24 November 1981

70th 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 35/19 of 11 November 1980 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,

Having heard the statements made on the question of Western Sahara, in particular the statements of the representative of the Frente Popular para la Liberacion de Saguia el-Hamra y de Rio de Oro,

Recalling its resolution 35/117 of 10 December 1980 on co-operation between the United Nations and the Organization of African Unity,

Taking note of the decision of the Assembly of Heads of State and Government of the Organization of African Unity at its eighteenth ordinary session, held at Nairobi from 24 to 27 June 1981, to organize throughout the Territory of Western Sahara a general and free referendum of the people of Western Sahara on self-determination,

Taking note of the decision adopted by the Implementation Committee on Western Sahara of the Organization of African Unity at its first ordinary session, held at Nairobi from 24 to 26 August 1981, concerning the establishment of appropriate machinery to enable the people of Western Sahara to express themselves freely and democratically on their future,

1. Reaffirms the inalienable right of the people of Western Sahara to self-determination and independence in accordance with the Charter of the United Nations, the Charter of the Organization of African Unity and the objectives of General Assembly resolution 1514 (XV), as well as the relevant resolutions of the General Assembly and the Organization of African Unity;

2. Welcomes the efforts made by the Organization of African Unity and its Implementation Committee on Western Sahara with a view to promoting a just and definitive solution to the question of Western Sahara;

3. Takes notes of the decision of the Assembly of Heads of State and Government of the Organization of African Unity at its eighteenth ordinary session to organize throughout the Territory of Western Sahara a general and free referendum of the people of Western Sahara on self-determination;

4. Welcomes the steps taken by the Implementation Committee with a view to organizing and conducting the referendum;

5. Appeals to the two parties to the conflict, Morocco and the Frente Popular para la Liberacion de Sanguia el-Hamra y de Rio de Oro, to observe a cease-fire in accordance with the decisions of the Organization of African Unity and its Implementation Committee;

6. Urges, to that end, Morocco and the Frente Popular para la Liberacion de Sanguia el-Hamra y de Rio de Oro to enter into negotiations with a view to establishing an immediate cease-fire and concluding a peace agreement permitting the fair conduct of a general, free and regular referendum on self-determination in Western Sahara;

7. Reaffirms the determination of the United Nations to co-operate fully with the Organization of African Unity in the fair and impartial organization of the referendum;

8. Requests, to that end, the Secretary-General to take the necessary steps to ensure that the United Nations participates in the organization and conduct of the referendum, and to report to the General Assembly and the Security Council on this subject, and on the measures requiring a decision by the Council;

9. Urgently requests the Secretary-General to co-operate closely with the Secretary-General of the Organization of African Unity with a view to the implementation of the decisions of the Assembly of Heads of State and Government of the Organization of African Unity and of its Implementation Committee, and of the present resolution;

10. 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 thirty-seventh session.