A/RES/69/105 A-B Questions of American Samoa, Anguilla, Bermuda, the British Virgin Islands, the Cayman Islands, Guam, Montserrat, Pitcairn, Saint Helena, the Turks and Caicos Islands and the United States Virgin Islands Expressing concern that 54 years after the adoption of the Declaration on the Granting of Independence to Colonial Countries and Peoples,2 there still remain a number of Non-Self-Governing Territories, Conscious of the importance of continuing effective implementation of the Declaration, taking into account the target set by the United Nations to eradicate colonialism by 2020 and the plans of action for the Second3 and Third International Decades for the Eradication of Colonialism, Recognizing that the specific characteristics and the aspirations of the peoples of the Territories require flexible, practical and innovative approaches to the options for self-determination, without any prejudice to territorial size, geographical location, size of population or natural resources, Noting the stated position of the Government of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and the stated position of the Government of the United States of America on the Non-Self-Governing Territories under their administration, Noting also the constitutional developments in some Non-Self-Governing Territories affecting the internal structure of governance about which the Special Committee has received information, Convinced that the wishes and aspirations of the peoples of the Territories should continue to guide the development of their future political status and that referendums, free and fair elections and other forms of popular consultation play an important role in ascertaining the wishes and aspirations of the people, Convinced also that any negotiations to determine the status of a Territory must take place with the active involvement and participation of the people of that Territory, under the auspices of the United Nations, on a case-by-case basis, and that the views of the peoples of the Non-Self-Governing Territories in respect of their right to self-determination should be ascertained, Noting that a number of Non-Self-Governing Territories have expressed concern at the procedure followed by some administering Powers, contrary to the wishes of the Territories themselves, of amending or enacting legislation for application to the Territories, either through orders in council, in order to apply to the Territories the international treaty obligations of the administering Power, or through the unilateral application of laws and regulations, Aware of the importance of the international financial services and tourism sectors for the economies of some of the Non-Self-Governing Territories, Noting the continued cooperation of the Non-Self-Governing Territories at the local and regional levels, including participation in the work of regional organizations, Mindful that United Nations visiting and special missions provide an effective means of ascertaining the situation in the Territories, that some Territories have not received a United Nations visiting mission for a long time and that no visiting missions have been sent to some of the Territories, and considering the possibility of sending further visiting missions to the Territories at an appropriate time, in consultation with the relevant administering Powers and in accordance with the relevant resolutions and decisions of the United Nations on decolonization, _______________ 2 3 2/16 Resolution 1514 (XV). A/56/61, annex.