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Principles

Article 3 of the Charter of the OAS states that:

"The American States reaffirm the following principles:

1. International law is the standard of conduct of States in their reciprocal relations;
2. International order consists essentially of respect for the personality, sovereignty, and independence of States, and the faithful fulfillment of obligations derived from treaties and other sources of international law;
3. Good faith shall govern the relations between States;
4. The solidarity of the American States and the high aims which are sought through it require the political organization of those States on the basis of the effective exercise of representative democracy;
5. Every State has the right to choose, without external interference, its political, economic, and social system and to organize itself in the way best suited to it, and has the duty to abstain from intervening in the affairs of another State. Subject to the foregoing, the American States shall cooperate fully among themselves, independently of the nature of their political, economic, and social systems;
6. The elimination of extreme poverty is an essential part of the promotion and consolidation of representative democracy and is the common and shared responsibility of the American States;
7. The American States condemn war of aggression: victory does not give rights;
8. An act of aggression against one American State is an act of aggression against all the other American States;
9. Controversies of an international character arising between two or more American States shall be settled by peaceful procedures;
10. Social justice and social security are bases of lasting peace;
11. Economic cooperation is essential to the common welfare and prosperity of the peoples of the continent;
12. The American States proclaim the fundamental rights of the individual without distinction as to race, nationality, creed, or sex;
13. The spiritual unity of the continent is based on respect for the cultural values of the American countries and requires their close cooperation for the high purposes of civilization;
14. The education of peoples should be directed toward justice, freedom, and peace."