Final answer:
President Gerald Ford signed the Helsinki Accords in 1975, which aimed to reduce Cold War tensions and included a commitment to honor the UN Declaration of Human Rights.
Step-by-step explanation:
In August 1975, President Gerald Ford, alongside leaders of both NATO and the Warsaw Pact, signed the Helsinki Accords. This significant document was intended to ease Cold War tensions and included multiple provisions, one of which was the commitment of signing nations to respect and abide by the United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights spearheaded by Eleanor Roosevelt. The broader implications of the Helsinki Accords included acknowledgment of the post-World War II division of Europe and an agreement to respect current European national borders.
While the Helsinki Accords marked a stride toward peace, they also resulted in controversy within the United States. Critics argued that they appeared to abandon those in Eastern Europe striving for democracy and that they represented a concession to Soviet demands.