Control and limitation of documentation

XIII. RESOLUTIONS ADOPTED ON THE REPORTS OF THE FIFTH COMMITTEE
1272. Control and limitation of documentation

The General Assembly, Noting the report of the Committee on the Control and Limitation of Documentation[1] set up under General Assembly resolution 1203 (XII) of 13 December 1957 to consult with and advise the Secretary-General on the most effective means of implementing that resolution, Noting further the Secretary-General's report[2] on the steps taken and on the nature and extent of the reductions achieved,

1. Commends the Secretary-General for the appreciable results achieved so far during 1958;

2. Endorses the report of the Committee on the Control and Limitation of Documentation, particularly the basic approaches enunciated in paragraph 10 and the proposals set out in paragraph 27, except those contained in sub-paragraph (c); in regard to the maintenance of verbatim and summary records, the existing practice shall continue unaltered in all respects;

3. Draws the particular attention of all organs and subsidiary bodies to the recommendations contained in paragraph 27 (e) of the Committee's report, requesting those organs and bodies to include in the agenda of their next session the question of the control and limitation of their documentation;

4. Emphasizes in this connexion the importance of strict adherence to regulation 13.1 of the Financial Regulations of the United Nations and the relevant rules of procedure of the organs concerned, with the object of ensuring that no organ or subsidiary body takes decisions on any measure until it has been informed in advance of the financial and administrative considerations involved;

5. Requests the Secretary-General to ensure that no effort is spared within the Secretariat to maintain the progress achieved and to extend it in all ways possible, taking into account the guiding principles set forth in paragraph 10 of the report of the Committee;

6. Further requests the Secretary-General, within the existing establishment, to extend the editorial control services;

7. Urges the representatives of Member States as well as all other members of commissions, committees and similar bodies to co-operate fully with the Secretary-General in carrying out the policy laid down by the General Assembly, particularly in resolutions 593 (VI) of 4 February 1952, 789 (VIII) of 9 December 1953 and 1203 (XII) of 13 December 1957;

8. Requests the Secretary-General and the Advisory Committee on Administrative and Budgetary Questions to report on the operation of the present resolution to the General Assembly at its fifteenth session or earlier.

781st plenary meeting,
14 November 1958.

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[1] Ibid., agenda item 51, document A/3888. [2] Ibid., document A/3921.