Draft Convention on the Declaration of Death of Missing Persons

IV. RESOLUTIONS ADOPTED ON THE REPORTS OF THE SIXTH COMMITTEE
369. Draft Convention on the Declaration of Death of Missing Persons

The General Assembly, Considering resolution 249 (IX)[1] of 9 August 1949 approved by the Economic and Social Council, Considering that the Economic and Social Council was not able to examine the draft Convention on the Declaration of Death of Missing Persons[2] prepared by the Ad Hoc Committee established to prepare the draft, Considering that the General Assembly should undertake a detailed study of conventions prepared by small groups only if one of its main Committees disposes of the necessary time; that, when the contrary is the case, it can call a conference of plenipotentiaries for the purposes of studying and drafting the convention, Recognizing the importance and urgency of the question, Recognizing also the legal difficulties arising, in particular because of differences of legislation in the matter,

1. Decides that an international conference of Government representatives be convened not later than 1 April 1950 with a view to concluding a multilateral convention on the subject;

2. Instructs the Secretary-General:

(a) To issue invitations to the Governments of Member States to such a conference, asking all Governments interested to inform him as soon as possible of their acceptance;

(b) To take all other measures necessary for the convening of the conference;

3. Refers also the draft Convention on the Declaration of Death of Missing Persons to Member States to enable them to examine it and consider the possibility of adopting, if necessary, legislative measures on the legal status of persons missing as a result of events of war or other disturbances of peace during the post-war years until the present time;

4. Requests the Member States to transmit their comments to the Secretary-General so that he may report on them to the General Assembly at its next regular session.

266th plenary meeting,
3 December 1949.


[1] See Official Records of the Economic and Social Council, Fourth Year, Ninth Session, Resolutions, page 61. [2] See document E/1368.
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