Regional Agreements

multilateral international agreements whose participants are states of a certain geographic region.

Regional agreements are concluded with respect to political, economic, military, scientific and technical, cultural, and legal matters. The possibility of concluding regional agreements is set forth in the UN Charter, which specially singles out those agreements that are aimed at maintaining international peace and security in the particular geographic region. Such agreements are usually concluded to resolve local disputes or carry out collective actions on the basis of the UN Charter. Corresponding regional organizations are formed on the basis of regional agreements, such as the Organization of African Unity.

The USSR is always ready to conclude regional agreements that serve to prevent aggression, provide for a stable peace and international security, and create a system of collective security in Europe, Asia, and elsewhere. The regional agreements of the socialist countries, such as the Warsaw Pact of 1955, have always been directed toward peaceful cooperation among equals and correspond completely to the principles of the UN Charter. The imperialist countries often conclude regional agreements and from them form organizations whose goals conflict with the UN Charter. In addition, there have been cases in international relations where the imperialist countries have violated the regional principle in establishing aggressive political blocs.