Security Council resolution 581 (1986) [on South Africa's threats against States in southern Africa]
Symbol: S/RES/581(1986)
Date: 1986-02-13
Status: adopted
Agenda: S/41 [10] APARTHEID
Subjects: MILITARY ACTIVITY|SOUTHERN AFRICA|SOUTH AFRICA|MERCENARIES|EXILES|SOUTH AFRICA|FRONT-LINE STATES|BANTUSTANS|APARTHEID|SOUTH AFRICAN REFUGEES
Votes in favour: 13
Votes against: 0
Abstentions: 2
Voting record:
country: AUSTRALIA
vote: yes
country: BULGARIA
vote: yes
country: CHINA
vote: yes
country: CONGO
vote: yes
country: DENMARK
vote: yes
country: FRANCE
vote: yes
country: GHANA
vote: yes
country: MADAGASCAR
vote: yes
country: THAILAND
vote: yes
country: TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO
vote: yes
country: USSR
vote: yes
country: UNITED ARAB EMIRATES
vote: yes
country: UNITED KINGDOM
vote: abstention
country: UNITED STATES
vote: abstention
country: VENEZUELA
vote: yes

Resolution 581 (1986)
of 13 February 1986

The Security Council,

Having considered the request of the Permanent Representative of the Sudan to the United Nations contained in
document S/17770,

Bearing in mind that all Member States are obliged to
refrain in their international relations from the threat or
use of force against the sovereignty, territorial integrity o1
political independence of any State or from acting tn any
other manner inconsistent with the purposes and principles of the United Nations,

Gravely concerned at the tension and instability created
by the hostile policies and aggression of the apartheid
regime throughout southern Africa and the mounting
threat they pose to the security of the region and its wider
implications for international peace and security,

Gravely concerned that such acts of aggression can only
serve to aggravate the already volatile and dangerous
situation in the southern African region,

Reiterating its total opposition to the system of apartheid,

Reaffirming the right of all countries to give sanctuary
to refugees fleeing from the oppression caused by the
apartheid system,

Taking note of the communiqué of the Ministers of the
front-line States and of the European Economic Community 39 in which, inter alia, the Ministers condemned
South Africa’s policy of destabilization in all its manifestations, including the use of any direct or indirect armed
actions in neighbouring States, and agreed to deny perpetrators of such actions any assistance or support,

Recalling is resolutions 567 (1985), 568 (1985),
S71 (1985), 572 (1985) and 580 (1985), by which, inter
alia, it condemned South Africa’s aggression against
Angola, Botswana and Lesotho,

Convinced that the apartheid system of the racist régime
of South Africa and its continued illegal occupation o!
Namibia are the source of tensions and insecurity in
southern Africa,

Gravely concerned at the recent threats by South Africa
to continue to perpetrate acts of aggression against the
front-line States and other countries in southern Africa
vied al destabilizing them,

Conscious of the urgent need to take effective steps for
the prevention and removal of all threats to peace and
security in the region posed by South Africa’s recent
threats to use force against countries in southern Africa,

Convinced that only the elimination of apartheid can
lead to a just and lasting solution to the explosive situation
in South Africa in particular and in southern Africa in
general,

1. Strongly condemns racist South Africa for its recent
threats to perpetrate acts of aggression against the front-line States and other States in southern Africa;

2. Strongly warns the racist régime of South Africa
against committing any acts of aggression, terrorism and
destabilization against independent African States and its
use of mercenaries;

3. Deplores the escalation of violence in the region and
calls upon South Africa to respect fully the sanctity of international borders;

4. Deplores any form of assistance given by States
which could be used to destabilize independent States in
southern Africa;

5. Calls upon all States to exert pressure on South
Africa to desist from perpetrating acts of aggression
against neighbouring States;

6. Reaffirms the right of all States in the fulfilment of
their international obligations to give sanctuary to the victims of apartheid;

7. Demands the immediate eradication of apartheid as
the necessary step towards the establishment of a non-racial democratic society based on self-determination and
majority rule through the full and free exercise of universal adult suffrage by all the people in a united and nonfragmented South Africa, and to this end demands:

(a) The dismantling of the bantustan structures as well
as the cessation of uprooting, relocation and denationalization of the indigenous African people;

(b) The abrogation of the bans and restrictions on political organizations, parties, individuals and news media opposed to apartheid;

(c) The unimpeded return of all the exiles;

8. Demands that the racist régime of South Africa put
an end to the violence against and repression of the black
people and other opponents of apartheid, unconditionally
release all persons imprisoned, detained or restricted for
their opposition to apartheid and lift the state of emergency;

9. Deplores the racist regime of South Africa for its
disregard of the principles of international law and its obligations under the Charter of the United Nations;

10. Commends the front-line States and other States
neighbouring South Africa for their support of freedom
and justice in South Africa and requests Member States to
extend urgently all forms of assistance to these States in
order to strengthen their capacities to receive, maintain
and protect South African refugees in their respective
countries;

11. Requests the Secretary-General to monitor developments related to South Africa’s threats to escalate acts
of aggression against independent States in southern
Africa and to report to the Security Council as the situation demands:

12. Decides te remain seized of the matter.
Adopted at the 2662nd meeting
by 13 votes to none, with 2 abstentions (United Kingdom of Great
Britain and Northern Ireland,
United States of America).