Question of Bermuda

  The General Assembly, Having considered the question of Bermuda, Having examined the relevant chapters of the report of the SpecialCommittee on the Situation with Regard to the Implementation of theDeclaration on the Granting of Independence to Colonial Countries andPeoples, Recalling its resolution 1514 (XV) of 14 December 1960, containing theDeclaration on the Granting of Independence to Colonial Countries and Peoples,and all other resolutions and decisions of the United Nations relating toBermuda, Taking into account the statement of the representative of theadministering Power relating to the Territory, in which he said that hisGovernment would fully respect the wishes of the people of Bermuda indetermining the future constitutional status of the Territory, Conscious of the need to ensure the full and speedy implementation of theDeclaration in respect of the Territory, Noting with appreciation the continued active participation of theadministering Power in the work of the Special Committee in regard to Bermuda,thereby enabling it to conduct a more informed and meaningful examination ofthe situation in the Territory, with a view to accelerating the process ofdecolonization for the purpose of the full implementation of the Declaration, Recalling all relevant resolutions of the United Nations relating tomilitary bases and installations in colonial and Non-Self-GoverningTerritories, Noting that the economy of the Territory continues to depend heavily ontourism and international company business, Aware of the special circumstances of the geographical location andeconomic conditions of the Territory and bearing in mind the necessity ofdiversifying and strengthening further its economy as a matter of priority inorder to promote economic stability, Mindful that United Nations visiting missions provide an effective meansof ascertaining the situation in the small Territories, acquiring adequatefirst-hand information on the situation prevailing in those Territories andascertaining the views of the peoples concerning their future political status,

1. Approves the chapter of the report of the Special Committee on theSituation with regard to the Implementation of the Declaration on the Grantingof Independence to Colonial Countries and Peoples relating to Bermuda;

2. Reaffirms the inalienable right of the people of Bermuda toself-determination and independence in conformity with the Declaration on theGranting of Independence to Colonial Countries and Peoples, contained inGeneral Assembly resolution 1514 (XV);

3. Reiterates the view that such factors as territorial size,geographical location, size of population and limited natural resources shouldin no way delay the speedy exercise by the people of the Territory of theirinalienable right as set out in the Declaration contained in General Assemblyresolution 1514 (XV), which fully applies to Bermuda;

4. Urges the administering Power, taking into account the freelyexpressed will and desire of the people of Bermuda, to continue to take allnecessary steps to ensure the full and speedy implementation of GeneralAssembly resolution 1514 (XV);

5. Reiterates that it is the obligation of the administering Power tocreate such conditions in the Territory as will enable the people of Bermudato exercise freely and without interference their inalienable right toself-determination and independence in accordance with General Assemblyresolution 1514 (XV) and, in that connection, reaffirms the importance offostering an awareness among the people of Bermuda of the possibilities open tothem in the exercise of that right;

6. Reaffirms that, in accordance with the relevant provisions of theCharter of the United Nations and the Declaration contained in GeneralAssembly resolution 1514 (XV), it is ultimately for the people of Bermudathemselves to decide on their future political status;

7. Reaffirms the importance of the need to foster national unity and anational identity and, in that regard, welcomes the steps taken by the localauthorities towards the establishment of a human rights commission;

8. Reaffirms its strong conviction that the administering Power mustensure that military bases and installations do not hinder the population ofthe Territory from exercising its right to self-determination and independencein conformity with the purposes and principles of the Charter and urges theadministering Power to take all necessary measures to comply fully with therelevant resolutions of the United Nations relating to military bases andinstallations in colonial and Non-Self-Governing Territories;

9. Urges once again the administering Power, in co-operation with theterritorial Government, to continue to take all effective measures toguarantee the right of the people of Bermuda to own and dispose of theirnatural resources and to establish and maintain control of their futuredevelopment;

10. Strongly urges the administering Power, in consultation with theGovernment of Bermuda, to make every effort to diversify the economy ofBermuda, including increased efforts to promote agriculture and fisheries;

11. Welcomes the role being played in the Territory by the UnitedNations Development Programme and the Food and Agriculture Organization of theUnited Nations, specifically in programmes of agriculture and fisheries, andurges the specialized agencies and all other organizations of the UnitedNations system to continue to pay special attention to the development needsof Bermuda;

12. Reiterates its call upon the administering Power, in co-operationwith the local authorities, to continue to expedite the process of"bermudianization" in the Territory and, in that connection, urges thatparticular attention be paid to greater localization of the public service;

13. Calls upon the Government of the United Kingdom of Great Britain andNorthern Ireland to receive a visiting mission in the Territory at anappropriate time;

14. Requests the Special Committee to continue the examination of thisquestion at its next session, including the possible dispatch of a visitingmission to Bermuda at an appropriate time and in consultation with theadministering Power, and to report thereon to the General Assembly at itsthirty-eighth session.