Question of Bermuda : resolution / adopted by the General Assembly
| Publisher | UN General Assembly |
| Author | UN General Assembly (40th sess. : 1985-1986) |
| Publication Date | 2 December 1985 |
| Citation / Document Symbol | A/RES/40/43 |
| Reference | 40 |
| Cite as | UN General Assembly, Question of Bermuda : resolution / adopted by the General Assembly, 2 December 1985, A/RES/40/43, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/3b00f00b78.html [accessed 7 October 2022] |
Question of Bermuda
The General Assembly, Having considered the question of Bermuda, Having examined the relevant chapters 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, Recalling its resolution 1514 (XV) of 14 December 1960, containing the Declaration on the Granting of Independence to Colonial Countries and Peoples, and all other resolutions and decisions of the United Nations relating to Bermuda, including in particular its resolution 39/33 of 5 December 1984, Noting the stated position of the administering Power that it will fully respect the wishes of the people of Bermuda in determining the future constitutional status of the Territory, Conscious of the need to ensure the full and speedy implementation of the Declaration in respect of the Territory, Welcoming the continued co-operation of the administering Power in the work of the Special Committee in regard to Bermuda, which contributes to informed consideration of conditions in the Territory, with a view to accelerating the process of decolonization for the purpose of the full implementation of the Declaration, Aware of the special circumstances of the geographical location and economic conditions of the Territory, and bearing in mind the necessity of diversifying and strengthening further its economy as a matter of priority in order to promote economic stability, Mindful that United Nations visiting missions provide an effective means of ascertaining the situation in the small Territories, and expressing its satisfaction at the willingness of the administering Power to receive visiting missions in the Territories under its administration,1. Approves the 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 relating to Bermuda;
2. Reaffirms the inalienable right of the people of Bermuda to self-determination and independence in conformity with the Declaration on the Granting of Independence to Colonial Countries and Peoples, contained in General Assembly resolution 1514 (XV);
3. Reiterates the view that such factors as territorial size, geographical location, size of population and limited natural resources should in no way delay the speedy exercise by the people of the Territory of their inalienable right to self-determination and independence in conformity with the Declaration, which fully applies to Bermuda;
4. Urges the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, as the administering Power, taking into account the rights, interests and wishes of the people of Bermuda expressed freely in conditions leading to real self-determination, to continue to take all necessary steps to ensure the full and speedy implementation of resolution 1514 (XV);
5. Reiterates that it is the obligation of the administering Power to create such conditions in the Territory as will enable the people of Bermuda to exercise freely and without interference their inalienable right to self-determination and independence in accordance with resolution 1514 (XV), and, in that connection, reaffirms the importance of fostering an awareness among the people of Bermuda of the possibilities open to them in the exercise of that right;
6. Reaffirms that, in accordance with the relevant provisions of the Charter of the United Nations and the Declaration contained in resolution 1514 (XV), it is ultimately for the people of Bermuda themselves to determine their own future political status;
7. Reaffirms its strong conviction that the presence of military bases and installations in the Territory could constitute a major obstacle to the implementation of the Declaration and that it is the responsibility of the administering Power to ensure that the existence of such bases and installations does not hinder the population of the Territory from exercising its right to self-determination and independence in conformity with the purposes and principles of the Charter;
8. Urges the administering Power to continue to take all necessary measures not to involve the Territory in any offensive acts or interference directed against other States and to comply fully with the purposes and principles of the Charter, the Declaration and the resolutions and decisions of the General Assembly relating to military activities and arrangements by colonial Powers in Territories under their administration;
9. Urges once again the administering Power, in co-operation with the territorial Government, to continue to take all effective measures to guarantee the right of the people of Bermuda to own and dispose of their natural resources and to establish and maintain control over their future development with a view to creating conditions for a balanced and viable economy;
10. Welcomes the role being played in the Territory by the United Nations Development Programme, specifically in programmes of agriculture, forestry and fisheries, and urges the specialized agencies and all other organizations of the United Nations system to continue to pay special attention to the development needs of Bermuda;
11. Urges the administering Power to continue, in co-operation with the territorial Government, the assistance necessary for the employment of the local population in the civil service, particularly at senior levels;
12. Emphasizes the desirability of sending a visiting mission to the Territory at the earliest possible opportunity;
13. Requests the Special Committee to continue the examination of this question at its next session, including the possible dispatch of a visiting mission to Bermuda at an appropriate time and in consultation with the administering Power, and to report thereon to the General Assembly at its forty-first session..
