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Charter of Paris for a New Europe
The Charter of Paris for a New Europe was adopted by the Organization for
Security and Co-operation in Europe at a Summit Meeting of Heads of State
or Government of participating States in Paris on 21 November 1990.
Human Rights, Democracy and Rule of Law
We affirm that, without discrimination, every individual has the right
to freedom of thought, conscience and religion or belief, freedom of expression,
freedom of association and peaceful assembly, freedom of movement;
We affirm that the ethnic, cultural, linguistic and religious identity
of national minorities will be protected and that persons belonging to
national minorities have the right freely to express, preserve and develop
identity without any discrimination and in full equality before the law.
Human Dimension
... Determined to foster the rich contribution of national minorities
to the life of our societies, we undertake further to improve their situation.
We reaffirm our deep conviction that friendly relations among our peoples,
as well as peace, justice, stability and democracy, require that the ethnic,
cultural, linguistic and religious identity of national minorities be protected
and conditions for the promotion of that identity be created. We declare
that questions related to national minorities can only be satisfactorily
resolved in a democratic political framework. We further acknowledge that
the rights of persons belonging to national minorities must be fully respected
as part of universal human rights.
We express our determination to combat all forms of racial and ethnic
hatred, antisemitism, xenophobia and discrimination against anyone as well
as persecution on religious and ideological grounds.
Non-governmental Organizations
We recall the major role that non-governmental organizations, religious
and other groups and individuals have played in the achievement of the
objectives of the CSCE and will further facilitate their activities for
the implementation of the CSCE commitments by the participating States.
These organizations, groups and individuals must be involved in an appropriate
way in the activities and new structures of the CSCE in order to fulfil
their important tasks.
The full
text version of the Charter of Paris can be found on the Internet site
of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe.
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