Welcomes the appointment of Shaista Shameem as Special Rapporteur of the Commission on Human Rights on the use of mercenaries as a means of impeding the exercise of the right of peoples to self-determination, and encourages her to continue and further advance the valuable work done and the important contributions made by Enrique Bernales Ballesteros in the 16 years of his mandate; requests the new Special Rapporteur to circulate to States and consult with them on the new proposal for a legal definition of a mercenary drafted by the former Special Rapporteur and to report her findings to the Commission on Human Rights and the General Assembly; requests the Office of the High Commissioner, as a matter of priority, to publicize the adverse effects of the activities of mercenaries on the right of peoples to self-determination and, when requested and where necessary, to render advisory services to States that are affected by those activities; urges all States to cooperate fully with the Special Rapporteur in the fulfilment of her mandate; requests the Special Rapporteur to consult States and intergovernmental and non-governmental organizations in the implementation of the present resolution and to report, with specific recommendations, to the General Assembly at its 60th session her findings on the use of mercenaries to undermine the right of peoples to self-determination.

Adopted 129-46-13, 74th plenary meeting

4 p.

Issued in GAOR, 59th sess., Suppl. no. 49.