Helsinki Final Act signed by 35 participating States
When
1 August 1975 (All day)
Where
Helsinki
L-r: Helmut Schmidt, Chancellor of the Federal Republic of Germany, Erich Honecker, First Secretary of the Socialist Unity Party of Germany, Gerald Ford President of the United States, Bruno Kreisky, Chancellor of Austria, Helsinki, 1 August 1975. (Bundesarchiv/Horst Sturm)
The Helsinki Final Act, which was prepared during Stage II of the Helsinki negotiations, lasting from September 1973 to July 1975, was signed by 35 States at the Helsinki Summit - stage III of the Helsinki negotiations.
Forming the backbone of the Organization's activities, the Final Act covers several themes:
- Sovereign equality, respect for the rights inherent in sovereignty
- Refraining from the threat or use of force
- Inviolability of frontiers
- Territorial integrity of States
- Peaceful settlement of disputes
- Non-intervention in internal affairs
- Respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms (including the freedom of thought, conscience, religion or belief)
- Equal rights and self-determination of peoples
- Co-operation among States, and Fulfillment in good faith of obligations under international law.
The participating States divided the CSCE's areas of activity into three dimensions (or baskets). The first dimension covers political and military aspects of security. The second dimension comprises economic and environmental aspects of security, including economic development, science, technology and environmental protection. The third dimension involves human aspects of security.