Human rights in Helsinki

Foreign News Desk

       Leaders of 35 nations under Conference on Security and Cooperation in Europe (CSCE), who met in Helsinki on July 30 1995, signed Helsinki Final Act. Seventh article of the first part was on human rights.
       "Participating states will respect human rights and fundamental freedoms including of thought, conscience, religion or belief, for all without distinction as to race, sex, language or religion.
       They will promote and encourage the effective exercise of civil, political, economic, social, cultural and other rights and freedoms all of which derive from the inherent dignity of the human person and are essential for his free and full development.
       The participating states on whose territory national minorities exist will respect the right of persons belonging to such minorities to equality before law, will afford them the full opportunity for the actual enjoyment of human rights and fundamental freedoms and will.