States have committed themselves to "respect the equal rights of peoples and their right to self-determination, acting at all times in conformity with the purposes and principles of the Charter of the United Nations and with the relevant norms of international law, including those relating to territorial integrity of States"; Whereas the participating States have recognized that respect for human rights is an essential aspect for the protection of the environment and for economic prosperity; Whereas the participating States have committed themselves to respect fully the right of everyone to leave any country, including their own, and to return to their country; Whereas the participating States have affirmed that the "ethnic, cultural, linguistic and religious identity of national minorities will be protected and that persons belonging to national minorities have the right to freely express, preserve and develop that identity without any discrimination and in full equality before the law"; Whereas the participating States recognize that "democratic government is based on the will of the people, expressed regularly through free and fair elections; and democracy has as its foundation respect for the person and the rule of law; and democracy is Aug. 14, 1991 [H.J. Res. 264]

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