A/HRC/9/2 page 2 Responses from Governments Albania [Original: English] [24 April 2008] 1. The Government reported that Albania had not adopted nor implemented unilateral coercive measures towards other Member States in the context of Council resolution 6/7. Algeria [Original: French] [13 May 2008] 2. The Government stated that unilateral coercive measures were contrary to international law, international humanitarian law, the Charter of the United Nations and the norms and principles governing peaceful relations among States. 3. The Government indicated that the adoption of unilateral coercive measures constituted a violation of human rights, in particular, the right to a dignified life and the right to development. By seeking to impose the extraterritorial application of domestic laws, it also constituted a violation of the sovereignty of other States. 4. The Government pointed out that economic, social and cultural rights, in particular those guaranteed by the international covenants, were violated by unilateral measures because of their negative impact on the well-being of populations, development and international cooperation. The Government further stated that unilateral coercive measures hinder free trade relations among sovereign States and thus create obstacles to the enjoyment of all human rights, as stated at the World Conference on Human Rights, held in Vienna in 1993. 5. The Government reaffirmed that the respect for sovereignty, equality of States, non-interference in internal affairs of other States, the right of all peoples to self-determination and the freedom of choice of their political, economic and cultural systems were core principles of the foreign policy of Algeria. The Government also underlined that essential goods, such as food and medicines, should not be used as tools for political coercion. Belarus [Original: Russian] [19 May 2008] 6. The Government condemned the use of any coercive unilateral measures that run counter to the fundamental principles and norms of international law and expressed concerns with respect to the number of coercive measures which, according to the Government, had been taken against Belarus by the United States of America and the European Union.