16 November 1982

Co-operation between the United Nations and the League of Arab States

The General Assembly,

Having considered the report of the Secretary-General on co-operation between the United Nations and the League of Arab States,

Recalling the pertinent Articles of the Charter of the United Nations which encourage activities through regional arrangements for the promotion of the purposes and principles of the United Nations,

Noting with satisfaction the co-operation that has developed for more than thirty years between the United Nations and the League of Arab States and the effective participation of the League in the work of the United Nations,

Noting with appreciation the desire of the League of Arab States to consolidate and develop the existing ties with the United Nations in all areas relating to the maintenance of international peace and security, and to co-operate in every possible way with the United Nations in the implementation of United Nations resolutions relating to the question of Palestine and the situation in the Middle East,

Noting also with appreciation the commitment of the League of Arab States to the eradication of apartheid and all other forms of racial discrimination, to the elimination of colonization and to the promotion of the right of self-determination and the safeguarding of human rights and fundamental freedoms for all,

Recalling its resolution 36/24 of 9 November 1981 in which, inter alia, it recognized the importance of continued close association by the United Nations and the specialized agencies, where appropriate, with the efforts of the League of Arab States in order to promote social and economic development and to advance intra-Arab as well as international co-operation in that vital field,

Noting also the signing of co-operation agreements between the organizations of the United Nations system and the League of Arab States and a number of its specialized organizations,

Convinced of the need to strengthen further the co-operation between the organizations of the United Nations system and the League of Arab States and its specialized organizations,

1. Takes note with satisfaction of the report of the Secretary-General;

2. Expresses its appreciation to the Secretary-General for the initiatives he has taken and the efforts he has made to strengthen and expand co-operation between the United Nations and the League of Arab States;

3. Commends the League of Arab States for its efforts and the co-operation it has extended to the United Nations in furtherance of the purposes and principles of the Charter of the United Nations and for its increased collaboration with various components of the United Nations system in the political, economic, cultural and humanitarian fields;

4. Also expresses its appreciation to the specialized agencies for their efforts to maintain and increase co-operation with the specialized organizations of the League of Arab States;

5. Takes note with satisfaction of the suggestions by the organizations of the United Nations system and the League of Arab States, contained in the report of the Secretary-General, for strengthening and expanding co-operation between the United Nations system and the League of Arab States;

6. Recommends that those suggestions should be given careful consideration by the competent organizations of the United Nations system and should form the basis for new and expanded areas of co-operation between the United Nations and the League of Arab States;

7. Also recommends that the Secretary-General, in consultation with the Secretary-General of the League of Arab States, should determine which suggestions could be dealt with more appropriately at the bilateral level and which suggestions could be dealt with more appropriately at the multilateral level and arrange for them to be considered accordingly;

8. Endorses the proposal that a Meeting be held between

representatives of organizations of the United Nations system and representatives of the General Secretariat of the League of Arab States and its specialized organizations;

9. Welcomes the invitation by the League of Arab States that the Meeting be held at the present headquarters of the League at Tunis and requests the Secretary-General to provide whatever assistance will be necessary to ensure the successful organization of the Meeting;

10. Requests the Secretary-General, in consultation with the League of Arab States, to ensure that the Meeting referred to in paragraph 9 above is held not later than 30 June 1983;

11. Further requests the Secretary-General to submit to the General Assembly at its thirty-eighth session a report on the state of co-operation between the United Nations and the League of Arab States;

12. Decides to include in the provisional agenda of its thirty-eighth session the item entitled "Co-operation between the United Nations and the League of Arab States".