Sixty-second session Agenda item 69 Right of peoples to self-determination Report of the Third Committee Rapporteur: Ms. Tebatso Future Baleseng (Botswana) I. Introduction 1. At its 3rd plenary meeting, on 21 September 2007, the General Assembly, on the recommendation of the General Committee, decided to include in the agenda of its sixty-second session the item entitled “Right of peoples to self-determination” and to allocate it to the Third Committee. 2. The Third Committee held a general discussion on the agenda item jointly with item 68, entitled “Elimination of racism and racial discrimination”, at its 37th to 39th meetings, on 7 and 8 November 2007 and considered proposals and took action on the item at its 42nd, 46th, 47th, 48th, 49th and 51st meetings, on 9, 15, 16, 19, 20 and 21 November. An account of the Committee’s discussion is contained in the relevant summary records (A/C.3/62/SR.37-39, 42, 46-49 and 51). 3. For its consideration of the item, the Committee had before it the following documents: (a) Report of the Secretary-General on the universal realization of the right of peoples to self-determination (A/62/184); (b) Note by the Secretary-General transmitting the report of the Working Group on the use of mercenaries as a means of violating human rights and impeding the exercise of the right of peoples to self-determination (A/62/301). 4. At the 37th meeting, on 7 November, the representative of the New York Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights made an introductory statement (see A/C.3/62/SR.37). 5. At the same meeting, the Chairperson of the Working Group on the use of mercenaries as a means of violating human rights and impeding the exercise of the right of peoples to self-determination made a presentation and engaged in a dialogue with the representatives of Panama, Ecuador, Venezuela (Bolivarian Republic of), the United States of America, Peru, the Russian Federation, Chile, the Libyan Arab Jamahiriya, Cuba and Honduras (see A/C.3/62/SR.37). II. Consideration of proposals A. Draft resolution A/C.3/62/L.56 6. At the 42nd meeting, on 9 November, the representative of Pakistan, on behalf of Algeria, Angola, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Brunei Darussalam, Cameroon, China, Egypt, Eritrea, Iran (Islamic Republic of), Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, the Libyan Arab Jamahiriya, Malaysia, the Niger, Nigeria, Oman, Pakistan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, South Africa and the United Arab Emirates, introduced a draft resolution entitled “Universal realization of the right of peoples to self-determination” (A/C.3/62/L.56). Subsequently, Benin, Burkina Faso, Chad, the Comoros, the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Guinea, Liberia, Mali, Mauritania, Saint Lucia, Somalia, Thailand and Tunisia joined in sponsoring the draft resolution. 7. At its 47th meeting, on 16 November, the Committee was advised that the draft resolution had no programme budget implications. 8. At the same meeting, the Committee adopted draft resolution A/C.3/62/L.56 without a vote (see para. 23, draft resolution I). 9. After the adoption of the draft resolution, statements were made by the representatives of Venezuela (Bolivarian Republic of), Argentina, Portugal (on behalf of the States Members of the United Nations that are members of the European Union and associated countries) and Liechtenstein (see A/C.3/62/SR.47). B. Draft resolution A/C.3/62/L.62 10. At the 46th meeting, on 15 November, the representative of Cuba, on behalf of Angola, Botswana, China, the Comoros, Cuba, the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, the Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, Eritrea, Honduras, Iran (Islamic Republic of), the Lao People’s Democratic Republic, Liberia, Myanmar, Nicaragua, Peru, South Africa, Sri Lanka, the Sudan, the Syrian Arab Republic, Venezuela (Bolivarian Republic of), Viet Nam and Zimbabwe, introduced a draft resolution entitled “Use of mercenaries as a means of violating human rights and impeding the exercise of the right of peoples to self-determination” (A/C.3/62/L.62). Subsequently, Algeria, Benin, Bolivia, the Gambia, the Libyan Arab Jamahiriya and the Russian Federation joined in sponsoring the draft resolution. 11. At the 51st meeting, on 21 November, the Secretary of the Committee read out a statement regarding the programme budget implications of the draft resolution (see A/C.3/62/SR.51). 12. At the same meeting, the representative of Cuba orally revised draft resolution A/C.3/62/L.62 as follows: (a) The sixth preambular paragraph, which read: “Concerned at the low level of ratification of and accession to the International Convention against the Recruitment, Use, Financing and Training of Mercenaries, and considering the possible future use of a model law to facilitate the accession of the States that wish to become parties to the Convention”, was deleted; (b) In the ninth (formerly the tenth) preambular paragraph, the word “noting” was inserted before the words “the fact that”; (c) In operative paragraph 15, the words “in Panama” were inserted after the words “for convening”. 13. Subsequently, Belarus, Costa Rica, Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya, Lesotho, Madagascar, Malawi, Namibia, Nigeria, Pakistan, Panama, Sierra Leone, Swaziland, Togo, the United Republic of Tanzania and Zambia joined in sponsoring the draft resolution, as orally revised. 14. Also at its 51st meeting, the Committee adopted draft resolution A/C.3/62/L.62, as orally revised, by a recorded vote of 122 to 51, with 6 abstentions (see para. 23, draft resolution II). The voting was as follows: In favour: Afghanistan, Algeria, Angola, Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bahamas, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belarus, Belize, Benin, Bhutan, Bolivia, Botswana, Brazil, Brunei Darussalam, Burkina Faso, Cambodia, Cameroon, Cape Verde, China, Colombia, Comoros, Congo, Costa Rica, Côte d’Ivoire, Cuba, Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Djibouti, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Gambia, Ghana, Grenada, Guatemala, Guinea, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, India, Indonesia, Iran (Islamic Republic of), Iraq, Jamaica, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Lao People’s Democratic Republic, Lebanon, Lesotho, Liberia, Libyan Arab Jamahiriya, Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia, Maldives, Mali, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mexico, Mongolia, Morocco, Mozambique, Myanmar, Namibia, Nepal, Nicaragua, Niger, Nigeria, Oman, Pakistan, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Qatar, Russian Federation, Rwanda, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Samoa, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Singapore, Solomon Islands, South Africa, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Suriname, Swaziland, Syrian Arab Republic, Tajikistan, Thailand, Timor-Leste, Togo, Trinidad and Tobago, Turkmenistan, Uganda, United Arab Emirates, United Republic of Tanzania, Uruguay, Uzbekistan, Vanuatu, Venezuela (Bolivarian Republic of), Viet Nam, Yemen, Zambia, Zimbabwe. Against: Albania, Andorra, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Canada, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Georgia, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Marshall Islands, Micronesia (Federated States of), Moldova, Monaco, Montenegro, Netherlands, Norway, Palau, Poland, Portugal, Republic of Korea, Romania, San Marino, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Turkey, Ukraine, United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, United States of America. Abstaining: Chile, Fiji, Liechtenstein, New Zealand, Switzerland, Tunisia. 15. Before the vote, a statement was made by the representative of Portugal (on behalf of the States Members of the United Nations that are members of the European Union); after the vote, statements were made by the representatives of Argentina and Chile (see A/C.3/62/SR.51). C. Draft resolution A/C.3/62/L.63 16. At the 48th meeting, on 19 November, the representative of Egypt, on behalf of Afghanistan, Albania, Algeria, Angola, Armenia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belarus, Belgium, Belize, Benin, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Botswana, Brazil, Brunei Darussalam, Bulgaria, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cape Verde, China, the Comoros, the Congo, Costa Rica, Côte d’Ivoire, Cuba, Cyprus, the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Djibouti, Ecuador, Egypt, Eritrea, Estonia, Finland, France, Gabon, the Gambia, Greece, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Guyana, Hungary, Iceland, India, Indonesia, Iraq, Ireland, Jamaica, Jordan, Kenya, Kuwait, the Lao People’s Democratic Republic, Latvia, Lebanon, Lesotho, Liberia, the Libyan Arab Jamahiriya, Lithuania, Madagascar, Malaysia, Maldives, Mali, Malta, Mauritania, Monaco, Morocco, Myanmar, Namibia, New Zealand, Nicaragua, the Niger, Nigeria, Norway, Oman, Pakistan, Poland, Portugal, Qatar, Romania, the Russian Federation, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Sierra Leone, South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka, the Sudan, Sweden, Switzerland, Togo, Tunisia, Turkey, the United Arab Emirates, Uzbekistan, Venezuela (Bolivarian Republic of), Viet Nam, Yemen, Zambia, Zimbabwe and Palestine, introduced a draft resolution entitled “The right of the Palestinian people to self-determination” (A/C.3/62/L.63). Subsequently, Bolivia, Dominica, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Malawi, Moldova, Montenegro, Mozambique, San Marino, Slovakia, Slovenia, Suriname, the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Timor-Leste and the United Republic of Tanzania joined in sponsoring the draft resolution. 17. At its 49th meeting, on 20 November, the Committee was advised that the draft resolution had no programme budget implications. 18. At the same meeting, the representative of Egypt made a statement (see A/C.3/62/SR.49). 19. Also at the same meeting, the representative of Israel made a statement and requested a recorded vote on the draft resolution (see A/C.3/62/SR.49). 20. Also at its 49th meeting, the Committee adopted draft resolution A/C.3/62/L.63 by a recorded vote of 172 to 5, with 5 abstentions (see para. 23, draft resolution III). The voting was as follows: In favour: Afghanistan, Albania, Algeria, Andorra, Angola, Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Armenia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Bahamas, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belarus, Belgium, Belize, Benin, Bhutan, Bolivia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Botswana, Brazil, Brunei Darussalam, Bulgaria, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cambodia, Cape Verde, Chad, Chile, China, Colombia, Comoros, Congo, Costa Rica, Côte d’Ivoire, Croatia, Cuba, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Denmark, Djibouti, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, Eritrea, Estonia, Ethiopia, Finland, France, Gabon, Gambia, Georgia, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Guatemala, Guinea, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, Hungary, Iceland, India, Indonesia, Iran (Islamic Republic of), Iraq, Ireland, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Lao People’s Democratic Republic, Latvia, Lebanon, Lesotho, Liberia, Libyan Arab Jamahiriya, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia, Maldives, Mali, Malta, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mexico, Moldova, Monaco, Mongolia, Montenegro, Morocco, Mozambique, Myanmar, Namibia, Nepal, Netherlands, New Zealand, Nicaragua, Niger, Nigeria, Norway, Oman, Pakistan, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Qatar, Republic of Korea, Romania, Russian Federation, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Samoa, San Marino, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Serbia, Sierra Leone, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, Solomon Islands, Somalia, South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Suriname, Swaziland, Sweden, Switzerland, Syrian Arab Republic, Tajikistan, Thailand, the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Timor-Leste, Togo, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Tuvalu, Uganda, Ukraine, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, United Republic of Tanzania, Uruguay, Uzbekistan, Vanuatu, Venezuela (Bolivarian Republic of), Viet Nam, Yemen, Zambia, Zimbabwe. Against: Israel, Marshall Islands, Micronesia (Federated States of), Palau, United States of America. Abstaining: Australia, Cameroon, Canada, Equatorial Guinea, Fiji. 21. Before the vote, statements were made by the representatives of Israel, the United States of America and Australia; after the vote, statements were made by the representatives of Argentina, Portugal and Canada (see A/C.3/62/SR.49). 22. At the same meeting, the observer of Palestine made a statement (see A/C.3/62/SR.49). III. Recommendations of the Third Committee 23. The Third Committee recommends to the General Assembly the adoption of the following draft resolutions: Draft resolution I Universal realization of the right of peoples to self-determination The General Assembly, Reaffirming the importance, for the effective guarantee and observance of human rights, of the universal realization of the right of peoples to self-determination enshrined in the Charter of the United Nations and embodied in the International Covenants on Human Rights, as well as in the Declaration on the Granting of Independence to Colonial Countries and Peoples contained in General Assembly resolution 1514 (XV) of 14 December 1960, Welcoming the progressive exercise of the right to self-determination by peoples under colonial, foreign or alien occupation and their emergence into sovereign statehood and independence, Deeply concerned at the continuation of acts or threats of foreign military intervention and occupation that are threatening to suppress, or have already suppressed, the right to self-determination of peoples and nations, Expressing grave concern that, as a consequence of the persistence of such actions, millions of people have been and are being uprooted from their homes as refugees and displaced persons, and emphasizing the urgent need for concerted international action to alleviate their condition, Recalling the relevant resolutions regarding the violation of the right of peoples to self-determination and other human rights as a result of foreign military intervention, aggression and occupation, adopted by the Commission on Human Rights at its sixty-first and previous sessions, Reaffirming its previous resolutions on the universal realization of the right of peoples to self-determination, including resolution 61/150 of 19 December 2006, Reaffirming also its resolution 55/2 of 8 September 2000, containing the United Nations Millennium Declaration, and recalling its resolution 60/1 of 16 September 2005, containing the 2005 World Summit Outcome, which, inter alia, upheld the right to self-determination of peoples under colonial domination and foreign occupation, Taking note of the report of the Secretary-General on the right of peoples to self-determination, 1. Reaffirms that the universal realization of the right of all peoples, including those under colonial, foreign and alien domination, to self-determination is a fundamental condition for the effective guarantee and observance of human rights and for the preservation and promotion of such rights; 2. Declares its firm opposition to acts of foreign military intervention, aggression and occupation, since these have resulted in the suppression of the right of peoples to self-determination and other human rights in certain parts of the world; 3. Calls upon those States responsible to cease immediately their military intervention in and occupation of foreign countries and territories and all acts of repression, discrimination, exploitation and maltreatment, in particular the brutal and inhuman methods reportedly employed for the execution of those acts against the peoples concerned; 4. Deplores the plight of millions of refugees and displaced persons who have been uprooted as a result of the aforementioned acts, and reaffirms their right to return to their homes voluntarily in safety and honour; 5. Requests the Human Rights Council to continue to give special attention to the violation of human rights, especially the right to self-determination, resulting from foreign military intervention, aggression or occupation; 6. Requests the Secretary-General to report on this question to the General Assembly at its sixty-third session under the item entitled “Right of peoples to self-determination”. Draft resolution II Use of mercenaries as a means of violating human rights and impeding the exercise of the right of peoples to self-determination The General Assembly, Recalling all of its previous resolutions on the subject, including resolution 61/151 of 19 December 2006, and taking note of Commission on Human Rights resolution 2005/2 of 7 April 2005, Recalling also all of its relevant resolutions in which, inter alia, it condemned any State that permitted or tolerated the recruitment, financing, training, assembly, transit and use of mercenaries with the objective of overthrowing the Governments of States Members of the United Nations, especially those of developing countries, or of fighting against national liberation movements, and recalling further the relevant resolutions and international instruments adopted by the General Assembly, the Security Council, the Economic and Social Council and the Organization of African Unity, inter alia, the Organization of African Unity Convention for the elimination of mercenarism in Africa, as well as the African Union, Reaffirming the purposes and principles enshrined in the Charter of the United Nations concerning the strict observance of the principles of sovereign equality, political independence, the territorial integrity of States, the self-determination of peoples, the non-use of force or of the threat of use of force in international relations and non-interference in affairs within the domestic jurisdiction of States, Reaffirming also that, by virtue of the principle of self-determination, all peoples have the right freely to determine their political status and to pursue their economic, social and cultural development, and that every State has the duty to respect this right in accordance with the provisions of the Charter, Reaffirming further the Declaration on Principles of International Law concerning Friendly Relations and Cooperation among States in accordance with the Charter of the United Nations, Alarmed and concerned at the danger that the activities of mercenaries constitute to peace and security in developing countries, in particular in Africa and in small States, Deeply concerned at the loss of life, the substantial damage to property and the negative effects on the policy and economies of affected countries resulting from criminal mercenary activities, Extremely alarmed and concerned about recent mercenary activities in Africa and other places and the threat they pose to the integrity of and respect for the constitutional order of those countries, Concerned by the new modalities of mercenarism, and noting that the recruitment of former military personnel and ex-policemen by private military and private security companies to serve in their employ as “security guards” in zones of armed conflict seems to be continuing, Convinced that, notwithstanding the way in which they are used or the form that they take to acquire some semblance of legitimacy, mercenaries or mercenary-related activities are a threat to peace, security and the self-determination of peoples and an obstacle to the enjoyment of all human rights by peoples, 1. Takes note of the report of the Working Group on the use of mercenaries as a means of violating human rights and impeding the exercise of the right of peoples to self-determination; 2. Reaffirms that the use of mercenaries and their recruitment, financing and training are causes for grave concern to all States and violate the purposes and principles enshrined in the Charter of the United Nations; 3. Recognizes that armed conflict, terrorism, arms trafficking and covert operations by third Powers, inter alia, encourage the demand for mercenaries on the global market; 4. Urges once again all States to take the necessary steps and to exercise the utmost vigilance against the menace posed by the activities of mercenaries and to take legislative measures to ensure that their territories and other territories under their control, as well as their nationals, are not used for the recruitment, assembly, financing, training and transit of mercenaries for the planning of activities designed to impede the right of peoples to self-determination, to destabilize or overthrow the Government of any State or to dismember or impair, totally or in part, the territorial integrity or political unity of sovereign and independent States conducting themselves in compliance with the right of peoples to self-determination; 5. Requests all States to exercise the utmost vigilance against any kind of recruitment, training, hiring or financing of mercenaries, including nationals, by private companies offering international military consultancy and security services, as well as to impose a specific ban on such companies intervening in armed conflicts or actions to destabilize constitutional regimes; 6. Encourages States that import the military assistance, consultancy and security services provided by private companies to establish regulatory national mechanisms for the registering and licensing of those companies in order to ensure that imported services provided by those private companies neither impede the enjoyment of human rights nor violate human rights in the recipient country; 7. Calls upon all States that have not yet done so to consider taking the necessary action to accede to or ratify the International Convention against the Recruitment, Use, Financing and Training of Mercenaries; 8. Welcomes the adoption by some States of national legislation that restricts the recruitment, assembly, financing, training and transit of mercenaries; 9. Condemns mercenary activities in Africa, and commends the Governments of Africa on their collaboration in thwarting those illegal actions, which have posed a threat to the integrity of and respect for the constitutional order of those countries and the exercise of the right of their peoples to self-determination; 10. Calls upon States to investigate the possibility of mercenary involvement whenever and wherever criminal acts of a terrorist nature occur and to bring to trial those found responsible or to consider their extradition, if so requested, in accordance with domestic law and applicable bilateral or international treaties; 11. Condemns any form of impunity granted to perpetrators of mercenary activities and to those responsible for the use, recruitment, financing and training of mercenaries, and urges all States, in accordance with their obligations under international law, to bring them, without distinction, to justice; 12. Calls upon Member States, in accordance with their obligations under international law, to cooperate with and assist the judicial prosecution of those accused of mercenary activities in transparent, open and fair trials; 13. Requests the Working Group to continue the work already done by the previous Special Rapporteurs on the strengthening of the international legal framework for the prevention and sanction of the recruitment, use, financing and training of mercenaries, taking into account the proposal for a new legal definition of a mercenary drafted by the Special Rapporteur in his report to the Commission on Human Rights at its sixtieth session; 14. Requests the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, as a matter of priority, to publicize the adverse effects of the activities of mercenaries on the right of peoples to self-determination and, when requested and where necessary, to render advisory services to States that are affected by those activities; 15. Expresses its appreciation to the Office of the High Commissioner for its support for convening in Panama the regional governmental consultation for Latin American and Caribbean States on traditional and new forms of mercenary activities as a means of violating human rights and impeding the exercise of the right of peoples to self-determination, in particular regarding the effects of the activities of private military and security companies on the enjoyment of human rights, and requests the Office of the High Commissioner to convene other regional governmental consultations on this matter; 16. Requests the Working Group to continue to take into account, in the discharge of its mandate, the fact that mercenary activities continue to occur in many parts of the world and are taking on new forms, manifestations and modalities, and, in this regard, requests its members to continue to pay particular attention to the impact of the activities of private companies offering military assistance, consultancy and security services on the international market on the enjoyment of human rights and the exercise of the right of peoples to self-determination; 17. Urges all States to cooperate fully with the Working Group in the fulfilment of its mandate; 18. Requests the Secretary-General and the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights to provide the Working Group with all the necessary assistance and support for the fulfilment of its mandate, both professional and financial, including through the promotion of cooperation between the Working Group and other components of the United Nations system that deal with countering mercenary-related activities, in order to meet the demands of its current and future activities; 19. Requests the Working Group to consult States and intergovernmental and non-governmental organizations in the implementation of the present resolution and to report, with specific recommendations, to the General Assembly at its sixty-third session its findings on the use of mercenaries to undermine the enjoyment of all human rights and to impede the exercise of the right of peoples to self-determination; 20. Decides to consider at its sixty-third session the question of the use of mercenaries as a means of violating human rights and impeding the exercise of the right of peoples to self-determination under the item entitled “Right of peoples to self-determination”. Draft resolution III The right of the Palestinian people to self-determination The General Assembly, Aware that the development of friendly relations among nations, based on respect for the principle of equal rights and self-determination of peoples, is among the purposes and principles of the United Nations, as defined in the Charter, Recalling, in this regard, its resolution 2625 (XXV) of 24 October 1970 entitled “Declaration on Principles of International Law concerning Friendly Relations and Cooperation among States in accordance with the Charter of the United Nations”, Bearing in mind the International Covenants on Human Rights, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the Declaration on the Granting of Independence to Colonial Countries and Peoples and the Vienna Declaration and Programme of Action adopted at the World Conference on Human Rights on 25 June 1993, Recalling the Declaration on the Occasion of the Fiftieth Anniversary of the United Nations, Recalling also the United Nations Millennium Declaration, Recalling further the advisory opinion rendered on 9 July 2004 by the International Court of Justice on the Legal Consequences of the Construction of a Wall in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, and noting in particular the reply of the Court, including on the right of peoples to self-determination, which is a right erga omnes, Recalling the conclusion of the Court, in its advisory opinion of 9 July 2004, that the construction of the wall by Israel, the occupying Power, in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem, along with measures previously taken, severely impedes the right of the Palestinian people to self-determination, Expressing the urgent need for the resumption of negotiations within the Middle East peace process on its agreed basis and for the speedy achievement of a just, lasting and comprehensive peace settlement between the Palestinian and Israeli sides, Stressing the need for respect for and preservation of the territorial unity, contiguity and integrity of all of the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem, Recalling its resolution 61/152 of 19 December 2006, Affirming the right of all States in the region to live in peace within secure and internationally recognized borders, 1. Reaffirms the right of the Palestinian people to self-determination, including the right to their independent State of Palestine; 2. Urges all States and the specialized agencies and organizations of the United Nations system to continue to support and assist the Palestinian people in the early realization of their right to self-determination. Resolution 2200 A (XXI), annex. See Official Records of the Economic and Social Council, 2005, Supplement No. 3 and corrigendum (E/2005/23 and Corr.1), chap. II, sect. A. A/62/184. See Official Records of the Economic and Social Council, 2005, Supplement No. 3 and corrigendum (E/2005/23 and Corr.1), chap. II, sect. A. United Nations, Treaty Series, vol. 1490, No. 25573. On 8 July 2002, the Organization of African Unity ceased to exist and, in its place, the African Union came into force on 9 July 2002. Resolution 2625 (XXV), annex. See A/62/301. United Nations, Treaty Series, vol. 2163, No. 37789. See E/CN.4/2004/15, para. 47. Resolution 2200 A (XXI), annex. Resolution 217 A (III). Resolution 1514 (XV). A/CONF.157/24 (Part I), chap. III. See resolution 50/6. See resolution 55/2. See A/ES-10/273 and Corr.1. Ibid., advisory opinion, para. 88. Ibid., para. 122. __________________ __________________  sss1 \* MERGEFORMAT A/62/438 sss1 \* MERGEFORMAT A/62/438 FooterJN \* MERGEFORMAT 07-62606 \* MERGEFORMAT 12 \* MERGEFORMAT 5 FooterJN \* MERGEFORMAT 07-62606 United Nations A/62/438 General Assembly Distr.: General 4 December 2007 Original: English jobn \* MERGEFORMAT 07-62606 (E) 131207 Barcode \* MERGEFORMAT *0762606*