United Nations A/RES/56/260 General Assembly Fifty-sixth session Agenda item 110 Resolution adopted by the General Assembly [without reference to a Main Committee (A/56/L.69)] 56/260. Terms of reference for the negotiation of an international legal instrument against corruption The General Assembly, Concerned at the seriousness of problems posed by corruption, which may endanger the stability and security of societies, undermine the values of democracy and morality and jeopardize social, economic and political development, Recalling its resolution 51/59 of 12 December 1996, by which it adopted the International Code of Conduct for Public Officials and recommended the Code to Member States as a tool to guide their efforts against corruption, Recalling also its resolution 51/191 of 16 December 1996, by which it adopted the United Nations Declaration against Corruption and Bribery in International Commercial Transactions, Recalling further its resolution 55/61 of 4 December 2000, in which it established an ad hoc committee for the negotiation of an effective international legal instrument against corruption, and requested the Secretary-General to convene an intergovernmental open-ended expert group to examine and prepare draft terms of reference for the negotiation of such an instrument, Recalling its resolution 55/188 of 20 December 2000, in which it invited the Intergovernmental Open-Ended Expert Group to Prepare Draft Terms of Reference for the Negotiation of an International Legal Instrument against Corruption, convened pursuant to resolution 55/61, to examine the question of illegally transferred funds and the return of such funds to the country of origin, Recalling also Economic and Social Council resolution 2001/13 of 24 July 2001, entitled “Strengthening international cooperation in preventing and combating the transfer of funds of illicit origin, derived from acts of corruption, including the laundering of funds, and in returning such funds”, Reiterating the need to prepare a broad and effective international legal instrument against corruption, 01 49748 Distr.: General 9 April 2002