February 23, 1945

New York Times.

The Governments represented in the Inter-American Conference on Problems of War and Peace, considering:

First, that the American States have been incorporating into their international law since 1890 through conventions, resolutions and declarations, the following agreements. (Here follows ten agreements signed among the inter-American nations):

Second, that the perfection of these resolutions that the American States have been putting into practice to guarantee peace and solidarity between the nations of this hemisphere, is an effective way through which to contribute to the general system of world security as well as to facilitate the establishing of it, and,

Third, that the security and solidarity of the continent is affected not only when an act of aggression is committed against any of the American countries by a non-American power but also when the act of aggression comes from one American State against one or more other American States.

(1) Any attempt on the part of a State against the integrity or the inviolability of the territory, the sovereignty or political independence of an American State shall be considered as an act of aggression against the States that sign this declaration.

(2) In the case that acts of aggression are made, or if there are reasons to believe that an act of aggression is being prepared by a State against the integrity or inviolability of territory, the sovereignty or political independence of an American State, the signatory States will consult each other to agree on the measures that are deemed necessary to take.

(3) If acts of aggression, such as have been stated in this declaration should take place, the signatory nations will collectively resolve on the measures that should be applied on the aggressor State, adopting, in accordance to circumstances, one or several of the following measures: recall of heads of diplomatic missions, severance of diplomatic relations, severance of consular relations, severance of postal, telegraphic, telephone and radio-telephone relations, interruption of financial or economic relations, use of military force to repel the aggression.

(4) In all cases the invasion of armed forces of one State into the territory of another, crossing frontiers established by existing treaties, constitutes an act of aggression which makes obligatory immediate action against the aggressor on the part of the signatory nations.

(5) When a world security organization is constituted and to which the signing nations of this declaration belong, the application of compulsory action will be taken in harmony with the norms of that organization.