General Assembly

Distr. GENERAL  

2 December 1985

ORIGINAL:
ENGLISH

                                                       A/RES/40/50
                                                       2 December 1985
                                                       99th plenary meeting
                          Question of Western Sahara
 
     The General Assembly,
 
     Having considered in depth the question of Western Sahara,
 
     Recalling the inalienable right of all peoples to self-determination and
independence, in accordance with the principles set forth in the Charter of
the United Nations and in General Assembly resolution 1514 (XV) of
14 December 1960 containing the Declaration on the Granting of Independence to
Colonial Countries and Peoples,
 
     Recalling its resolution 39/40 of 5 December 1984 on the question of
Western Sahara,
 
     Having considered the relevant 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, 
 
     Taking note of the report of the Secretary-General on the question of
Western Sahara,
 
     Recalling resolution AHG/Res.104 (XIX) on Western Sahara, adopted by
theAssembly of Heads of State and Government of the Organization of African
Unity at its nineteenth ordinary session, held at Addis Ababa from 6 to
12 June 1983,
 
     1.   Reaffirms that the question of Western Sahara is a question of
decolonization which remains to be completed on the basis of the exercise by
the people of Western Sahara of their inalienable right to self-determination
and independence;
 
     2.   Reaffirms also that the solution of the question of Western Sahara
lies in the implementation of resolution AHG/Res.104 (XIX) of the Assembly of
Heads of State and Government of the Organization of African Unity, which
establishes ways and means for a just and definitive political solution to the
Western Sahara conflict;
 
     3.   Again requests, to that end, the two parties to the conflict, the
Kingdom of Morocco and the Frente Popular para la Liberacion de Saguia
el-Hamra y de Rio de Oro, to undertake direct negotiations, in the shortest
possible time, with a view to bringing about a cease-fire to create the
necessary conditions for a peaceful and fair referendum for self-determination
of the people of Western Sahara, a referendum without any administrative or
military constraints, under the auspices of the Organization of African Unity
and the United Nations;
 
     4.   Welcomes the efforts of the current Chairman of the Organization of
African Unity and the Secretary-General of the United Nations to promote a
just and definitive solution of the question of Western Sahara;
 
     5.   Invites the current Chairman of the Organization of African Unity
and the Secretary-General of the United Nations to exert every effort to
persuade the two parties to the conflict, the Kingdom of Morocco and the
Frente POLISARIO, to negotiate, in the shortest possible time and in
conformity with resolution AHG/Res.104 (XIX) of the Organization of African
Unity and the present resolution, the terms of a cease-fire and the modalities
for organizing the said referendum;
 
     6.   Reaffirms the determination of the United Nations to co-operate
fully with the Organization of African Unity with a view to implementing the
relevant decisions of that organization, in particular resolution
AHG/Res.104 (XIX);
 
     7.   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 to consider the situation in Western Sahara
as a matter of priority and to report thereon to the General Assembly at its
forty-first session;
 
     8.   Invites the Secretary-General of the Organization of African Unity
to keep the Secretary-General of the United Nations informed of the progress
achieved in the implementation of the decisions of the Organization of African
Unity relating to Western Sahara;
 
     9.   Invites the Secretary-General to follow the situation in Western
Sahara closely with a view to the implementation of the present resolution and
to report thereon to the General Assembly at its forty-first session.