Question of Guam

Publisher	UN General Assembly
Author	UN General Assembly (37th sess. : 1982-1983)
Publication Date	23 November 1982
Citation / Document Symbol	A/RES/37/21
Reference	37
Cite as	UN General Assembly, Question of Guam, 23 November 1982, A/RES/37/21, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/3b00f02238.html [accessed 19 May 2023]

The General Assembly,

Having considered the question of Guam,

Having examined the relevant chapters of the report of the SpecialCommittee on the Situation with regard to the Implementation of theDeclaration on the Granting of Independence to Colonial Countries andPeoples,

Recalling its resolution 1514 (XV) of 14 December 1960, containing theDeclaration on the Granting of Independence to Colonial Countries and Peoples,and all other resolutions and decisions of the United Nations relating to Guam,

Having heard the statement of the administering Power,

Noting with appreciation the continued active participation of theadministering Power in the work of the Special Committee in regard to Guam,thereby enabling it to conduct a more informed and meaningful examination ofthe situation in the Territory, with a view to accelerating the process ofdecolonization for the purpose of the full implementation of the Declaration,

Noting that a referendum on political status was held in the Territory on30 January 1982,

Recalling all relevant resolutions of the United Nations relating tomilitary bases and installations in colonial and Non-Self-GoverningTerritories,

Bearing in mind that an obstacle to the economic development of theTerritory has been the uncertainty concerning land held by the federalauthorities,

Aware of the special circumstances of the geographical location andeconomic conditions of Guam and the necessity of diversifying the economy ofthe Territory as a matter of priority and noting the great potential fordiversification offered by commercial fishing, agriculture and the developmentof the transportation industry,

Mindful that United Nations visiting missions provide an effective meansof ascertaining the situation in the small Territories and expressing itssatisfaction at the willingness of the administering Power to receive visitingmissions in the Territories under its administration,

1. Approves the chapter of the report of the Special Committee on theSituation with regard to the Implementation of the Declaration on the Grantingof Independence to Colonial Countries and Peoples relating to Guam;

2. Reaffirms the inalienable right of the people of Guam toself-determination and independence in conformity with the Declaration on theGranting of Independence to Colonial Countries and Peoples, contained inGeneral Assembly resolution 1514 (XV);

3. Reaffirms its conviction that such factors as territorial size,geographical location, size of population and limited natural resources shouldin no way delay the implementation of the Declaration contained in GeneralAssembly resolution 1514 (XV), which fully applies to Guam;

4. Recalls that the United States of America, as the administeringPower, has the responsibility under the Charter of the United Nations toensure that the people of the Territory are kept fully informed of theirinalienable right to self-determination and independence, in accordance withGeneral Assembly resolution 1514 (XV);

5. Reiterates that it is the responsibility of the administering Powerto create such conditions in the Territory as will enable the people of Guamto exercise freely and without interference their inalienable right toself-determination and independence in accordance with General Assemblyresolution 1514 (XV);

6. Reaffirms its strong conviction that the administering Power mustensure that military bases and installations do not hinder the population ofthe Territory from exercising its right to self-determination and independencein conformity with the purposes and principles of the Charter and urges theadministering Power to take all necessary measures to comply fully with therelevant resolutions of the United Nations relating to military bases andinstallations in colonial and Non-Self-Governing Territories;

7. Reaffirms the responsibility of the administering Power, under theCharter, for the economic and social development of Guam and calls upon theadministering Power to take all necessary steps to strengthen and diversifythe economy of the Territory;

8. Calls upon the administering Power, in co-operation with the localauthorities, to accelerate the transfer of land to the people of the Territory;

9. Reiterates its call upon the administering Power, in co-operationwith the territorial Government, to remove the constraints which limit growthin the economic development of the Territory, particularly with regard tocommercial fishing, agriculture and the transportation industry;

10. Urges the administering Power, in co-operation with the territorialGovernment, to continue to take effective measures to safeguard and guaranteethe right of the people of Guam to their natural resources and to establishand maintain control over their future development and requests theadministering Power to take all necessary steps to protect the property rightsof the people of the Territory;

11. Urges the administering Power to strengthen its efforts to developand promote the language and culture of the Chamorro people, who comprise morethan half of the population of the Territory;

12. Considers that the possibility of sending a further visiting missionto Guam at an appropriate time should be kept under review;

13. Requests the Special Committee to continue the consideration of thisquestion at its next session, including the possible dispatch of a furthervisiting mission to Guam at an appropriate time and in consultation with theadministering Power, and to report thereon to the General Assembly at itsthirty-eighth session.

Question of Guam

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