United Nations General Assembly Resolution 23

by the UN General Assembly

23. Registration of Treaties and International Agreements

The Executive Secretary sent a circular letter to the Members of the United Nations on 8 November 1945 informing them that from the date of the entry into force of the Charter treaties and international agreements would be received and filed on a provisional basis until the adoption of detailed regulations prescribing the procedure to be followed in the registration and publication of treaties and international agreements under the provisions of Article 102 of the Charter. The Executive Secretary also invited the Governments of Members to transmit to the Secretariat for filing and publication treaties and international agreements not included in the treaty series of the League of Nations and entered into in recent years before the date of the entry into force of the Charter.

It is desirable, as a matter of practical convenience, that arrangements should be made for the publication of any treaties or international agreements which non-member States may voluntarily transmit and which have not been included in the treaty series of the League of Nations. These arrangements should not, however, extend to treaties or international agreements transmitted by any non-member State such as Spain, the Government of which has been founded with the support of the Axis powers and does not, in view of its origin, its nature, its record and its close association with the aggressor States, possess qualifications necessary to justify membership in the United Nations under the provisions of the Charter.

Therefore, the General Assembly instructs the Secretary-General:

1. To submit to the General Assembly proposals for detailed regulations and other measures designed to give effect to the provisions of Article 102 of the Charter;

2. To invite the governments of Members of the United Nations to transmit to the Secretary-General for filing and publication, treaties and international agreements entered into in recent years, but before the date of entry into force of the Charter, which had not been included in the League of Nations treaty series, and to transmit for registration and publication treaties and international agreements entered into after the date of entry into force of the Charter.

3. To receive, from the governments of non-member States, treaties and international agreements entered into both before and after the date of entry into force of the Charter, which have not been included in the League of Nations treaty series and which they may voluntarily transmit for filing and publication; and to dispose of them in accordance with the foregoing provisions, and subject to such detailed regulations and other measures as may be hereafter be adopted.

Twenty-eighth plenary meeting, 10 February 1946.