Question of Antarctica

The General Assembly,

Having considered the item entitled "Question of Antarctica",

Recalling its resolutions 38/77 of 15 December 1983, 39/152 of 17 December 1984, 40/156 A and B of 16 December 1985, 41/88 A and B of 4 December 1986, 42/46 A and B of 30 November 1987, 43/83 A and B of 7 December 1988 and 44/124 A and B of 15 December 1989,

Recalling also the relevant paragraphs of the final documents adopted by the Ninth Conference of Heads of State or Government of Non-Aligned Countries, held at Belgrade from 4 to 7 September 1989, the second meeting of States of the Zone of Peace and Co-operation of the South Atlantic, held at Abuja, Nigeria, from 25 to 29 June 1990, and the Nineteenth Islamic Conference of Foreign Ministers, held at Cairo from 31 July to 5 August 1990,

Taking into account the debates on this item held since its thirty-eighth session,

Reaffirming the principle that the international community is entitled to information covering all aspects of Antarctica and that the United Nations should be made the repository for all such information in accordance with General Assembly resolutions 41/88 A, 42/46 B, 43/83 A and 44/124 B,

Conscious of the particular significance of Antarctica to the international community in terms, inter alia, of international peace and security, environment, its effects on global climatic conditions, economy and scientific research,

Conscious also of the interrelationship between Antarctica and the physical, chemical and biological processes that regulate the total Earth system,

Welcoming the increasing recognition of the significant impact that Antarctica exerts on the global environment and ecosystems and of the need for a comprehensive agreement on the protection and conservation of the Antarctic environment and its dependent and associated ecosystems,

Sharing the concern over the environmental degradation of Antarctica and its impact on global environment expressed at the first substantive session of the Preparatory Committee for the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development, held at Nairobi from 6 to 31 August 1990,

Welcoming the increasing support for the establishment of Antarctica as a nature reserve or world park to ensure the protection and conservation of its environment and its dependent and associated ecosystems for the benefit of all mankind,

Welcoming also the increasing support within the international community for the banning of prospecting and mining in and around Antarctica,

Welcoming the initiative taken by some Antarctic Treaty Consultative Parties in promoting Antarctica as a nature reserve or world park and the banning of prospecting and mining in and around Antarctica,

Welcoming also the ongoing trend in acknowledging the need for internationally co-ordinated scientific research stations in Antarctica in order to minimize unnecessary duplication and logistical support facilities,

Welcoming further the increasing awareness of and interest in Antarctica shown by the international community, and convinced of the advantages to the whole of mankind of a better knowledge of Antarctica,

Affirming its conviction that, in the interest of all mankind, Antarctica should continue for ever to be used exclusively for peaceful purposes and that it should not become the scene or object of international discord,

Reaffirming that the management and use of Antarctica should be conducted in accordance with the purposes and principles of the Charter of the United Nations and in the interest of maintaining international peace and security and of promoting international co-operation for the benefit of mankind as a whole,

Convinced of the need to prevent or minimize any negative impact of human activity resulting from the large number of scientific stations and expeditions in Antarctica on the environment and its dependent and associated ecosystems,

Taking into account all aspects pertaining to all areas covered by the Antarctic Treaty,

Taking note with appreciation of the reports of the Secretary-General on the question of Antarctica,

1.         Expresses its regret that, despite the numerous resolutions adopted by the General Assembly, the Secretary-General or his representative has not been invited to the meetings of the Antarctic Treaty Consultative Parties, including the special session of the Antarctic Treaty Consultative Meeting at Santiago from 19 November to 7 December 1990, and urges once again the Consultative Parties to invite the Secretary-General or his representative to their future meetings;

2.         Calls upon the Antarctic Treaty Consultative Parties to deposit information and documents covering all aspects of Antarctica with the Secretary-General of the United Nations, and requests the Secretary-General to submit a report on his evaluations thereon to the General Assembly at its forty-sixth session;

3.         Expresses the conviction that any move to draw up a comprehensive environmental convention on the conservation and protection of Antarctica and its dependent and associated ecosystems as well as establishing a nature reserve or world park must be negotiated with the full participation of the international community, and in this regard stresses that this should be pursued within the context of the United Nations system, including the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development;

4.         Urges all members of the international community to support all efforts to ban prospecting and mining in and around Antarctica and to ensure that all activities are carried out exclusively for the purpose of peaceful scientific investigation and that all such activities ensure the maintenance of international peace and security in Antarctica and the protection of its environment and are for the benefit of all mankind;

5.         Requests the Secretary-General to undertake a comprehensive study with the help of relevant United Nations programmes and specialized agencies such as the World Meteorological Organization and the United Nations Environment Programme, using available data and resources, on the establishment of a United Nations-sponsored station in Antarctica with a view to promoting co-ordinated international co-operation in scientific research for the benefit of mankind, particularly the importance of Antarctica to the global environment and ecosystems, as well as to act as an early-warning system on climate change and accidents, and submit a report thereon to the General Assembly at its forty-sixth session;

6.         Urges all States Members of the United Nations to co-operate with the Secretary-General and to continue consultations on all aspects relating to Antarctica;

7.         Also requests the Secretary-General to submit a report, using available data and resources, on the state of the environment in Antarctica and its impact on the global system to the General Assembly at its forty-sixth session;

8.         Decides to include in the provisional agenda of its forty-sixth session the item entitled "Question of Antarctica".

B

The General Assembly,

Recalling its resolutions 43/83 B of 7 December 1988 and 44/124 A and B of 15 December 1989,

Having considered the item entitled "Question of Antarctica",

Noting with regret that the racist apartheid regime of South Africa, which has been suspended from participation in the General Assembly of the United Nations, has continued to participate in the meetings of the Antarctic Treaty Consultative Parties,

Recalling the resolution adopted by the Council of Ministers of the Organization of African Unity at its fiftieth ordinary session, held at Addis Ababa from 17 to 22 July 1989,

Recalling also the final document on Antarctica adopted by the Ninth Conference of Heads of State or Government of Non-Aligned Countries, held at Belgrade from 4 to 7 September 1989,

Recalling further that the Antarctic Treaty is, by its terms, intended to further the purposes and principles embodied in the Charter of the United Nations,

Noting that the policy of apartheid practised by the racist minority regime of South Africa, which has been universally condemned, constitutes a threat to regional and international peace and security,

1.         Takes note of the report of the Secretary-General, and expresses deep concern that no concrete measures have been taken in accordance with paragraph 2 of resolution 44/124 A;

2.         Views with concern the continuing participation of the apartheid regime of South Africa in the meetings of the Antarctic Treaty Consultative Parties;

3.         Appeals once again to the Antarctic Treaty Consultative Parties to take urgent measures to exclude the racist apartheid regime from participation in the meetings of the Consultative Parties at the earliest possible date, and invites them to inform the Secretary-General of the measures taken regarding the provisions of the present resolution;

4.         Requests the Secretary-General to submit a report in this regard to the General Assembly at its forty-sixth session, taking into account the concern expressed in paragraph 1 of the present resolution;

5.         Decides to include in the provisional agenda of its forty-sixth session the item entitled "Question of Antarctica".

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