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General Assembly The General Assembly is the main deliberative organ of the UN. Decisions on important questions, such as those on peace and security, admission of new members and budgetary matters, require a two-thirds majority. Decisions on other questions are by simple majority. (3) Each country has one vote. Some Member States in arrear of payment may be granted the right to vote. The UNGA has established a number of Councils, Working Groups, Boards, etc. for the performance of its functions. The General Assembly has adopted its own rules of procedure and elects its President for each session. Established in 1945 under the Charter of the United Nations, the General Assembly occupies a central position as the chief deliberative, policymaking and representative organ of the United Nations. Comprising all 193 Members of the United Nations, it provides a unique forum for multilateral discussion of the full spectrum of international issues covered by the Charter. (3) It also plays a significant role in the process of standard setting and the codification of international law. The Assembly meets in regular session intensively from September to December each year, and thereafter as required. (3)

 Chair: Rodrigo Serallonga Moderator: Ana De Zulueta Topic A: Role of Science and Technology in context of international security and disarmament. History of Topic: During every major conflict an important scientific and technological development has arose due to the military need. Innovations are inspired in techniques and machinery from ancient times. Architecture in buildings and design in crafts have been influenced as well. Military technologies have found their way to daily life. The pattern seems to be conflict accompanied by a technological development spike and after the disagreement has come to an end, innovations have civilian applications. However, science and technology may come in hand with a menacing purpose. Even technology with peaceful purposes can be transformed into weapons. Current situation: As technology becomes more advanced, international security in case of conflict is found to be threatened. As more resistant materials are created, more powerful machinery will be needed in order to destroy it. This principle applies as well to hazardous pathogens that could be weaponized. The exploration of outer space seems to be a possible important risk as well. Science nowadays involves less physical presence. While this might save lives in conflict, it will also lead to more lasting wars. As science advances possible scenarios and questions must be considered seriously. A protocol to track technology is necessary.

 Many resolutions in this topic have been passed, however developed countries are the ones less supportive and more threatening. RECOMMENDED READINGS http://www.unlirec.org/ http://www.ctbto.org/member-states/country-profiles/

 Topic B: Assuring developing nations sovereignty over their natural resources. History of Topic: Until the mid twentieth century, the protection of foreign direct investments was in part contained in agreements establishing trade relations (for instance the bilateral treaties of "Friendship, Commerce and Navigation" concluded by the United States since the eighteenth century) and in part it was an issue of customary international law. (1) The creation of new states in the period of decolonization urged the development of a principle, which encompassed their various demands and interests. Rooted in the right of self- determination and with the primary aim of enabling economic development for developing states, the principle of Permanent Sovereignty over Natural Resources builds on traditional state prerogatives such as territorial sovereignty and sovereign equality of states. This permits states to freely determine and apply laws and policies governing their people and territory under their jurisdiction and choose their own political, social and economic systems. (2) Countries Involved: By the late 1950s, the Third World Countries (Mexico, Southeast Asian countries, all Africa, and South America) had fully realized the significance of exercising permanent sovereignty over their natural wealth and resources and started adopting a wellconcerted approach to safeguard their interests. They realized that though they had gained political independence the imperialist powers were still exploiting them and treating their raw materials and natural resources as appendages of the imperialist powers (USA, France, Germany, United Kingdom, France, Canada, etc.) resulting in backwardness of their economies.

 In the case of investments involving the exploitation of local natural resources, a great part of the proceeds benefited managers and shareholders of foreign firms and not the country receiving foreign direct investments. As a result, the activity of foreign companies was regarded as a way to impoverish host countries and to keep them in poverty and subjection. Developing countries gave particular importance to natural resources because they did not have other competitive economic sectors. In order to promote economic and social development at least in the short term, developing countries needed to rely almost entirely on the proceeds of the use of their natural resources. Without these, there was no hope to improve the economic condition of developing countries. (1)

United Nations Involvement The origin of PSNR can be traced back to numerous resolutions, which passed in the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA). Among the numerous resolutions the law-making UNGA Resolution 1803 (XVII) stands out which was generated after lengthy studies on the topic had been conducted by the Economic and Social Council, the UN Secretariat and the Commission on PSNR. (4). It was instructed to conduct a full survey of the status of permanent sovereignty over natural wealth and resources as a basic constituent of the right to self-determination, with recommendations, where necessary, for its strengthening, and decided further that, in the conduct of the full survey of the status of the permanent sovereignty of peoples and nations over their natural wealth and resources, due regard should be paid to the rights and duties of States under international law and to the importance of encouraging international co-operation in the economic development of developing countries. Most significant of all is Resolution No.

 3281 (XXIX), dated July 26, 1974. Through this Resolution, the General Assembly adopted the Charter of Economic Rights and Duties of States. This text reaffirmed that the right to nationalize foreign-owned property required appropriate compensation, and admitted that, if compensation was not paid, the nationalizing States international obligation would not have been fulfilled in good faith. Nevertheless, the General Assembly also adopted that any dispute as to compensation for nationalization was subject only to the States domestic law and circumstances that the State deemed relevant for the specific case. It provided that any dispute shall be settled under the domestic law of the expropriating State and within its judicial system, unless there was an agreement calling for other peaceful means. (2) Linked to their sovereignty, the principle gives states the right to possess, use and dispose freely of any surface and subsurface natural resources, connected with their territory, and for this purpose they may not only regulate their economy but also nationalize or expropriate property, both of nationals and foreigners. Profits derived from the granting of authorization for exploration, development and disposition of natural resources shall be shared proportionally. In cases where the state chooses to nationalize, expropriate or requisition property, it must limit this to sole instances for public purposes, and compensation shall occur in accordance with national legislation. Furthermore, UNGA Resolution 1803 (XVII) emphasizes that the principle shall be exercised with respect for the rights and duties of states under international law, as well as their sovereign equality, and moreover encourages international cooperation for the economic development of developing countries. (4) Bearing in mind its resolution 1515 (XV) of 15 December 1960, in which it recommended that the sovereign right of every

 State to dispose of its wealth and its natural resources should be respected (2). Works Cited: Ottinger , Kathleen. " General Assembly First Committee: Disarmament and International Securit." Busun. Brown University, 2010. Web. 1 Oct 2011. UN General Assembly, Role of science and technology in the context of international security and disarmament, 6 January 2006, A/RES/60/51, available at: http://www.unhcr.org/refworld/docid/44168a9b9.html [accessed 11 October 2011] 1. Barbieri, Michele. "DEVELOPING COUNTRIES AND THEIR NATURAL RESOURCES. FROM THE ELABORATION OF THE PRINCIPLE OF PERMANENT SOVEREIGNTY OVER NATURAL RESOURCES TO THE CREATION OF SOVEREIGN WEALTH FUNDS." Thesis. Universit Bocconi. Web. 9 Oct. 2011. 2. "General Assembly Resolution 1803 (XVII) of 14 December 1962, "Permanent Sovereignty over Natural Resources"" OHCHR Homepage. United Nations. Web. 09 Oct. 2011. <http://www2.ohchr.org/english/law/resources.htm>. 3. "General Assembly of the United Nations." Welcome to the United Nations: It's Your World. United Nations. Web. 10 Oct. 2011. <http://www.un.org/en/ga/about/background.shtml>. 4. Hofbauer, Jane A. "The Principle of Permanent Sovereignty over Natural Resources and Its Modern Implications." Thesis. University of Iceland, 2009. The Principle of Permanent Sovereignty over Natural Resources and Its Modern Implications. Web.

03 Oct. 2011. <The Principle of Permanent Sovereignty over Natural Resources and Its Modern Implications>.