Public Law 102–333

Joint Resolution

To designate August 1, 1992, as “Helsinki Human Rights Day”.

Whereas August 1, 1992, is the seventeenth anniversary of the signing of the Final Act of the Conference on Security and Cooperation in Europe (CSCE) (hereafter in this preamble referred to as the “Helsinki accords”);

Whereas the Helsinki accords were agreed to by the Governments of Albania, Armenia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Belgium, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Byelarus, Canada, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech and Slovak Federal Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Georgia, Germany, Greece, the Holy See, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Moldova, Monaco, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Russia, San Marino, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Tajikistan, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Ukraine, the United Kingdom, the United States of America, Uzbekistan, and Yugoslavia;

Whereas 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 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 have recognized that the free will of the individual, exercised in democracy and protected by the rule of law, forms the necessary basis for successful economic and social development;

Whereas the participating States have committed themselves to respect fully the right oi everyone to leave any country, including their own, and to return to their country;

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 the best safeguard of freedom of expression, tolerance of all groups of society, and equality of opportunity for each person”;

Whereas on November 21, 1990, the heads of State or government from the signatory States signed the Charter of Paris for a New Europe, a document which has added clarity and precision to the obligations undertaken by the participating States;

Whereas the Conference on Security and Cooperation in Europe has made major contributions to the positive developments in Europe, including greater respect for the human rights and fundamental freedoms of individuals and groups;

Whereas the Conference on Security and Cooperation in Europe provides an excellent framework for the further development of genuine security and cooperation among the participating States; and

Whereas, despite significant improvements, all participating States have not yet fully implemented their obligations under the Helsinki accords: Now, therefore, be it

Resolved by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,

Approved August 4, 1992.