The 'Assembly of concern'.

Before the session's suspension, the Assembly considered a record number of items (147) and adopted a record number of resolutions (330) and decisions (77).

Several questions remained to be taken up at a resumed thirty-eighth session, expected to be convened early in 1984. These included: the launching of global negotiations on international economic co- operation for development; the election of one member of the Economic and Social Council, from the Latin Group; ob- servance of the quincentenary of the discovery of America; the question of Cyprus; implementation of resolu- tions of the United Nation's; and con- sequences of the prolongation of the armed conflict between Iran and Iraq.

Discussion of equitable representa- tion on and increase in the mem- bership of the Security Council was postponed until the thirty-ninth As- sembly session, beginning in Septem- ber 1984, as was the item of East Timor.

Before the work began, representa- tives of 149 nations, against the famil- iar backdrop of the Assembly's green marble dais, reviewed their particular political concerns during the annual general debate. The themes included the widening schism between East and West and the need for nuclear arms control, as well as the need for new international economic relations and strengthened international co- operation. During the period of the general debate, 27 Heads of State and Government addressed the As- sembly (see Un Chronicle Special Supplement, "The Nations Speak", containing summaries of the general debate and statements by Heads of State and Government).

Then the Assembly's plenary and seven Main Committees plunged into its heavy agenda, debating the issues and drafting resolutions.

The policies of two Member States-Israel and South Africa- were condemned by the majority of the Assembly. Certain Western States, including the United States, were asked to terminate their collabo- ration with these two States. Pro- grammes for Palestinian refugees and for the oppressed peoples of southern Africia, in particular Namib- ians, were recommended. The As- sembly also declared invalid the re- sults of the all-white referendum in South Africa on a new constitution setting up a parliament based on racial groups.

The Assembly dealth with situations of hostility or dispute around the world-in Grenada, Central Ameri- ca, Afghanistan, Kampuchea, the *falklands/Malvinas and Mayotte.

A comprehensive study on the question of Antartica-a subject debated by the Assembly for the first time-was requested. A number of developing nations were of the view that the resources of that continent should be considered the "common heritage" of mankind. Some of the 28 States party to the 1959 Antartica Treaty, which bans military activities on the continent, felt that any revision might jepardize the Treaty. (A detailed story on the Antartica debate will appear in the Un Chronicle, 1984, No. 3.)

Long-range Goals: Also addressed were the long-range goals of nuclear disarmament and the development of international security, a new international economic order, a better life for the world's children, youth, women, aging, refugees, migrants and other special categories of persons and the general realization of human rights. The 35th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights was observed on 9 December at Headquarters.

calls were made for self-determination in a number of Non-Self-Groverning territories, mostly islands in the South Pacific, the Indian Ocean and the Carribean. The island nation of St. Christopher and Nevis became the United Nations' 158th Member in September.

Questions relating to a new world information order, outer space, the effects of atomic radiation and United Nations peace-keeping operations were also examined.

A budget of $19587 billion was approved for the biennium 1984-1985, an increase of some $118 million over the final budget appropriation for the biennium 1982-1983 of $1.469 billion.

Plans were discussed for the elaboration of global treaties, conventions and other documents on subjects ranging from nuclear disarmament to torture to the conduct of transnational corporations.

Conferences, Decades, Years: The Assembly endorsed the convening of a third special session of the Assembly on disarmament, to be held no later than 1988.

Preparations continued for global conference on population (August 1984, Mexico City), fisheries management and development (1984), the status of women (Nairobi, 1985) and peacefful uses of nuclear energy (1986).

The United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO), which is to become the sixteenth specialized agency of the United Nations system, will hold its fourth General Conference in Vienna from 2 to 18 August 1984. A third review conference for the 1968 nuclear weapons Non-Poliferation Treaty is scheduled for August/September 1985 in Geneva.

New Decades were proclaimed against racism (1983-1993) and for women (1985-1995). Further plans were made to observe International Years on youth (1985), peace (1986), shelter for the homeless (1987) and mobilization of resources for increasing food and agriculture production in Africa (1991).

The Assembly initiated planning for observance of the 40th anniversary of the United Nations in 1985 by establishing a Preparatory Committee.

Too Many Resolutions? Assembly President Jorge E. Illueca (Panama), in a closing statement to the plenary, questioned whether the effectiveness of the United Nations might be diluted and its impact reduced "by considering too many subjects and by adopting too many resolutions, rather than concentrating on the major problems and seeking real progress or practical solutions". He noted that 63 resolutions had been approved on disarmament, 20 on the Arab-Israeli conflict and 11 on apartheid.

"Perhaps we should reverse the trend of an ever-expanding agenda and begin to concentrate on the essential issues, with fewer resolutions on each and stggering of some items every other year", he said

A positive aspect of the session, he said, had been the assemblage of prominent world leaders-19 Heads of State and 8 Heads of Government-at Headquarters, due to the initiative of Indira Gandhi, Prime Minister of India, in her capacity as Chairman of the Non-Aligned Movement.

A special meeting of the world leaders was convened at the invitation of the Non-Aligned Movement on 27 and 29 September at Headquarters. The consulatations were informal and without a structed agenda. Global problems, including strengthening of the United Nations, were discussed.

In the area of disarmament and international security, the Assembly in several resolutions referred to relations between the Soviet Union and the United States and bilateral nuclear-arms negotiations. It asked for conclusion of equitable agreements to provide for a drastic reduction in existing nuclear systems "without prejudice to anybody's security" and the non-deployment of new medium-range nuclear missiles in Europe.

It urged those two Powers to proclaim an immediate nuclear arms freeze as a first step towards the comprehensive programme of disarmament-and to examine, as a way out of the present impasse, the possibility of combining into a single forum the two series of negotiations undertaken (on intermedite-range nuclear force reductions and on reduction of strategic ones) and broadenign their scope to include tactical or battlefield weapons.

The Assembly also recommended the conclusion of a number of treaties, including those to ban all nuclear weapons, the nuclear neutron weapn, chemical weapons, radiological weapons, weapons fo mass destruction and new systems of such weapons, and an arms race in outer space.

It called for continued work on comprehensive programme of disarmament; effective international arrangements to assure non-nuclear-weapon States against the use or threat of use of nuclear weapons; reduction of military budgets; a World Disarmament Conference; and a conference on implementation of the 1971 Declration of the Indian Ocean as a Zone of Peace.

New studies were requested on the naval arms race and on ways and means to stimulate adoption of unilateral nuclear disarmament measures to promote and complement bilateral and multilateral negotiations.

In expressing its concern that the Security Council "has not always been able to take decisive action" to maintain international peace the Assembly established the Ad Hoc Committee on the Implementation of the Collective Security Provisions of the Charter fro the purpose of exploring ways and means of enhacing United Nations possibilities in that area.

It asked the Security Council to expedite the conclusion of the agreements making available to the Security Council armed forces, as required by the Charter, to render operative the collective security system and thereby facilitate productive negotiations for cessation of the arms race and progress on disarmament.

On 28 October, Assembly President Illueca had appealed for an "open attitude" on the part of all those concerned with launching global negotiations, aimed at an agreement on international economic co-operation for development in the fields of raw materials, energy, trade, development and money and finance. "Once-sided approaches" and mutual recriminations which had impeded progress should be abandoned, he said.

On 20 december, he reported that after his initiative, he had received support from all parties concerned and a commitment to approach the issue in a constructive and more positive way. Bilateral and multilateral consultations had follwed, and "some optimism" seemed to be emerging on the part of the delegations participating in those talks.

The Assembly decided that informal consultations would continue after suspension of the session and that it might reconvene on short notice, perhaps by the end of March 1984, to consider any decisions or agreements that might emerge.

The Assembly reaffirmed the need to identify the real causes of shortfalls encountered in attempts to implement the International Development Strategy for the Third United Nations Development Decade (1981-1990) and to adjust the Strategy's policy measures in light of evolving needs and developments.

Government were urged to reach agreement on the follow-up to the sixth session of the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD), held in Belgrade in June/July 1983 and ensure timely implementation of its results.

A meeting of specialized agencies in1984 to formulated a special programme of economic and social assistance for Palaestinian refugees was recommended.

Work was also continued regarding codes of conduct on the transfer of techno,logy and for transnational corporations; guidelines for consumer rotection; a list of products, the consumption or sale of which had been banned, withdrawn, severely restricted or had not been approved by Governments; and bilateral agreements fro compensation developing countries affected by the implantation of mines and the presence of other remnants of war.

Nations were urge to provide the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) with resources necessary to contnue its work. The Assembly also urge developed countries, which it said took advantage of thier "predominant position in the international economy" on developing countries, and threatening or applying trade restrictions, blockades, ebargoes and other economic sanctions.

In noting the decision of the Governing Council of the United nations Environment Programme (UNEP) to prepare an Environmental Perspective to the year 2000 and beyond, the Assembly asked a special commission to propose long-term environment strategies for achieving work closedly with a UNEP inergovernmental iner-sessional preparatory committee on the Perspective.

Dr. Go Harlem Bruntland, former Prime Minister of Norway, was apoointed as Chairman of the special commission. Mansour Khalid, former Foreign Minister of Sudan, was appointed Vice-Chairman.

An appeal was made for greater participation by financial institutions in financing energy projects for developing countries, the formulation of a priority programme on transport and communication for landlocked developing countries in Africa and financing of projects to combat desertification.

A call was made for $1.35 billion in voluntary contributions to the World Food Programme and support was given to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) appeal on behalf of the 24 African countries threatened by food shortages.

The Assembly also adopted resolutions on economic problems of Africa and on aid programmes for particular countries: Benin, Bolivia, Cape Verde, Central African Republic, Chad, Comoros, Democratic Yemen, Djibouti, Ecuador, Equatorial Guniea, Ethiopia, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea-Bissau, Hondura, Kenya, Lebanon, Lesotho, Mozambique, Nicaragua, Peru, Sierra Leone, Somalia, Sudan, Uganda Vanuatu, Yemen and Zaire.

On the recommendation ofits Third Committee (Social, Humanitarian and Cultural), the Assembly proclaimed the Second Decade to Combat Racism and Racial Discrimination (1983-1993). (It approve the Programme of Action for the Decade;

Work was to continue on international conventions against torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatmernt, on the right of migrant workers; on draft declarations on the right to develoment; and on a draft body of those detained on the grounds of mental illness, jon account of their political views, or on other non-medical grounds.

Studies were to proceed on summary or arbitray executions and mass exoduses. Special reports on situations in Guatamela, El Salvador and Chile were reviewed (see UN Chronicle, 1984, No. 1). The Assembly asked for further consideration of these situations in 1984.

Preparations continued for the theird United Nations conference on the status of women, to be held in Nairobi 1985. States were also asked to tkae measure, including the passage of elgislation, to combat postitution and ex

poitation of the prostitution of others and traffic in persons.

Resolutions were also adopted on aid programmes for refgugees in Djibouti, Somalia, Sudan and southern Africa and displaced persons in Ethiopia.

The Assembly also made a number of recommendations of self-determination and further implementation of the 1960 Declaration on decolonization.

It called on the International Monetary Fund (IMF) to rescind the $1.1 billion loan it granted to South Africa in 1982 and asked that a high-level mission be dispatched to the IMF, composed of the Chairman of pthe Special Committee against Apartheid and the President of the Council for Namibia.

All military activities and arrangements which impeded the process of self-determination in colonial territores were condemned, as were the continuing activities of foreign economic and other interests impeding decolinization.

Regarding Western Sahara, it urged Morocco and the Polisario Front to undertake negotiations on a cease-fire and to create conditions for a peaceful and fair referendum for self-determination there, under the auspices of the Organization of African Unity and the United Nations.

The imminent accession by Brunei to independence was noted with satisfaction.

Other action was taken with regard to American Samoa, Guam, Bermuda, British Virgin Islands, Cayman Islands, Montserrat, Turks and Caicos Islands, United States Virgin Islands, Falkland Islands/-Malvinas Cocos (Keeling) Islands, Tocelau, Pitcarin, Gibraltar and St. Helena.

Plans for the formulation of several treatiers and other documents were advanced in the Sixth Committee (Legal), including those for an internationla convention against the recruitment, use, financing and training of mercenaries; a draft code of offences against the peace and security of mankind; a world treaty on the non-use of force in international relations; a draft declaration on social and legal principles relating to the protection and welfare of children: a draft body of principles for the protection of all persons under any form of detention or imprisonment; a model law or convention on uniform rules on contract clauses for an agreed sum due upon failure jperformance; draft articles on most-favoured-nation clauses; draft standard rules of procedure for United Ntions conferences; and a suitable document on the strenthening of good neighbourliness between States.

An analytical study on the progressive development of the principles and norms of international law relating to the new international economic order was requested.

Other Action: The plenary in December conducteds elections and made appointments.

On 19 December, the General Assembly declared the following States elected to three-years terms on the Industrial Development Board, beginning 1 January 1984: Argentina, Brazil, Democratice Yemen, France, Ghana, Hungary, India, Japan, Malawi, Netherlands, Norway, Pakistan, Romania, United Arab Emirates and United States.

On 20 December, the General assebly appointed the following jpersons as members of the Advisory Committee on Administrative and Budgetary Questions for a three-year term beginning 1 January 1984: Henrik Amneus, Ma Laongde, Andrew Robin Murray, Samuel Pinheiro Guimareas Neto, Banbit A. Roy, and Yukio Takasu.

Appointed to the International Civil Service Commission were Michel Auchere, for a term expiring 31 December 1985, and Valery Vasilyevich Tsybukov, for a term expiring 31 December 1984.