The General Assembly,
 
      Having considered the report of the International Law Commission on the
work of its forty-eighth session,
 
      Emphasizing the importance of furthering the progressive development of
international law and its codification as a means of implementing the purposes
and principles set forth in the Charter of the United Nations and in the
Declaration on Principles of International Law concerning Friendly Relations
and Cooperation among States in accordance with the Charter of the United
Nations, 
 
      Emphasizing also the role of the International Law Commission in the
fulfilment of the objectives of the United Nations Decade of International
Law,
 
      Recognizing the desirability of referring legal and drafting questions
to the Sixth Committee, including topics that might be submitted to the
International Law Commission for closer examination, and of enabling the Sixth
Committee and the Commission further to enhance their contribution to the
progressive development of international law and its codification,
 
      Recalling the need to keep under review those topics of international
law which, given their new or renewed interest for the international
community, may be suitable for the progressive development and codification of
international law and therefore may be included in the future programme of
work of the International Law Commission,
 
      Stressing the usefulness of structuring the debate on the report of the
International Law Commission in the Sixth Committee in such a manner that
conditions are provided for concentrated attention to each of the main topics
dealt with in the report,
 
      Wishing to enhance further the interaction between the Sixth Committee
as a body of government representatives and the International Law Commission
as a body of independent legal experts, with a view to improving the dialogue
between the two organs,
 
      1.    Takes note of the report of the International Law Commission on
the work of its forty-eighth session;
 
      2.    Expresses its appreciation to the International Law Commission for
the work accomplished at its forty-eighth session, in particular for the
completion of the final draft articles on the draft Code of Crimes against the
Peace and Security of Mankind and the provisional draft articles on State
responsibility, and draws the attention of the States participating in the
Preparatory Committee on the Establishment of an International Criminal Court
to the relevance of the draft Code to their work;
 
      3.    Requests the Secretary-General to invite Governments to submit,
before the end of the fifty-third session of the General Assembly, their
written comments and observations on action which might be taken in relation
to the draft Code of Crimes against the Peace and Security of Mankind;
 
      4.    Recommends that, taking into account the comments of Governments,
whether in writing or expressed orally in debates in the General Assembly, the
International Law Commission should continue its work on the topics in its
current programme;
 
      5.    Draws the attention of Governments to the importance, for the
International Law Commission, of having their views on the draft articles on
State responsibility adopted on first reading by the Commission, and urges
them to submit their comments and observations in writing by 1 January 1998,
as requested by the Commission;
 
      6.    Encourages Governments that may wish to do so to provide, in
writing, their comments and observations on the report of the Working Group on
International Liability for Injurious Consequences Arising out of Acts not
Prohibited by International Law, annexed to the report of the International
Law Commission, in order that the Commission may, in the light of the report
of the Working Group and such comments and observations as may be made by
Governments and those that have been made in the Sixth Committee, consider at
its forty-ninth session how to proceed with its work on the topic and make
early recommendations thereon;
 
      7.    Invites States and international organizations, particularly those
that are depositaries, to answer promptly the questionnaire prepared by the
Special Rapporteur on the topic concerning reservations to treaties;
 
      8.    Notes the completion of the preliminary study of the topic "State
succession and its impact on the nationality of natural and legal persons",
requests the International Law Commission to undertake the substantive study
of the topic "Nationality in relation to the succession of States" in
accordance with the modalities provided for in paragraph 88 of its report, and
invites Governments to submit comments on the practical problems raised by the
succession of States affecting the nationality of legal persons;
 
      9.    Takes note with appreciation of paragraphs 143 to 244 of the
report of the International Law Commission concerning its procedures and
working methods;
 
      10.   Takes note of the comments of the International Law Commission on
the question of a split session, as presented in paragraphs 228 to 233 of its
report;
 
      11.   Encourages the International Law Commission, in relation to its
internal matters, to take decisions which could contribute to its efficiency
and productivity;
 
      12.   Takes note of the decision of the International Law Commission
contained in paragraph 256 of its report on the duration of its next session;
 
      13.   Invites the International Law Commission further to examine the
topics "Diplomatic protection" and "Unilateral acts of States" and to indicate
the scope and the content of the topics in the light of the comments and
observations made during the debate in the Sixth Committee on the report of
the Commission and any written comments that Governments may wish to submit;
 
      14.   Requests the International Law Commission to continue to pay
special attention to indicating in its annual report, for each topic, those
specific issues, if any, on which expressions of views by Governments, either
in the Sixth Committee or in written form, would be of particular interest in
providing effective guidance for the Commission in its further work;
 
      15.   Reaffirms its previous decisions concerning the role of the
Codification Division of the Office of Legal Affairs of the Secretariat and
those concerning the summary records and other documentation of the
International Law Commission;
 
      16.   Once again expresses the wish that seminars will continue to be
held in conjunction with the sessions of the International Law Commission and
that an increasing number of participants from developing countries will be
given the opportunity to attend those seminars, appeals to States that can do
so to make the voluntary contributions that are urgently needed for the
holding of the seminars, and requests the Secretary-General to provide the
seminars with adequate services, including interpretation, as required;
 
      17.   Requests the Secretary-General to forward to the International Law
Commission, for its attention, the records of the debate on the report of the
Commission at the fifty-first session of the General Assembly, together with
such written statements as delegations may circulate in conjunction with their
oral statements, and to prepare and distribute a topical summary of the
debate, following established practice;
 
      18.   Also requests the Secretary-General to make appropriate
arrangements to commemorate the fiftieth anniversary of the establishment of
the International Law Commission through a colloquium on the progressive
development and codification of international law, to be held during the
consideration in the Sixth Committee of the report of the Commission on the
work of its forty-ninth session;
 
      19.   Recommends that the debate on the report of the International Law
Commission at the fifty-second session of the General Assembly commence on 27
October 1997.