Peaceful settlement of international disputes

XXIX. RESOLUTIONS ADOPTED WITHOUT REFERENCE TO A MAIN COMMITTEE
3283. Peaceful settlement of international disputes

The General Assembly, Noting that the Charter of the United Nations obliges Member States to settle their international disputes by peaceful means in such a manner that international peace and security, and justice, are not endangered, Recalling, in particular, that the Security Council is charged under the terms of Article 24 of the Charter with primary responsibility for the maintenance of international peace and security, and that disputes may be brought to the attention of the Council for purposes of pacific settlement under the provisions of Chapter VI of the Charter, Recalling also that Article 33 of the Charter directs that parties to any dispute, the continuance of which is likely to endanger the maintenance of international peace and security, shall, first of all, seek a solution by negotiation, inquiry, mediation, conciliation, arbitration, judicial settlement, resort to regional agencies or arrangements, or other peaceful means of their own choice, Recalling further that the International Court of Justice is the principal judicial organ of the United Nations and, as such, is available to Members for the settlement of legal disputes, that it has recently amended the Rules of Court[1] with a view to simplifying its procedure so as to avoid delays and simplify hearings, and that it may establish chambers to hear and determine cases by summary procedure allowing for the speediest possible settlement of disputes, Mindful of the existence of other facilities and machinery available for the settlement of disputes by mediation, conciliation, arbitration or judicial settlement, including the Permanent Court of Arbitration at The Hague and established regional agencies or arrangements, Reaffirming that recourse to peaceful settlement of international disputes shall in no way constitute an unfriendly act between States, Mindful also of the continuing threat to international peace and security posed by serious disputes of various kinds and the need for early action to resolve such disputes by resort in the first instance to the means recommended in Article 33 of the Charter,

1. Draws the attention of States to the machinery established under the Charter of the United Nations for the peaceful settlement of international disputes;

2. Urges Member States not already parties to instruments establishing the various facilities and machinery available for the peaceful settlement of disputes to consider becoming parties to such instruments and, in the case of the International Court of Justice, recognizes the desirability that States study the possibility of accepting, with as few reservations as possible, the compulsory jurisdiction of the Court in accordance with Article 36 of the Statute of the Court;

3. Calls upon Member States to make full use and seek improved implementation of the means and methods provided for in the Charter of the United Nations and elsewhere for the exclusively peaceful settlement of any dispute or any situation, the continuance of which is likely to endanger the maintenance of international peace and security, including negotiation, inquiry, mediation, conciliation, arbitration, judicial settlement, resort to regional agencies or arrangements, good offices including those of the Secretary-General, or other peaceful means of their own choice;

4. Requests the Secretary-General to prepare an up-to-date report concerning the machinery established under the Charter for the peaceful settlement of international disputes, inviting his attention in particular to the following resolutions of the General Assembly:

(a) Resolution 268 D (III) of 28 April 1949, in which the Assembly established the Panel for Inquiry and Conciliation;

(b) Resolution 377 A (V) of 3 November 1950, section B, in which the Assembly established the Peace Observation Commission;

(c) Resolution 1262 (XIII) of 14 November 1958, in which the Assembly considered the question of establishing an arbitral procedure for settling disputes;

(d) Resolution 2329 (XXII) of 18 December 1967, in which the Assembly established a United Nations register of experts for fact finding;

(e) Resolution 2625 (XXV) of 24 October 1970, in which the Assembly approved the Declaration on Principles of International Law concerning Friendly Relations and Co-operation among States in accordance with the Charter of the United Nations;

5. Invites the attention of the Security Council, the Special Committee on Peace-keeping Operations, the International Court of Justice and the Secretary-General to the present resolution.

2316th plenary meeting
12 December 1974


[1] I.C.J. Acts and Documents No. 2 (Sales number 364).
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