Review of multilateral treaty-making process.

35. RESOLUTIONS ADOPTED O THE REPORTS OF THE SIXTH COMMITTEE
162. Review of the multilateral treaty-making process

The General Assembly, Bearing in mind that multilateral treaties are an important primary source of international law, Conscious, therefore, that the process of elaboration of multilateral treaties, directed towards the progressive development of international law and its codification, forms an important part of the work of the United Nations and of the international community in general, Recalling its resolution 32/48 of 8 December 1977, by which it requested the Secretary-General to prepare a report on the techniques and procedures used in the elaboration of multilateral treaties, taking into consideration the observations of Governments and of the International Law Commission on the subject, Aware of the heavy burden which active involvement in the process of multilateral treaty-making places upon Governments, Convinced that the most rational use should be made of the finite resources available for elaboration of multilateral treaties, Taking into account statements made at the current session in the debate in the Sixth Committee,[1]

1. Takes note of the report of the Secretary-General,[2] and of the views of Governments and of the International Law Commission contained in the addenda thereto,[3] on the review of the multilateral treaty-making process;

2. Invites Governments and international intergovernmental organizations to submit by 31 July 1981 their observations on the report of the Secretary- General, taking into account the specific questions contained in section IV thereof, as well as their comments on any other aspect of the subject, as they consider desirable;

3. Requests the Secretary-Genera to make his report and its addenda widely available to other interested organizations which are active in the preparation and study of multilateral treaties, and to invite them to comment on the subject of the report;

4. Requests the Secretary-General to collate and arrange the material received pursuant to General Assembly resolution 32/48, with a view to its possible publication;

5. Also requests the Secretary- General to prepare and publish new editions of the Handbook of Final Clauses[4] and the Summary of the Practice of the Secretary-General as Depositary of Multilateral Agreements;[5]

6. Further requests the Secretary-General to submit to the General Assembly at its thirty-sixth session a report containing the replies received pursuant to paragraphs 2 and 3 above, as well as a topical summary of the debate at its thirty-fifth session;

7. Decides to include in the provisional agenda of its thirty-sixth session the item entitled "Review of the multilateral treaty-making process".

95th plenary meeting
15 December 1980

---

[1]2 Ibid., Thirty-fifth Session, Sixth Committee, 55th, 60th-64th, 73rd and 75th meetings; and ibid., Sixth Committee, Sessional Fascicle, corrigendum. [2] A/35/312 and Corr. 1. [3] 23 A/35/Add.1 and 2 and Add.2/Corr.1. [4] ST/LEG/6. [5] ST/LEG/7.