Papua New Guinea

XXVII RESOLUTIONS ADOPTED ON THE REPORTS OF THE FOURTH COMMITTEE
2977. Papua New Guinea

The General Assembly, Recalling-the provisions of the Charter of the United Nations and General Assembly resolution 1514 (XV) of 14 December 1960, containing the Declaration on the Granting of Independence to Colonial Countries and Peoples, Recalling its previous resolutions concerning Papua New Guinea, in particular resolution 2865 (XXVI) of 20 December 1971, Having considered the report of the Trusteeship Council covering the period 19 June 1971 to 16 June 1972,[1] the relevant chapters of the report of the Special Committee on the Situation with regard to the Implementation of the Declaration on the Granting of Independence to Colonial Countries and Peoples[2] and the report of the United Nations Visiting Mission to observe the elections to the Papua New Guinea House of Assembly in 1972,[3] Having heard the statement of the representative of the administering Power,[4] Taking into account the conclusions and recommendations of the Trusteeship Council and the Special Committee regarding developments in Papua New Guinea, Noting that the elections to the Third House of Assembly in 1972 led to the establishment of a National Coalition Government and that in September 1972, on the motion of the Government, the House of Assembly decided that full self-government for Papua New Guinea should be attained by 1 December 1973 or as soon as possible thereafter, and bearing in mind that the Government of Australia has accepted this timing, Noting that a Constitutional Planning Committee, composed of members of the Papua New Guinea House of Assembly, has been established to make recommendations concerning Papua New Guinea's future constitution, Noting further with satisfaction that final responsibility in many areas of government has already been transferred to the Government of Papua New Guinea and that arrangements have been made for the transfer of additional power in the interim before full self-government is attained, Bearing in mind that the Governments of Papua New Guinea and Australia have agreed that, while foreign affairs and defence will remain the responsibility of Australia independence, the Government of Papua New Guinea will, until that time, be fully involved in these matters, Recalling the affirmation by the Government of Australia, as the administering Power, that the interval between the attainment of full self-government and of independence will be determined by the then Government of Papua New Guinea, Mindful of the responsibility of the United Nations to render all help to the people of Papua New Guinea in their efforts freely to decide their own future,

1. Reaffirms the inalienable right of the people of Papua New Guinea to self-determination and independence in accordance with General Assembly resolution 1514 (XV) and the Trusteeship Agreement of 13 December 1946;

2. Welcomes the establishment of a time-table for the attainment of full self-government by Papua New Guinea and calls upon the administering Power to prepare, in consultation with the Government of Papua New Guinea, a further time-table for independence;

3. Reaffirms the importance of ensuring that the unity of Papua New Guinea is preserved throughout the period leading to independence;

4. Deems it essential to continue accelerated localization in both the public and private sectors;

5. Emphasizes the importance of continuing an intensive programme of political education in Papua New Guinea;

6. Stresses the importance of ensuring the preservation of the cultural heritage of the people of Papua New Guinea;

7. Requests the organizations of the United Nations system to assist in accelerating progress in all sectors of the national life of Papua New Guinea;

8. Requests the Trusteeship Council to continue to include non-members of the Trusteeship Council in its periodic visiting missions on the basis recommended in General Assembly resolution 2590 (XXIV) of 16 December 1969;

9. Requests the administering Power to report to the Trusteeship Council and the Special Committee on the Situation with regard to the Implementation of the Declaration on the Granting of Independence to Colonial Countries and Peoples on the implementation of the present resolution;

10. Requests the Trusteeship Council and the Special Committee to continue to examine this question and to report thereon to the General Assembly at its twenty-eighth session.

2110th plenary meeting
14 December 1972

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[1] Official Records of the General Assembly, Twenty-seventh Session, Supplement No. 4 (A/8704). [2] Ibid., Supplement No. 23 (A/8723/Rev.1), chaps. IV and XX [3] Official Records of the Trusteeship Council, Thirty-ninth Session, Supplement No. 2 (T/1739). [4] See Official Records of the General Assembly, Twenty-seventh Session, Fourth Committee, 2002nd meeting.