A/RES/31/50 GA

122 General Assembly-Thirty-first Session their aspirations in accordance with the objectives set forth in the Declaration, Aware of the special problems facing the Territory by virtue of its isolation, small size and meagre resources, 1. Approves the chapter of the report of the Special Committee on the Situation with regard to the Imple- mentation of the Declaration on the Granting of Inde- pendence to Colonial Countries and Peoples relating to the Tokelau Islands;24 2. Reaffirms the inalienable right of the people of the Tokelau Islands to self-determination in conformity with the Declaration; 3. Commends the conclusions and recommendations of the United Nations Visiting Mission to the Tokelau Islands, 197625 to the Government of New Zealand, as the administering Power, and to the people of the Tokelau Islands for their consideration; 4. Expresses its appreciation to the members of the Visiting Mission for the constructive work which they accomplished, and to the administering Power, the fonos (councils) and the people of the Tokelau Islands for the close co-operation and assistance extended to the Mission; 5. Decides that, in accordance with the wishes of the people of the Tokelau Islands, as expressed through their representatives, and in conformity with the rec- ommendation of the Visiting Mission, the Territory shall henceforth be known as "Tokelau"; 6. Expresses the view that measures to promote the economic development of Tokelau are an important element in the process of self-determination, and the hope that the administering Power will continue to in- tensify and expand its programme of budgetary support and development aid to the Territory; 7. Requests the administering Power, in the light of the conclusions and recommendations of the Visiting Mission, to continue to enlist the assistance of the spe- cialized agencies and other organizations within the United Nations system, as well as other regional and international bodies, in the strengthening and develop- ment of the economy of the Territory; 8. Requests the specialized agencies and other or- ganizations to consider the methods and scale of their operations, in order to ensure that they are able to respond appropriately to the requirements of such small and isolated Territories as Tokelau; 9. Requests the administering Power to take the necessary measures to intensify programmes of political education, as well as to ensure the preservation of the identity and the cultural heritage of the people of Tokelau; 10. Requests the Special Committee to continue to examine this question at its next session in the light of the findings of the Visiting Mission, including the possible dispatch of a second visiting mission to To- kelau, as appropriate and in consultation with the ad- ministering Power, and to report thereon to the Gen- eral Assembly at its thirty-second session. 85th plenary meeting 1 December 1976 24 Ibid., Thirty-first Session, Supplement No. 23 (A/31/23/ Rev.1), chap. XVII. 25 Ibid., chap. XVII, annex, paras. 381-421. --------------------- 31/49. Question of the Falkland Islands (Malvinas) The General Assembly, Having considered the question of the Falkland Is- lands (Malvinas), Recalling its resolutions 1514 (XV) of 14 December 1960, 2065 (XX) of 16 December 1965 and 3160 (XXVIII) of 14 December 1973, Bearing in mind the paragraphs related to this ques- tion contained in the Political Declaration adopted by the Conference of Ministers for Foreign Affairs of Non- Aligned Countries, held at Lima from 25 to 30 August 1975,26 and in the Political Declaration adopted by the Fifth Conference of Heads of State or Government of Non-Aligned Countries, held at Colombo from 16 to 19 August 1976,27 Having regard to the chapter of the report of the Special Committee on the Situation with regard to the Implementation of the Declaration on the Granting of Independence to Colonial Countries and Peoples relat- ing to the Falkland Islands (Malvinas) 28 and, in partic- ular, the conclusions and recommendations of the Spe- cial Committee concerning the Territory,29 l. Approves the chapter of the report of the Special Committee on the Situation with regard to the Imple- mentation of the Declaration on the Granting of Inde- pendence to Colonial Countries and Peoples relating to the Falkland Islands (Malvinas) and, in particular, the conclusions and recommendations of the Special Committee concerning the Territory; 2. Expresses its gratitude for the continuous efforts made by the Government of Argentina, in accordance with the relevant decisions of the General Assembly, to facilitate the process of decolonization and to pro- mote the well-being of the population of the islands; 3. Requests the Governments of Argentina and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland to expedite the negotiations concerning the dispute over sovereignty, as requested in General As- sembly resolutions 2065 (XX) and 3160 (XXVIII); 4. Calls upon the two parties to refrain from taking decisions that would imply introducing unilateral modi- fications in the situation while the islands are going through the process recommended in the above-men- tioned resolutions; 5. Requests both Governments to report to the Secretary-General and to the General Assembly as soon as possible on the results of the negotiations. 85 th plenary meeting 1 December 1976 31 / 50. Question of Belize The General Assembly, Having considered the question of Belize, Having examined the relevant chapter of the report of the Special Committee on the Situation with regard 26 Al 10217 and Corr. I, annex, para. 87. 27 A/31/197, annex I, para. 119. 28 Official Records of the General Assembly, Thirty-first Ses- sion, Supplement No. 23 (A/31/23/Rev.1), chap. XXX. 29 Ibid., chap. XXX, para. 8. VII. Resolutions adopted on the reports of the Fourth Conunittee 123 to the Implementation of the Declaration on the Grant- ing of Independence to Colonial Countries and Peo- ples, 80 Recalling its resolution 3432 (XXX) of 8 December 1975, Having heard the statements of the representatives of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland31 and Guatemala,32 Having also heard the statement of the representative of Belize,33 Reaffirming the principles established in the Decla- ration on the Granting of Independence to Colonial Countries and Peoples, set out in its resolution 1514 (XV) of 14 December 1960, in particular that all peoples have the right to self-determination, by virtue of which right they freely determine their political status and freely pursue their economic, social and cultural development, Noting that negotiations have taken place between the Government of the United Kingdom, as the ad- ministering Power, acting in close consultation with the Government of Belize, and the Government of Guate- mala, pursuant to the provisions of paragraphs 4 and 5 of resolution 3432 (XXX), Regretting that these negotiations have not resulted in the removal of such obstacles as have hitherto pre- vented the people of Belize from exercising freely and without fear their inalienable right to self-determination and independence, l. Reaffirms the inalienable right of the people of Belize to self-determination and independence; 2. Reaffirms that the inviolability and territorial in- tegrity of Belize must be preserved; 3. Calls upon all States to respect the right of the people of Belize to self-determination, independence and territorial integrity, to facilitate the attainment of their goal of a secure and early independence and to refrain from any action that would threaten the terri- torial integrity of Belize; 4. Calls also upon the Government of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland as the administering Power, acting in close consultati~n with the Government of Belize, and the Government of Gua- temala to pursue vigorously their negotiations in accord- ance with the principles of General Assembly resolution 3432 (XXX), in order to reach an early conclusion; 5. Requests the two Governments concerned to report to the General Assembly at its thirty-second ses- sion on such agreements as may have been reached in the negotiations referred to above; 6. Requests the Special Committee on the Situation with regard to the Implementation of the Declaration on the Granting of Independence to Colonial Countries and Peoples to continue its examination of the question. SQ Ibid., chap. XXVI. 85th plenary meeting 1 December 1976 31 Ibid., Thirty-first Session, Fourth Committee, 15th meet- ing, paras. 43-49. 32 lbid., 19th II?-~ting, paras. 12-~8, and 26th meeting, paras. 12-22; and 1b1d., Fourth Committee, Sessional Fascicle corrigendum. ' 33 Ibid., 15th meeting, paras. 51-57. 31/51. Question of the New Hebrides The General Assembly, Having considered the question of the New Hebrides, Having examined the relevant chapters of the report of the Special Committee on the Situation with regard to the Implementation of the Declaration on the Grant- ing of Independence to Colonial Countries and Peo- ples, 34 Recalling its resolution 1514 (XV) of 14 December 1960, containing the Declaration on the Granting of Independence to Colonial Countries and Peoples, and all other resolutions and decisions of the United Nations relating to the Territory, including General Assembly resolutions 3290 (XXIX) of 13 December 1974 and 3433 (XXX) of 8 December 1975, Aware that France, as an administering Power, has not participated in the discussions of the Special Com- mittee relating to the Territory, Having heard the statements of the representatives of France35 and of the United Kingdom of Great Brit- ain and Northern Ireland,36 as the administering Pow- ers, relating to developments in the New Hebrides, Noting the joint communique issued by the Govern- ments of France and the United Kingdom on 7 October 1976,37 in which the administering Powers state that it is their joint policy to promote the democratic evolu- tion of the New Hebrides in accordance with the prin- ciple of self-determination, Conscious of the need to accelerate progress towards the full implementation of the Declaration with respect to the New Hebrides, Bearing in mind the constructive results achieved as a consequence of previous visiting missions to colonial Territories and reiterating its conviction that the dis- patch of such a mission to the New Hebrides is essen- tial for securing adequate and first-hand information in regard to the conditions prevailing in the Territory and to the views, wishes and aspirations of the people therein with respect to their future status, Aware of the special circumstances of the geograph- ical location and economic conditions of the New Hebrides, and stressing the necessity of diversifying its economy as a matter of priority, 1. Approves the chapter of the report of the Special Committee on the Situation with regard to the Imple- mentation of the Declaration on the Granting of Inde- pendence to Colonial Countries and Peoples relating to the New Hebrides;38 2. Reaffirms the inalienable right of the people of the Territory to self-determination and independence in accordance with the Declaration; 3. Reaffirms its conviction that questions of terri- torial size, geographical isolation and limited resources 34 Ibid., Thirty-first Session, Supplement No. 23 (A/31/23/ Rev.I), chaps. III and XVI. . 35 lbid., Thirty-first Session, Fourth Committee, 27th meet- mg, paras. 2-6. 36 /bid., 11th meeting, paras. 1-11; and ibid., Fourth Com- mittee, Sessional Fascicle, corrigendum. 37 A/3 l /286, annex. 38 Official Records of the General Assembly, Thirty-first Ses- sion, Surplement No. 23 (A/31/23/Rev.1), chap. XVI.

UN Project. “A/RES/31/50.” UN Project, https://un-project.org/votes/resolution/A-RES-31-50/. Accessed .

Copy citation