Fourth Committee: peacekeeping, decolonization, outer space reviewed.

• Position: UN General Assembly Fourth Committee - General Assembly 51

The General Assembly on 13 December - by affirming that the "efforts of the United Nations in the peaceful settlement (disputes, including through its peacekeeping operations, are indispensable)" - decided to expand the membership of the Special Committee on Peacekeeping Operations. In adopting resolution 51/136, the world body also decided that the Special Committee should continue its efforts for a "comprehensive review of the whole question of peacekeeping operations in all their aspects", so as to enhance the Organization's capacity to fulfil its responsibilities in that field.

By another resolution (51/137), the Assembly urged all States that had not yet done so to consider ratifying, accepting, approving or acceding to the 1994 Convention on the Safety and Security of United Nations and Associated Personnel, to "bring about the entry into force of the Convention at the earliest possible date".

Acting on the recommendation of its Fourth Committee (Special Political and Decolonization), the Assembly approved a total of 28 resolutions and 4 decisions related to decolonization, peacekeeping, atomic radiation, United Nations information capacities, peaceful uses of outer space, and the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East.

By resolution 51/133, one of five on Israeli practices, the Assembly demanded, for the first time, the "complete cessation of all Israeli settlement activities" in the occupied territories. It also called on Israel to immediately end the closure of those territories and ensure the freedom of movement within the Palestinian territory (51/134), and desist from changing the physical character, demographic composition, institutional structure and legal status of the occupied Syrian Golan (51/135).

On decolonization, Committee Chairman Alounkeo Kittikhoun of the Lao People's Democratic Republic informed the Assembly that the Fourth Committee, in an effort to break a deadlock between the administering Powers and the Special Committee on decolonization, had deferred until March 1997 action on an omnibus draft resolution related to the 12 Non-Self-Governing Territories. Representatives of the administering Powers had assured him that they sought the deferment solely to further dialogue and attempt to reach consensus on the text.

By resolution 51/143, the Assembly...