| United Nations | A/RES/47/32 |
General Assembly
Distr. GENERAL
25 November 1992
ORIGINAL:
ENGLISH
A/RES/47/32
73rd plenary meeting
25 November 1992
United Nations Decade of International Law
The General Assembly,
Recalling its resolution 44/23 of 17 November 1989 by which it declared
the period 1990-1999 the United Nations Decade of International Law,
Recalling also that the main purposes of the Decade, according to
resolution 44/23, should be, inter alia:
(a) To promote acceptance of and respect for the principles of
international law;
(b) To promote means and methods for the peaceful settlement of disputes
between States, including resort to and full respect for the International
Court of Justice;
(c) To encourage the progressive development of international law and
its codification;
(d) To encourage the teaching, study, dissemination and wider
appreciation of international law,
Recalling further its resolution 45/40 of 28 November 1990, to which was
annexed the programme for the activities to be commenced during the first term
(1990-1992) of the Decade,
Expressing its appreciation for the report of the Secretary-General,
submitted pursuant to resolution 46/53 of 9 December 1991,
Recalling that, at the forty-fifth session of the General Assembly, the
Sixth Committee established the Working Group on the United Nations Decade of
International Law with a view to preparing generally acceptable
recommendations on the programme of activities for the Decade,
Noting that, at the forty-sixth and the forty-seventh sessions of the
General Assembly, the Sixth Committee reconvened the Working Group to continue
its work in accordance with resolutions 45/40 and 46/53,
Having considered the report of the Working Group to the Sixth Committee,
1. Expresses its appreciation to the Sixth Committee for the
elaboration, within the framework of its Working Group on the United Nations
Decade of International Law, of the programme for the activities to be
commenced during the second term (1993-1994) of the United Nations Decade of
International Law, and requests the Working Group to continue its work at the
forty-eighth session of the General Assembly in accordance with its mandate
and methods of work;
2. Also expresses its appreciation to States and international
organizations and institutions that have undertaken activities in
implementation of the programme for the first term (1990-1992) of the Decade,
including sponsoring conferences on various subjects of international law;
3. Adopts the programme for the activities to be commenced during the
second term (1993-1994) of the Decade as an integral part of the present
resolution, to which it is annexed;
4. Invites all States and international organizations and institutions
referred to in the programme to undertake the relevant activities outlined
therein and, as appropriate, to submit to the Secretary-General interim or
final reports for transmission to the General Assembly at its forty-eighth
session or, at the latest, its forty-ninth session;
5. Requests the Secretary-General to submit, on the basis of such
information, a report to the General Assembly at its forty-eighth session on
the implementation of the programme;
6. Also requests the Secretary-General to supplement his report, as
appropriate, with new information on the activities of the United Nations
relevant to the progressive development of international law and its
codification and to submit it to the General Assembly on an annual basis;
7. Further requests the Secretary-General to submit to the General
Assembly at its forty-eighth session a report containing the plan referred to
in section V, paragraph 3, of the programme for the second term of the Decade;
8. Encourages States to disseminate at the national level, as
appropriate, information contained in the report of the Secretary-General;
9. Appeals to States, international organizations and non-governmental
organizations working in the field of international law and to the private
sector to make financial contributions or contributions in kind for the
purpose of facilitating the implementation of the programme;
10. Requests the Secretary-General to bring to the attention of States
and international organizations and institutions working in the field of
international law the programme annexed to the present resolution;
11. Decides to include in the provisional agenda of its forty-eighth
session the item entitled "United Nations Decade of International Law".
ANNEX
Programme for the activities to be commenced during the second term
(1993-1994) of the United Nations Decade of International Law
I. PROMOTION OF THE ACCEPTANCE OF AND RESPECT FOR THE
PRINCIPLES OF INTERNATIONAL LAW
1. The General Assembly, bearing in mind that maintenance of
international peace and security is the underlying condition for the success
of the implementation of the programme for the United Nations Decade of
International Law, calls upon States to act in accordance with international
law, and particularly the Charter of the United Nations, and encourages States
and international organizations to promote the acceptance of and respect for
the principles of international law.
2. States are invited to consider, if they have not yet done so,
becoming parties to existing multilateral treaties, in particular those
relevant to the progressive development of international law and its
codification. International organizations under whose auspices such treaties
are concluded are invited to indicate whether they publish periodic reports on
the status of ratifications of and accessions to multilateral treaties and, if
they do not, to indicate whether in their view such a process would be useful.
Consideration should be given to the question of treaties which have not
achieved wider participation or entered into force after a considerable lapse
of time and the circumstances causing the situation.
3. States and international organizations are encouraged to provide
assistance and technical advice to States, in particular to developing
countries, to facilitate their participation in the process of multilateral
treaty-making, including their adherence to and implementation of multilateral
treaties, in accordance with their national legal systems.
4. States are encouraged to report to the Secretary-General on ways and
means provided for by the multilateral treaties to which they are parties,
regarding the implementation of such treaties. International organizations
are similarly encouraged to report to the Secretary-General on ways and means
provided for by the multilateral treaties concluded under their auspices,
regarding the implementation of such treaties. The Secretary-General is
requested to prepare a report on the basis of this information and to submit
it to the General Assembly.
II. PROMOTION OF MEANS AND METHODS FOR THE PEACEFUL
SETTLEMENT OF DISPUTES BETWEEN STATES, INCLUDING RESORT
TO AND FULL RESPECT FOR THE INTERNATIONAL COURT OF JUSTICE
1. States, the United Nations system of organizations and regional
organizations, including the Asian-African Legal Consultative Committee, as
well as the International Law Association, the Institute of International Law,
the Hispano-Luso-American Institute of International Law and other
international institutions working in the field of international law, and
national societies of international law, are invited to study the means and
methods for the peaceful settlement of disputes between States, including
resort to and full respect for the International Court of Justice, and to
present suggestions for the promotion thereof to the Sixth Committee.
2. Taking into account the suggestions mentioned in paragraph 1 of the
present section and with due regard to the recommendations contained in the
report of the Secretary-General entitled "An Agenda for Peace", the Sixth
Committee should consider, where appropriate, on the basis of a report of the
Special Committee on the Charter of the United Nations and on the
Strengthening of the Role of the Organization, or of the Working Group on the
United Nations Decade of International Law, the following questions:
(a) Strengthening the use of means and methods for the peaceful
settlement of disputes, with particular attention to the role to be played by
the United Nations, as well as methods for early identification and prevention
of disputes and their containment;
(b) Procedures for the peaceful settlement of disputes arising in
specific areas of international law;
(c) Ways and means of encouraging greater recognition of the role of the
International Court of Justice and its wider use in the peaceful settlement of
disputes;
(d) Enhancement of cooperation of regional organizations with the United
Nations system of organizations in respect of the peaceful settlement of
disputes;
(e) Wider use of the Permanent Court of Arbitration.
III. ENCOURAGEMENT OF THE PROGRESSIVE DEVELOPMENT
OF INTERNATIONAL LAW AND ITS CODIFICATION
1. International organizations, including the United Nations system of
organizations and regional organizations, are invited to submit to the
Secretary-General of the United Nations summary information regarding the
programme and results of their work relevant to the progressive development of
international law and its codification, including their suggestions for future
work in their specialized field, with an indication of the appropriate forum
to undertake such work. Similarly, the Secretary-General is requested to
prepare a report on the relevant activities of the United Nations, including
those of the International Law Commission. Such information should be
presented in a report by the Secretary-General to the Sixth Committee.
2. On the basis of the information mentioned in paragraph 1 of the
present section, States are invited to submit suggestions for consideration by
the Sixth Committee and, as appropriate, recommendations. In particular,
efforts should be made to identify areas of international law which might be
ripe for progressive development or codification.
3. The Sixth Committee should study, taking into account General
Assembly resolution 684 (VII) of 6 November 1952, its coordinating role with
respect to, inter alia, the drafting of provisions of a legal nature and the
consistent use of legal terminology in international instruments adopted by
the General Assembly. States are invited to present proposals in this regard
to the Sixth Committee.
4. The Special Committee on the Charter of the United Nations and on
the Strengthening of the Role of the Organization should continue to study
possible measures to strengthen the United Nations system for the maintenance
of international peace and security. In that context, the Special Committee
should take note of the report of the Secretary-General entitled "An Agenda
for Peace" in the light of the debate within the United Nations, particularly
within the General Assembly.
IV. ENCOURAGEMENT OF THE TEACHING, STUDY, DISSEMINATION
AND WIDER APPRECIATION OF INTERNATIONAL LAW
1. The Advisory Committee on the United Nations Programme of Assistance
in the Teaching, Study, Dissemination and Wider Appreciation of International
Law should, in the context of the Decade, continue to formulate, as
appropriate and in a timely manner, relevant guidelines for the Programme's
activities and report to the Sixth Committee on the activities carried out
under the Programme in accordance with such guidelines. Special emphasis
should be given to supporting academic and professional institutions already
carrying out research and education in international law, as well as to
encouraging the establishment of such institutions where they might not exist,
particularly in the developing countries. States and other public or private
bodies are encouraged to contribute to the strengthening of the Programme.
2. States should encourage their educational institutions to introduce
courses in international law for students studying law, political science,
social sciences and other relevant disciplines; they should study the
possibility of introducing topics of international law in the curricula of
schools at the primary and secondary levels. Cooperation between institutions
at the university level among developing countries, on the one hand, and their
cooperation with those of developed countries on the other, should be
encouraged.
3. States should consider convening conferences of experts at the
national and regional levels in order to study the question of preparing model
curricula and materials for courses in international law, training of teachers
in international law, preparation of textbooks on international law and the
use of modern technology to facilitate the teaching of and research in
international law.
4. States, the United Nations system of organizations and regional
organizations should consider organizing seminars, symposia, training courses,
lectures and meetings and undertaking studies on various aspects of
international law.
5. States are encouraged to organize special training in international
law for legal professionals, including judges, and personnel of ministries of
foreign affairs and other relevant ministries as well as military personnel.
The United Nations Institute for Training and Research, the United Nations
Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, the Hague Academy of
International Law, regional organizations and the International Committee of
the Red Cross are invited to continue cooperating in this respect with States.
6. Cooperation among developing countries, as well as between developed
and developing countries, in particular among those persons who are involved
in the practice of international law, for exchanging experience and for mutual
assistance in the field of international law, including assistance in
providing textbooks and manuals of international law, is encouraged.
7. In order to make better known the practice of international law,
States and international and regional organizations should endeavour to
publish, if they have not done so, summaries, repertories or yearbooks of
their practice.
8. States and international organizations should encourage the
publication of important international legal instruments and studies by highly
qualified publicists, bearing in mind the possibility of assistance from
private sources.
9. Other international courts and tribunals, including the European
Court of Human Rights and the Inter-American Court of Human Rights, are
invited to disseminate more widely their judgements and advisory opinions, and
to consider preparing thematic or analytical summaries thereof.
10. International organizations are requested to publish treaties
concluded under their auspices, if they have not yet done so. Timely
publication of the United Nations Treaty Series is encouraged and efforts
directed towards adopting an electronic form of publication should be
continued. Timely publication of the United Nations Juridical Yearbook is
also encouraged.
V. PROCEDURES AND ORGANIZATIONAL ASPECTS
1. The Sixth Committee, working primarily through its Working Group on
the United Nations Decade of International Law and with the assistance of the
Secretariat, will be the coordinating body of the programme for the Decade.
The question of the use of an intra-sessional, inter-sessional or existing
body to carry out specific activities of the programme may be considered by
the General Assembly.
2. The Sixth Committee is requested to continue to prepare the
programme of activities for the Decade.
3. The Secretariat, on the basis of informal consultations with the
members of the Sixth Committee, should draw up a preliminary operational plan
for a possible United Nations congress on public international law, based on
the proposal that the congress should be held in 1994 or 1995, and within
existing resources and assisted by voluntary contributions, and submit it to
the Sixth Committee for consideration by general agreement at the forty-eighth
session of the General Assembly.
4. All organizations and institutions referred to and invited to submit
reports to the Secretary-General under sections I to IV above are requested to
submit interim or final reports preferably at the forty-eighth session but not
later than the forty-ninth session of the General Assembly.
5. States are encouraged to establish, as necessary, national,
subregional and regional committees which may assist in the implementation of
the programme for the Decade. Non-governmental organizations are encouraged
to promote the purposes of the Decade within the fields of their activities,
as appropriate.
6. It is recognized that, within the existing overall level of
appropriations, adequate financing for the implementation of the programme for
the Decade is necessary and should be provided. Voluntary contributions from
Governments, international organizations and other sources, including the
private sector, would be useful and are strongly encouraged. To this end, the
establishment of a trust fund to be administered by the Secretary-General
might be considered by the General Assembly.