A record number of consensus resolutions.

Elaboration of a draft statute for an international criminal court should be undertaken by the International Law Commission "as a matter of priority as from its next session", stated the General Assembly on 25 November, acting on one of 13 texts recommended by its Sixth Committee Legal).

In adopting resolution 47/33 without a vote, the Commission was asked to present a progress report on the subject to the Assembly at its forty-eighth session.

In other action, the world body approved (47/32) the programme for the second term (1993-1994) of the UN Decade of International Law (1990-1999), and suggested holding a UN congress on public international law in 1994 or 1995. The Secretariat was asked to prepare a preliminary operational plan for such a congress.

Enhancement of cooperation between the UN and regional organizations in the maintenance of international peace and security, the question of assistance to third States affected by the application of sanctions under Chapter VII of the UN Charter, and a proposal on UN rules for the conciliation of disputes between States were among the topics cited for review in 1993 by the Special Committee on the Charter of the United Nations and the Strengthening of the Role of the Organization (47/38).

The question of authorization for the Secretary-General to request advisory opinions from the international Court of justice (ICJ), due to its more controversial nature, was not expressly mentioned in the resolution, but included under "other specific proposals relating to the question of the peaceful settlement of disputes between States under consideration in the Special Committee".

Law and environment

In resolution 47/37, all States were urged to comply with international law as it related to the environment during war, become party to relevant international conventions and incorporate appropriate provisions into their military manuals. The Assembly also expressed deep concern over illegal damage to natural resources, including the destruction of hundreds of oil-well heads and the release of crude oil into the sea during recent conflicts.

Acts of violence against diplomatic and consular missions and representatives, as well as personnel and officials of international intergovernmental organizations, were strongly condemned in resolution 47/31 by the Assembly, stressing that could never be justified.

In resolution 47/29, adopted by recorded vote, the Assembly urged States to accord delegations of national liberation movements, recognized by the Organization of African Unity and/or by the League of Arab States, facilities, privileges and immunities necessary for the performance of their functions.

In other texts, the Assembly called on States to become parties to the Protocols Additional to the Geneva Conventions of 1949 and relating to the Protection of Victims of Armed Conflicts (4 7130); and expressed hope that the host country would continue to take all measures necessary to prevent any interference with the functioning of missions accredited to the UN (47/35).

The Asssembly urged States, in applying the Vienna Convention on Consular Relations, to accord full facilities to consular offices in the performance of their functions (47/36).

Decisions were also taken on the following subjects: a convention on jurisdictional immunities of States and their property; consideration of the draft articles on the status of the diplomatic courier and the diplomatic bag not accompanied by diplomatic courier and of the draft optional protocols thereto; and a request for an advisory opinion from the ICJ on a matter relating to the extraterritorial exercise of domestic jurisdiction and to international judicial cooperation.

In a closing statement, Committee Chairman Javad Zarif of Iran said that the Committee this year had approved a record number of draft resolutions by consensus. He added that the willingness of delegations to bridge differences of opinion was "one of the most positive features of modern multilateral diplomacy as practised by the United Nations".