General Assembly

Distr. GENERAL  

7 December 1983

ORIGINAL:
ENGLISH

                                                   A/RES/38/43
                                                   7 December 1983
                                                   Meeting no. 86
 
                         Question of Bermuda
 
     The General Assembly,
 
     Having considered the question of Bermuda,
 
     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 Granting of Independence to Colonial Countries and
Peoples, 
 
     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
Bermuda, 
 
     Taking into account the statement of the representative of the
administering Power relating to the Territory, in which he said that his
Government would fully respect the wishes of the people of Bermuda in
determining the future constitutional status of the Territory,
 
     Conscious of the need to ensure the full and speedy implementation of the
Declaration in respect of the Territory,
 
     Noting with appreciation the continued active participation of the
administering Power in the work of the Special Committee in regard to Bermuda,
which contributes to informed consideration of conditions in the Territory,
with a view to accelerating the process of decolonization for the purpose of
the full implementation of the Declaration,
 
     Recalling all relevant resolutions of the United Nations relating to
military bases and installations in colonial and Non-Self-Governing
Territories,
 
     Noting that the economy of the Territory continues to be based on revenue
generated from tourism and the registration of foreign companies, which
creates a heavy dependence on those activities,
 
     Aware of the special circumstances of the geographical location and
economic conditions of the Territory and bearing in mind the necessity of
diversifying and strengthening further its economy as a matter of priority in
order to promote economic stability,
 
     Mindful that United Nations visiting missions provide an effective means
of ascertaining the situation in the small Territories,
 
     1.   Approves 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 relating to Bermuda;
 
     2.   Reaffirms the inalienable right of the people of Bermuda to
self-determination and independence in conformity with the Declaration on the
Granting of Independence to Colonial Countries and Peoples, contained in
General Assembly resolution 1514 (XV);
 
     3.   Reiterates the view that such factors as territorial size,
geographical location, size of population and limited natural resources should
in no way delay the speedy exercise by the people of the Territory of their
inalienable right to self-determination and independence in conformity with
the Declaration contained in General Assembly resolution 1514 (XV), which
fully applies to Bermuda;
 
     4.   Urges the administering Power, taking into account the freely
expressed will and desire of the people of Bermuda, to continue to take all
necessary steps to ensure the full and speedy implementation of General
Assembly resolution 1514 (XV);
 
     5.   Reiterates that it is the obligation of the administering Power to
create such conditions in the Territory as will enable the people of Bermuda
to exercise freely and without interference their inalienable right to
self-determination and independence in accordance with General Assembly
resolution 1514 (XV) and, in that connection, reaffirms the importance of
fostering an awareness among the people of Bermuda of the possibilities open
to them in the exercise of that right;
 
     6.   Reaffirms that, in accordance with the relevant provisions of the
Charter of the United Nations and the Declaration contained in General
Assembly resolution 1514 (XV), it is ultimately for the people of Bermuda
themselves to decide on their future political status;
 
     7.   Notes that general elections were held in the Territory in
February 1983 and takes note with interest that the Government of the
Territory has expressed its intention to revive discussion of the 1979 White
Paper on Independence and to promote public debate on Bermuda's future status;
 
     8.   Reaffirms the importance of the need to foster national unity and a
national identity and takes note of the steps taken by the local authorities
in that regard, such as the establishment of an institution with a view to
preventing discrimination among the people of the Territory on racial,
religious, social or political grounds;
 
     9.   Reaffirms its strong conviction that the administering Power must
ensure that military bases and installations do not hinder the population of
the Territory from exercising its right to self-determination and independence
in conformity with the purposes and principles of the Charter and urges the
administering Power to take all necessary measures to comply fully with the
relevant resolutions of the United Nations relating to military bases and
installations in colonial and Non-Self-Governing Territories;
 
     10.  Urges once again the administering Power, in co-operation with the
territorial Government, to continue to take all effective measures to
guarantee the right of the people of Bermuda to own and dispose of their
natural resources and to establish and maintain control of their future
development;
 
     11.  Strongly urges the administering Power, in consultation with the
Government of Bermuda, to make every effort to diversify the economy of
Bermuda, including increased efforts to promote agriculture and fisheries and
the manufacturing sector for the benefit of the people of the Territory;
 
     12.  Welcomes the role being played in the Territory by the United
Nations Development Programme in providing assistance in the fields of
agriculture, forestry and fisheries and urges the specialized agencies and all
other organizations of the United Nations system to continue to pay special
attention to the development needs of Bermuda;
 
     13.  Reiterates its call upon the administering Power, in co-operation
with the local authorities, to continue to expedite the process of
"bermudianization" in the Territory and, in that connection, urges that
particular attention be paid to greater localization of the public service;
 
     14.  Calls upon the Government of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and
Northern Ireland to receive a visiting mission in the Territory at an
appropriate time;
 
     15.  Requests the Special Committee to continue the examination of this
question at its next session, including the possible dispatch of a visiting
mission to Bermuda at an appropriate time and in consultation with the
administering Power, and to report thereon to the General Assembly at its
thirty-ninth session.