5. Only thus can peace, inspired by the common welfare of the peoples, be founded on an enduring basis, as proclaimed at the Meeting in Habana; and

6. All peaceful relations among peoples would be practically impossible in the absence of strict observance of all pacts solemnly celebrated which have met all the formalities provided for in the laws of the High Contracting Parties in order to render them juridically effective,

The Third Meeting of the Ministers of Foreign Affairs of the American Republics

Declares:

1. That should the Government of an American nation violate an agreement or a treaty duly perfected by two or more American Republics or should there be reason to believe that a violation which might disturb the peace or solidarity of the Americas is being contemplated, any American State may initiate the consultation contemplated in Resolution XVII of Habana with the object of agreeing upon the measures to be taken.

2. That the Government desiring to initiate the consultation and propose a Meeting of the Ministers of Foreign Affairs of the American Republics, or their representatives, shall communicate with the Governing Board of the Pan American Union specifying in detail the subjects to be considered as well as the approximate date on which the meeting should take place.

Reservation of the Delegation of the Republic of Peru:

"The project voted upon does not refer to the defense of the American Hemisphere against dangers from without the continent and, consequently, it is outside the agenda of this Meeting, the regulations for which, approved by all the Governments, require the unanimous consent of the Ministers of Foreign Affairs of the American Republics.

"In any case, the project voted upon cannot be applied to incidents occurring in connection with conflicts or differences which the interested parties have submitted to a special jurisdiction for settlement or solution."

(b) Declaration on the Good Neighbor Policy

Whereas:

1. Relations among nations, if they are to have foundations which will assure an international order under law, must be based on the essential and universal principle of justice;

2. The standard proclaimed and observed by the United States of America to the effect that its international policy must be founded on that of the "good neighbor" is a general criterion of right and a source of guidance in the relations between States; and this wellconceived policy prescribes respect for the fundamental rights of States as well as cooperation between them for the welfare of international society; and

3. This policy has been one of the elements contributing to the present solidarity of the Americas and their joint cooperation in the solution of outstanding problems of the Continent,

The Third Meeting of the Ministers of Foreign Affairs of the American Republics

Declares:

That the principle that international conduct must be inspired by the policy of the good neighbor is a norm of international law of the American Continent.

(c) Resolution on Condemnation of Inter-American Conflicts

Whereas:

1. A state of war exists between the United States of America and the Axis Powers;

2. The other American Republics, in conformity with interAmerican agreements, have declared themselves to be in solidarity with the United States of America; and

3. This consequently implies that all the countries of the Hemisphere should closely unite for the defense of the Continent, which is the defense of each and all the American Republics,

The Third Meeting of the Ministers of Foreign Affairs of the American Republics

Resolves:

To appeal to the spirit of conciliation of the various Governments to settle their conflicts by recourse to the inter-American peace agreements formulated during the course of the recent Pan American conferences, or to any other juridical machinery, and to recognize the meritorious work of the countries which have lent and are lending their collaboration with a view to reaching a pacific solution of the differences existing between American countries and to urge them to continue intensifying their efforts in favor of the noble cause of continental harmony and solidarity.

60. MEXICO CITY CONFERENCE ON PROBLEMS OF PEACE AND WAR, FEBRUARY 21-MARCH 8, 1945

The peoples of the Americas, animated by a profound love of justice, remain sincerely devoted to the principles of international law;

It is their desire that such principles, notwithstanding the present difficult circumstances, prevail with even greater force in future international relations;

The inter-American conferences have repeatedly proclaimed certain fundamental principles, but these must be reaffirmed at a time

Department of State publication 2679, Treaties and Other International Acts Series 1543. For full text of final act, see Report of the Delegation of the United States of America to the Inter-American Conference on Problems of War and Peace, Department of State publication 2497, Conference Series 85,

when the juridical bases of the community of nations are being re-established;

The new situation in the world makes more imperative than ever the union and solidarity of the American peoples, for the defense of their rights and the maintenance of international peace;

The American states have been incorporating in their international law, since 1890, by means of conventions, resolutions and declarations, the following principles:

a) The proscription of territorial conquest and the non-recognition of all acquisitions made by force (First International Conference of American States, 1890);

b) The condemnation of intervention by one State in the internal or external affairs of another (Seventh International Conference of American States, 1933, and1 Inter-American Conference for the Maintenance of Peace, 1936); 2

c) The recognition that every war or threat of war affects directly or indirectly all civilized peoples, and endangers the great principles of liberty and justice which constitute the American ideal and the standard of American international policy (Inter-American Conference for the Maintenance of Peace, 1936);

d) The system of mutual consultation in order to find means of peaceful cooperation in the event of war or threat of war between American countries (Inter-American Conference for the Maintenance of Peace, 1936);

e) The recognition that every act susceptible of disturbing the peace of America affects each and every one of the American nations and justifies the initiation of the procedure of consultation (Inter-American Conference for the Maintenance of Peace, 1936);

f) The adoption of conciliation, unrestricted arbitration, or the application of international justice, in the solution of any difference or dispute between American nations, whatever its nature or origin (Inter-American Conference for the Maintenance of Peace, 1936);

g) The recognition that respect for the personality, sovereignty and independence of each American State constitutes the essence of international order sustained by continental solidarity, which historically has been expressed and sustained by declarations and treaties in force (Eighth International Conference of American States, 1938); 3

h) The affirmation that respect for and the faithful observance of treaties constitute the indispensable rule for the development of peaceful relations between States, and that treaties can only be revised by agreement of the contracting parties (Declaration of American Principles, Eighth International Conference of American States, 1938);

i) The proclamation that, in case the peace, security or territorial integrity of any American republic is threatened by acts of

1 Report of the Delegates of the United States of America to the Seventh International Conference of American States, Montevideo, Uruguay, December 3-26, 1933, Department of State publication 666, Conference Series 19.

Report of the Delegation of the United States of America to the Inter-American Conference for the Maintenance of Peace, Buenos Aires, Argentina, December 1-23, 1936, Department of State publication 1088, Conference Series 33.

Report of the Delegation of the United States of America to the Eighth International Conference of American States, Lima, Peru, December 9-27, 1938, Department of State publication 1624, Conference Series

50.

any nature that may impair them, they proclaim their common concern and their determination to make effective their solidarity, coordinating their respective sovereign wills by means of the procedure of consultation, using the measures which in each case the circumstances may make advisable (Declaration of Lima, Eighth International Conference of American States, 1938);

j) The declaration that any attempt on the part of a nonAmerican state against the integrity or inviolability of the territory, the sovereignty or the political independence of an American State shall be considered as an act of aggression against all the American States (Declaration XV of the Second Meeting of the Ministers of Foreign Affairs, Habana, 1940);

1

The furtherance of these principles, which the American States have constantly practised in order to assure peace and solidarity among the nations of the Continent, constitutes an effective means of contributing to the general system of world security and of facilitating its establishment;

The security and solidarity of the Continent are affected to the same extent by an act of aggression against any of the American States by a non-American State, as by an act of aggression of an American State against one or more American States;

PART I

The Governments Represented at the Inter-American Conference on Problems of War and Peace

Declare:

1. That all sovereign States are juridically equal among themselves.

2. That every State has the right to the respect of its individuality and independence, on the part of the other members of the international community.

3. That every attack of a State against the integrity or the inviolability of the territory, or against the sovereignty or political independence of an American State, shall, comformably to Part III hereof, be considered as an act of aggression against the other States which sign this Act. In any case invasion by armed forces of one State into the territory of another trespassing boundaries established by treaty and demarcated in accordance therewith shall constitute an act of aggression.

4. That in case acts of aggression occur or there are reasons to believe that an aggression is being prepared by any other State against the integrity or inviolability of the territory, or against the sovereignty or political independence of an American State, the States signatory to this Act will consult among themselves in order to agree upon the measures it may be advisable to take.

5. That during the war, and until the treaty recommended in Part II hereof is concluded, the signatories of this Act recognize that such threats and acts of aggression, as indicated in paragraphs 3 and 4 above, constitute an interference with the war effort of the United Nations, calling for such procedures, within the scope of their con

1 Second Meeting of the Ministers of Foreign Affairs of the American Republics, Habana, July 2-30, 1940, Department of State publication 1575, Conference Series 48, p. 71.

stitutional powers of a general nature and for war, as may be found necessary, including: recall of chiefs of diplomatic missions; breaking of diplomatic relations; breaking of consular relations; breaking of postal, telegraphic, telephonic, radio-telephonic relations; interruption of economic, commercial and financial relations; use of armed force to prevent or repel aggression.

6. That the principles and procedure contained in this Declaration shall become effective immediately, inasmuch as any act of aggression or threat of aggression during the present state of war interferes with the war effort of the United Nations to obtain victory. Henceforth, and to the end that the principles and procedures herein stipulated shall conform with the constitutional processes of each Republic, the respective Governments shall take the necessary steps to perfect this instrument in order that it shall be in force at all times.

PART II

The Inter-American Conference on Problems of War and Peace

Recommends:

That for the purpose of meeting threats or acts of aggression against any American Republic following the establishment of peace, the Governments of the American Republics consider the conclusion, in accordance with their constitutional processes, of a treaty establishing procedures whereby such threats or acts may be met by the use, by all or some of the signatories of said treaty, of any one or more of the following measures: recall of chiefs of diplomatic missions; breaking of diplomatic relations; breaking of consular relations; breaking of postal, telegraphic, telephonic, radio-telephonic relations; interruption of economic, commercial and financial relations; use of armed force to prevent or repel aggression.

PART III

The above Declaration and Recommendation constitute a regional arrangement for dealing with such matters relating to the maintenance of international peace and security as are appropriate for regional action in this Hemisphere. The said arrangement, and the pertinent activities and procedures, shall be consistent with the purposes and principles of the general international organization, when established. This agreement shall be known as the "ACT OF CHAPULTEPEC." (b) Reorganization, Consolidation and Strengthening of the Inter-American System1

Whereas:

The inter-American system and the principles, instruments, agencies, and procedures that give it substance, constitute the living manifestation of the determination of the sovereign American Republics to act together for the fulfillment of their common purposes in the maintenance of peace and security and in the promotion of the well-being of their peoples;

1 Department of State publication 2652, Treaties and Other International Acts Series 1548. See full text of final act, Report of the Delegation of the United States of America to the Inter-American Conference on Problems of War and Peace, Department of State publication 2497, Conference Series 85.