Report of the Special Committee on the Charter of the United Nations and on the Strengthening of the Role of the Organization : resolution / adopted by the General Assembly

The General Assembly,

Recalling its resolution 3499 (XXX) of 15 December 1975, by which it established the Special Committee on the Charter of the United Nations and on the Strengthening of the Role of the Organization, and its relevant resolutions adopted at subsequent sessions,

Taking note of the reports of the Secretary-General on the work of the Organization submitted to the General Assembly at its thirty-seventh, thirty-ninth, fortieth, forty-first, forty-second and forty-third sessions, as well as of the views and comments expressed on them by Member States,

Having considered the report of the Special Committee on the Charter of the United Nations and on the Strengthening of the Role of the Organization on the work of its session held in 1988,

Expressing its deep appreciation to the Special Committee for the progress achieved during its 1988 session, which led to the completion of the draft Declaration on the Prevention and Removal of Disputes and Situations Which May Threaten International Peace and Security and on the Role of the United Nations in this Field, and for submitting it to the General Assembly at its forty-third session for adoption,

Mindful of the desirability of further work being done by the Special Committee in the field of the maintenance of international peace and security,

Noting with satisfaction that tangible progress has been achieved in the Special Committee on the proposal concerning the resort to a commission of good offices, mediation or conciliation within the United Nations,

Noting also with satisfaction the progress achieved in the elaboration of the draft handbook on the peaceful settlement of disputes between States,

1.         Takes note of the report of the Special Committee on the Charter of the United Nations and on the Strengthening of the Role of the Organization;

2.         Decides that the Special Committee shall hold its next session from 27 March to 14 April 1989;

3.         Requests the Special Committee, at its session in 1989, taking into account the provisions of paragraph 5 below:

(a)        To accord priority to the question of the maintenance of international peace and security in all its aspects in order to strengthen the role of the United Nations, and, in this context, to consider:

(i)         Proposals concerning fact-finding activities by the United Nations;

(ii)        Other proposals relating to the maintenance of international peace and security that might be submitted to the Special Committee at its session in 1989;

(b)        To continue its work on the question of the peaceful settlement of disputes between States, and, in this context:

(i)         To complete its consideration of the proposal on the resort to a commission of good offices, mediation or conciliation within the United Nations and to submit conclusions thereon, in an appropriate form, to the General Assembly at its forty-fourth session;

(ii)        To examine the progress report of the Secretary-General on the elaboration of the draft handbook on the peaceful settlement of disputes between States;

4.         Requests the Special Committee to keep the question of the rationalization of the procedures of the United Nations under active review;

5.         Also requests the Special Committee to be mindful of the importance of reaching general agreement whenever that has significance for the outcome of its work;

6.         Decides that the Special Committee shall accept the participation of observers of Member States, including in the meetings of its working group;

7.         Requests the Secretary-General to continue, on a priority basis, the preparation of the draft handbook on the peaceful settlement of disputes between States, on the basis of the outline elaborated by the Special Committee and in the light of the views expressed in the course of the discussions in the Sixth Committee and in the Special Committee, and to report to the Special Committee at its session in 1989 on the progress of work, before submitting to it the draft handbook in its final form, with a view to its approval at a later stage;

8.         Also requests the Secretary-General to render all assistance to the Special Committee;

9.         Requests the Special Committee to submit a report on its work to the General Assembly at its forty-fourth session;

10.       Decides to include in the provisional agenda of its forty-fourth session the item entitled "Report of the Special Committee on the Charter of the United Nations and on the Strengthening of the Role of the Organization".