The U.N. General Assembly’s Third Committee adopted by consensus an Azerbaijan-initiated resolution on missing persons that explicitly references individual, collective and mass graves for the first time.
The resolution, “Missing Persons,” was adopted Nov. 10 at the 41st plenary meeting of the committee during the General Assembly’s 81st session, according to Vesti Baku. The document is numbered A/C.3/81/L.24 and was co-sponsored by 63 countries from different regions.
Azerbaijan first introduced the initiative in 2002. The latest version reaffirms states’ obligations under international humanitarian law and calls on parties to armed conflicts to prevent disappearances and determine the fate of missing people.
New Provisions on Burial Sites and Peace Processes
The resolution recommends cooperation in locating people and identifying, mapping and preserving burial sites. It separately names individual, collective and mass graves for the first time.
Another new provision calls for the issue of missing persons to be included in peace negotiations, post-conflict efforts and broader peacebuilding measures.
The text also says land mines, unexploded ordnance and improvised explosive devices can obstruct searches.
The resolution stresses the need to end impunity for violations of international humanitarian law related to missing persons. As an international political resolution, however, it does not by itself establish the guilt of any specific state or individual.
U.N. Report Requested
The text asks the U.N. secretary-general to submit a detailed implementation report to the Human Rights Council and the General Assembly.
It also provides for an informal high-level meeting involving U.N. bodies, followed by an interactive dialogue.
The adoption marks a new stage in Azerbaijan’s initiative. Baku has previously urged the United Nations to take a more active role in searches for missing people and in securing information about burial sites.