NEW YORK AGREEMENT

July 1988

On July 11th - 13th representatives of Angola, Cuba, South Africa and the United States met in New York, with the United States as mediator. The principles for a peaceful solution in south-western Africa were agreed upon. Angola, Cuba and South Africa ratified the agreement in a document dated July 13th. We give the text of the document here.

The governments of the People's Republic of Angola, the Republic of Cuba and the Republic of South Africa reached agreement on a series of essential principles to lay the foundation for peace in south-western Africa. They all recognise that each of these principles is indispensable for a global agreement.

  1. Implementation of Resolution 435/78 of the United Nations Security Council. The parties should indicate and recommend to the United Nations Secretary-General a date for the start of the implementation of Security Council Resolution 435/78.
  2. The 'governments of the People's Republic of Angola and the Republic of South Africa should, in keeping with the provisions of United Nations Security Council Resolution 435/78, co-operate with the Secretary-General in order to ensure the independence of Namibia through free and just elections, abstaining from any measure which could block implementation of that resolution.
  3. The movement to the north and staged and total withdrawal of Cuban troops from the territory of the People's Republic of Angola on the basis of a PRA-Cuban agreement and the decision of both states to request on-the-spot verification of this withdrawal by the United Nations Security Council.
  4. Respect for the sovereignty, sovereign equality and independence of states and for territorial integrity and the inviolability of borders.
  5. Non-interference in the internal affairs of states.
  6. Abstention from the threat or use of force against the territorial integrity and independence of states.
  7. Acceptance of the responsibility of states not to allow their territory to be used for acts of war, aggression or violence against other states.
  8. Reaffirmation of the right of the peoples in the south-western region of Africa to self-determination, independence and equal rights.
  9. Verification and monitoring of compliance with the obligations resulting from agreements that may be entered into.
  10. Undertaking to comply in good faith with obligations assumed under agreements that may be entered into and to resolve differences through negotiations.
  11. Recognition of the role of the permanent members of the Security Council as guarantors of the implementation of agreements that may be entered into.
  12. Right of each state to peace, development and social progress.
  13. African and international co-operation to solve development problems in the south-western region of Africa.
  14. Recognition of the mediating role of the United States.
Source: Sechaba, November 1988