Question of Papua New Guinea

XXIX. RESOLUTIONS ADOPTED ON THE REPORTS OF THE FOURTH COMMITTEE
3284. Question of Papua New Guinea

The General Assembly, Recalling the Trusteeship Agreement for the Territory of New Guinea, approved by the General Assembly on 13 December 1946,[1] Mindful of the Provisions of the Charter of the United Nations and of General Assembly resolution 1514 (XV) of 14 December 1960, containing the Declaration on the Granting of Independence to Colonial Countries and Peoples, Recalling further its resolution 3109 (XXVIII) of 12 December 1973, in which it welcomed the attainment of self-government on 1 December 1973 as an important step in the progress of Papua New Guinea towards independence, Mindful that the House of Assembly has affirmed its right as the duly elected parliament of the people of Papua New Guinea to decide when independence is to come and that the administering Power accepts that the House of Assembly represents the wishes of the people on the question of independence, Recognizing that the administering Power has progressively transferred governmental powers to the Government of Papua New Guinea and that it has announced that, pending the final decision of the House of Assembly to declare independence for Papua New Guinea, the Government of Australia is conducting its relations with the Government of Papua New Guinea as a Government of an independent nation to which Australia has certain special and inescapable obligations, Noting that, on 9 July 1974, the Papua New Guinea House of Assembly resolved "that Papua New Guinea do move to independent nation status as soon as practicable after a constitution has been enacted by this House and that any proposed date of independence be endorsed by this House", Noting also the continued willingness of the administering Power and of the Government of Papua New Guinea to receive, at an appropriate time, a visiting mission to be composed as recommended in General Assembly resolution 2590 (XXIV) of 16 December 1969, Having considered the report of the Trusteeship Council covering the period from 23 June 1973 to 23 October 1974,[2]

1. Resolves, in agreement with the administering Power, that on the date on which Papua New Guinea shall become independent the Trusteeship Agreement for the Territory of New Guinea, approved by the General Assembly on 13 December 1946, shall cease to be in force;

2. Requests the administering Power to notify the Secretary-General of the date on which Papua New Guinea will accede to independence and on which the Trusteeship Agreement shall cease to be in force,

2318th plenary meeting
13 December 1974

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[1] Trusteeship Agreement for the Territory of New Guinea (United Nations publication, Sales No.: 1947.VI.A.8). [2] Official Records of the General Assembly, Twenty-ninth Session, Supplement No. 4 (A/9604).