9 December 1981

Third United Nations Conference on the Law of the Sea

The General Assembly,

Recalling its resolutions 3067 (XXVIII) of 16 November 1973, 3334 (XXIX) of 17 December 1974, 3483 (XXX) of 12 December 1975, 31/63 of 10 December 1976, 32/194 of 20 December 1977, 33/17 of 10 November 1978, 34/20 of 9 November 1979 and 35/116 of 10 December 1980,

Taking note of the letter dated 4 November 1981 from the President of the Third United Nations Conference on the Law of the Sea to the President of the General Assembly, informing the latter of the decisions adopted by the Conference regarding the holding of its eleventh session from 8 March to 30 April 1982, the possibility of extending the formal work of the Conference beyond that date, should the formal decision-making stage have started, the meeting of the Drafting Committee of the Conference from 18 January to 26 February 1982, the provision of facilities for the Group of Seventy-seven to meet prior to the eleventh session, from 3 to 5 March 1982, and the arrangements for the signature of the Final Act and the opening of the Convention for signature,

Taking note also of the report of the Secretary-General regarding the establishment of a memorial fellowship in the field of the law of the sea, in recognition of the unique contribution made by the late President of the Conference, Hamilton Shirley Amerasinghe, to the work of the Conference.

Taking note further of the decision of the Conference requesting the Secretary-General to continue the study on the future functions of the Secretary-General under the draft Convention and on the needs of countries, especially developing countries, for information, advice and assistance under the new legal regime,

1. Approves the convening of the eleventh, final decision-making session of the Third United Nations Conference on the Law of the Sea in New York for the period from 8 March to 30 April 1982;

2. Authorizes the Conference to extend its work beyond 30 April 1982, in consultation with the Secretary-General, exclusively for the purpose of completing its work, should the formal stage of adoption of the Convention, of the text of the draft resolution on the establishment of the Preparatory Commission, of the Final Act and of other pertinent decisions have started, and more time be needed to finish the decision-making process;

3. Approves also the convening of the Drafting Committee of the Conference in New York from 18 January to 26 February 1982;

4. Recommends that the Secretary-General should provide the necessary facilities for informal consultations to delegations participating in the Conference, in particular to the members of the Group of Seventy-seven;

5. Requests the Secretary-General to consult the Government of Venezuela in order to arrange for the signature of the Final Act and the opening of the Convention for signature at Caracas in early September 1982;

6. Invites the Governments of States participating in the Conference, as well as universities, philanthropic foundations and other interested national and international institutions and organizations, to contribute to the endowment of the Hamilton Shirley Amerasinghe Fellowship on the Law of the Sea in the form recommended by the Secretary-General in his report.