UN General Assembly
1996

countries, in implementation of the General Assembly resolutions prohibiting any country from enacting extra- territorial laws or resorting to coercive measures to force another country to relinquish the exercise of its sovereign rights. The next century is but a few years away. Before it begins, all the members of the international community should use the remaining time to eliminate all remnants of recent decades, which were characterized by tension and confrontation. As we enter the third millennium, we should live in a world governed by a system based on justice, equality and respect for the political and economic choices of peoples. Such a system should embody full commitment to international law and the principles and purposes of the United Nations. It must protect and enhance human rights and strengthen efforts aimed at eradicating poverty, suffering, discord, conflicts, disputes and wars. It should be a system in which no country can aspire to hegemony or abuse its influence, a system that supports the peaceful settlement of disputes. It should give all peoples the opportunity to look to the future with optimism.