International decisions emanating from UNGEGN:

  I/12 Romanization of Arabic geographical names

The Conference, Noting the Romanization system currently being employed in the transliteration of names for official Romanized maps of some Arabic-speaking countries, such as Libya and Saudi Arabia, Noting further the different Romanization system being used in the current mapping of other Arabic-speaking countries, such as Lebanon and Syria, Recognizing the variety of systems being used in other Arabic-speaking countries, Recommends that those Arabic-speaking countries which intend to produce Romanized maps or gazetteers for official use investigate the possibility of agreeing on a single system for the Romanization of Arabic geographical names for official use in all Arabic-speaking countries, or alternatively, if a single Romanization system proves to be impracticable, that the use of two systems only be considered, one based on the French system of transliteration and the second on the English.

 II/8 Romanization of Arabic geographical names

The Conference, Considering resolutions 11 and 12 of the First United Nations Conference on the Standardization of Geographical Names, Noting the system adopted by the Arabic experts at the conference held at Beirut in 1971, which is reproduced in the annex to document E/CONF.61/L.77,25 Further noting the practical amendments carried out and agreed upon by the representatives of the Arabic-speaking countries at their conference, Recommends the adoption of the amended Beirut system, as shown in the annex to E/CONF.61/L.77, for the Romanization of the geographical names within those Arabic-speaking countries where this system is officially acknowledged.

 III/9 Romanization of Arabic characters

 The Conference, Considering the importance attached to establishing a single system for the transliteration of Arabic into Roman, Considering the effort achieved with respect to transliteration and the results obtained by the Beirut Conference (1971) and the modifications attached to the Beirut Systems at the Second United Nations Conference on the Standardization of Geographical Names, Noting the technical and practical difficulties met with in the application of the amended Beirut System,29 Recommends that the Arabic division meet and discuss the Moroccan proposal to arrive at a solution to be presented at the eighth session of the United Nations Group of Experts of Geographical Names.

 VII/4 Review of the amended Beirut system of 1972 for the Romanization of Arabic script

The Conference, Bearing in mind the various resolutions, in particular resolutions 8 and 9, respectively, of the second and third United Nations Conferences on the Standardization of Geographical Names; Noting that the Arab countries, at the recommendation of Arab experts, in 1972 adopted a system for the Romanization of Arabic script, which was amended in 1972; Observing that, despite the efforts that have been made, difficulties remain with respect to the application of this system of Romanization, Recommends that the League of Arab States should, through its specialized structures, continue its efforts to organize a conference with a view to considering the difficulties encountered in applying the amended Beirut system of 1972 for the Romanization of Arabic script, and submit, as soon as possible, a solution to the United Nations Group of Experts on Geographical Names.