United Nations A/66/359
General Assembly Distr.: General
14 September 2011
Original: English
11-49656 (E) 160911
*1149656*
Sixty-sixth session
Item 93 of the provisional agenda*
Developments in the field of information and
telecommunications in the context of international security
Letter dated 12 September 2011 from the Permanent
Representatives of China, the Russian Federation, Tajikistan
and Uzbekistan to the United Nations addressed to the
Secretary-General
Recent years have witnessed the considerable progress achieved in developing
and applying the latest information and telecommunication technologies, which
could potentially be used for purposes that are inconsistent with the objectives of
maintaining international stability and security. It is of great significance that the
common challenges in the sphere of information security should be dealt with
through international cooperation and in the spirit of mutual respect. To that end,
China, Russia, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan have jointly elaborated in the form of a
potential General Assembly resolution on an international code of conduct for
information security and call for international deliberations within the United
Nations framework on such an international code, with the aim of achieving the
earliest possible consensus on international norms and rules guiding the behaviour
of States in the information space (see annex).
* A/66/150.
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It would be highly appreciated if you could circulate the present letter and its
annex as a document of the sixty-sixth session of the General Assembly, under
item 93 of the provisional agenda.
(Signed) Li Baodong
Permanent Representative of the People’s Republic of China
to the United Nations
(Signed) Vitaly Churkin
Permanent Representative of the Russian Federation
to the United Nations
(Signed) Sirodjidin Aslov
Permanent Representative of the Republic of Tajikistan
to the United Nations
(Signed) Murad Askarov
Permanent Representative of the Republic of Uzbekistan
to the United Nations
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Annex to the letter dated 12 September 2011 from the Permanent
Representatives of China, the Russian Federation, Tajikistan
and Uzbekistan to the United Nations addressed to the
Secretary-General
[Original: Chinese, English and Russian]
International code of conduct for information security
The General Assembly,
Recalling its resolutions on the role of science and technology in the context of
international security, in which, inter alia, it recognized that scientific and
technological developments could have both civilian and military applications and
that progress in science and technology for civilian applications needed to be
maintained and encouraged,
Noting that considerable progress has been achieved in developing and
applying the latest information technologies and means of telecommunication,
Recognizing the need to prevent the potential use of information and
communication technologies for purposes that are inconsistent with the objectives of
maintaining international stability and security and may adversely affect the
integrity of the infrastructure within States, to the detriment of their security,
Underlining the need for enhanced coordination and cooperation among States
in combating the criminal misuse of information technologies and, in that context,
stressing the role that can be played by the United Nations and other international
and regional organizations,
Highlighting the importance of the security, continuity and stability of the
Internet and the need to protect the Internet and other information and
communications technology networks from threats and vulnerabilities, and
reaffirming the need for a common understanding of the issues of Internet security
and for further cooperation at the national and international levels,
Reaffirming that policy authority for Internet-related public issues is the
sovereign right of States, which have rights and responsibilities for international
Internet-related public policy issues,
Recognizing that confidence and security in the use of information and
communications technologies are among the main pillars of the information society
and that a robust global culture of cybersecurity needs to be encouraged, promoted,
developed and vigorously implemented, pursuant to General Assembly resolution
64/211 of 21 December 2009, entitled “Creation of a global culture of cybersecurity
and taking stock of national efforts to protect critical information infrastructures”,
Stressing the need for enhanced efforts to close the digital divide by
facilitating the transfer of information technology and capacity-building to
developing countries in the areas of cybersecurity best practices and training,
pursuant to resolution 64/211,
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Adopts the international code of conduct for information security as follows:
Purpose and scope
The purpose of the present code is to identify the rights and responsibilities of
States in information space, promote their constructive and responsible behaviours
and enhance their cooperation in addressing the common threats and challenges in
information space, so as to ensure that information and communications
technologies, including networks, are to be solely used to benefit social and
economic development and people’s well-being, with the objective of maintaining
international stability and security.
Adherence to the code is voluntary and open to all States.
Code of conduct
Each State voluntarily subscribing to the code pledges:
(a) To comply with the Charter of the United Nations and universally
recognized norms governing international relations that enshrine, inter alia, respect
for the sovereignty, territorial integrity and political independence of all States,
respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms and respect for the diversity of
history, culture and social systems of all countries;
(b) Not to use information and communications technologies, including
networks, to carry out hostile activities or acts of aggression, pose threats to
international peace and security or proliferate information weapons or related
technologies;
(c) To cooperate in combating criminal and terrorist activities that use
information and communications technologies, including networks, and in curbing
the dissemination of information that incites terrorism, secessionism or extremism
or that undermines other countries’ political, economic and social stability, as well
as their spiritual and cultural environment;
(d) To endeavour to ensure the supply chain security of information and
communications technology products and services, in order to prevent other States
from using their resources, critical infrastructures, core technologies and other
advantages to undermine the right of the countries that have accepted the code of
conduct, to gain independent control of information and communications
technologies or to threaten the political, economic and social security of other
countries;
(e) To reaffirm all the rights and responsibilities of States to protect, in
accordance with relevant laws and regulations, their information space and critical
information infrastructure from threats, disturbance, attack and sabotage;
(f) To fully respect rights and freedom in information space, including rights
and freedom to search for, acquire and disseminate information on the premise of
complying with relevant national laws and regulations;
(g) To promote the establishment of a multilateral, transparent and
democratic international Internet management system to ensure an equitable
distribution of resources, facilitate access for all and ensure a stable and secure
functioning of the Internet;
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(h) To lead all elements of society, including its information and
communication partnerships with the private sector, to understand their roles and
responsibilities with regard to information security, in order to facilitate the creation
of a culture of information security and the protection of critical information
infrastructures;
(i) To assist developing countries in their efforts to enhance capacity-
building on information security and to close the digital divide;
(j) To bolster bilateral, regional and international cooperation, promote the
important role of the United Nations in formulating international norms, peaceful
settlements of international disputes and improvements in international cooperation
in the field of information security, and enhance coordination among relevant
international organizations;
(k) To settle any dispute resulting from the application of the code through
peaceful means and to refrain from the threat or use of force.