Assembly adopts 20 texts on decolonization issues, reviews status of 14 territories.

The General Assembly on 31 October took 20 decisions on the recommendation of the Fourth Committee, concluding the 1986 work of the Committee. Action was taken relating to 14 Territories, activities of foreign economic and other interests, military activities by colonial Powers, and implementation of the 1960 Declaration on decolonization by the specialized agencies. Also dealt with was information from Non-Self-Governing Territories, the United Nations Educational and Training Programme for Southern Africa, and offers by member States of study and training facilities for inhabitants of Non-self-governing Territories.

The Fourth Committee decided it would not act at that stage on a draft on the Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands submitted by the Special Committee on decolonization.

The Fourth Committee also heard petitioners on the Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands, implementation of the 1960 decolonization Declaration by the specialized agencies, Namibia, Guam, Western Sahara, the Turks and Caicos Islands, and the Falkland Islands (Malvinas).

Western Sahara: In resolution 41/16, adopted by a vote of 98 in favour to none against, with 44 abstentions, the Assembly reaffirmed that the question of Western Sahara was one of decolonization, and that its solution lay in implementation of the plan approved in 1983 by the Organization of African Unity (OAU).

The two parties to the conflict - Morocco and the Frente Popular para la Liberacion de Saguia el-Hamra y de Rio de Oro (POLISARIO) - were asked to undertake direct negotiations, in the shortest possible time, with a view to bringing about a cease-fire to create the necessary conditions for a peaceful and fair referendum for self-determination of the people of Western Sahara, a referendum without any administrative or military constraints, under the auspices of OAU and the United Nations.

Efforts of the current OAU Chairman and the United Nations Secretary-General to promote the just and definitive solution of the question of Western Sahara were welcomed. They were invited to continue to exert every effort to persuade Morocco and POLISARIO to negotiate, in the shortest possible time and in conformity with the OAU plan, General Assembly resolution 40/50 and the present resolution, the terms of ceas-efire and the modalities for organizing the referendum.

In his report (A/41/673), the Secretary-General summarized activities he had undertaken on the question of Western Sahara since December 1985, describing, in particular, the two series of contacts he had had with the parties in conflict during April-May 1986 and his discussion with King Hassan II in Rabat in July 1986, and with OAU.

The Secretary-General concluded that the search for a negotiated, just and lasting solution to the Western Sahara conflict must continue. The initiative, in which Morocco and Frente POLISARIO had agreed to participate and for which both the United Nations and OAU had assumed responsibility, constituted a "credible framework for negotiations", he said.

He further stated that the next step would be for him and the current OAU Chairman to submit to the parties, proposals to help the present phase and enable the people of Western Sahara to make progress along the path to self-determination, in accordance with General Assembly resolution 40/50.

He also warned against underestimating obstacles to be overcome. The positions of the parties on such basic questions as the arrangements for the cease-fire and the modalities for organizing and conducting the envisaged referendum remained far apart. Parties must be more accommodating in their respective positions to facilitate a solution. "It is against the degree of flexibility displayed that the political will of the parties for a just and lasting solution will be measured", he concluded.

The Assembly also had before it a 17 October note verbale from the Permanent Mission of Morocco to the Secretary-General (A/41/723), in which Morocco expressed satisfaction at the Secretary-General's report on the question of Western Sahara. Due to its "impartial and balanced nature", Morocco said, the report made "the devising of a just and durable solution to the question of Western Sahara in the near future a foreseeable possibility". Unfortunately, "reason and wisdom did not prevail", and a draft resolution on Western Sahara had been put forward in the Fourth Committee "in an attempt to diminish, by setting a number of pre-conditions, the very essence of the Secretary-General's initiative, thereby jeopardizing the impetus for peace that he had set in motion", Morocco said.

A representative of POLISARIO told the Fourth Committee that the Saharan people were entitled to self-determination and independence in accordance with resolution 1514 (XV); the occupation of parts of Western Sahara by Morocco was illegal and the cause of war. The Frente POLISARIO was the authentic and legitimate representative of the Saharan people.

Frente POLISARIO felt that the OAU peace plan, General Assembly resolution 40/50 and the present draft resolution constituted a whole whose essential elements-direct negotiation, cease-fire and peaceful and fair referendum - could not be separated from one another and that their order could not be reversed without upsetting the peace plan.

Small Territories

By adopting texts on 13 small dependent Territories, the Assembly reaffirmed the inalienable right of the peoples of those Territories to self-determination and independence in conformity with the decolonization Declaration and reiterated the view that such factors as territorial size, geographical location, size of population and limited natural resources should in no way delay the speedy exercise by those peoples of their right to self-determination and independence.

The Assembly stated that it was ultimately for the peoples of the Territories themselves to determine freely their future political status, and reaffirmed the importance of fostering an awareness among those peoples of the possibilities open to them in the exercise of their right to self-determination and independence.

It also reaffirmed the responsibility of the administering Powers to promote the economic and social development of the respective Territories and urged them to safeguard the inalienable rights of the peoples of the Territories to the enjoyment of their natural. resources by taking effective measures to ensure their right to own and dispose of those natural resources and to establish and maintain control of their future development.

American Samoa: In resolution 41/23, adopted without a vote, the Assembly noted that, pursuant to an act of Congress, the United States Secretary of the Interior was no longer authorized to make changes unilaterally in the Constitution of American Samoa and that the Samoan people were the final ratifying authority over the Constitution, and called on the administering Power, the United States, to respond favourably to the expressed request of the Samoan people to appoint the Chief justice and other members of the Territory's judiciary themselves. The Assembly expressed the hope that the development planning process initiated by the first 5-year development plan would be continued and strengthened.

Anguilla: By resolution 41/17, adopted without a vote, the Assembly called on the administering Power, the United Kingdom, to continue to strengthen the economy of Anguilla, increase its assistance to programmes of diversification and continue the assistance necessary for the increased employment of the local population in the civil service. It also recalled the recommendation of the 1984 United Nations Visiting Mission to Anguilla that the administering Power should continue to make every effort to facilitate and encourage the participation of representatives of the Territory in regional and international organizations, including the Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean.

It also called on the administering Power to intensify its efforts to strengthen and diversify the economy of American Samoa and to make it more viable in order to reduce its heavy economic and financial dependence on the United States and to create employment opportunities for the people of the Territory.

Bermuda: By adopting resolution 41/18 without a vote, the Assembly reaffirmed its strong conviction that the presence of military bases and installations in the Territory could constitute a major obstacle to the implementation of the Declaration on decolonization and that. it was the responsibility of the administering Power, the United Kingdom, to ensure that the existence of such bases and installations did not hinder the population of the Territory from exercising its right to self-determination and independence.

The Assembly urged the administering Power to continue to take all necessary measures not to involve Bermuda in any offensive acts or interference against other States. Specialized agencies and other organizations of the United Nations were urged to continue to pay special attention to the development needs of Bermuda. The Assembly emphasized the desirability of sending a visiting mission to the Territory and requested the administering Power to facilitate such a mission at the earliest possible opportunity.

British Virgin Islands: In resolution 41/19, adopted without a vote, the Assembly called on the administering Power, the United Kingdom, to intensify its efforts to broaden the base of the economy of the British Virgin Islands, and urged specialized agencies and other United Nations bodies to intensify measures to accelerate the social and economic progress of the Territory. It also called on the administering Power to facilitate the adoption of a manpower training programme by further upgrading the educational system, in order to expand the participation of the local population in the decision-making process in all sectors and to fill managerial and technical positions with local persons.

Cayman Islands: The Assembly, by adopting without a vote resolution 41/20, recommended that the administering Power, the United Kingdom, should continue to give priority to the diversification of the economy of the Cayman Islands in order to provide the foundations for sound social and economic development. It called on the specialized agencies and other organizations of the United Nations, as well as regional institutions such as the Caribbean Development Bank, to take all necessary measures to accelerate progress in the social and economic life of the Territory.

Gibraltar: By its consensus statement on Gibraltar, the Assembly welcomed the fact that, pursuant to the Brussels joint statement by Spain and the United Kingdom of 27 November 1984, equality and reciprocity of rights had been established on 5 February 1985 for Spaniards in Gibraltar and Gibraltarians in Spain, together with the free movement of persons, vehicles and goods between Gibraltar and the neighbouring Territory. It also welcomed the fact that the two Governments had initiated in Geneva on 5 February 1985 the negotiating process provided for in the Brussels statement, and urged them to continue the negotiations with the object of reaching a lasting solution to the problem of Gibraltar.

Guam: By resolution 41/25, adopted without a vote, the Assembly reaffirmed its strong conviction that the presence of military bases and installations in Guam could constitute a major obstacle to the implementation of the Declaration and that it was the responsibility of the administering Power, the United States, to ensure that the existence of such bases and installations did not hinder the population of the Territory from exercising its right to self-determination and independence.

The Assembly urged the administering Power to continue to take all necessary measures not to involve the Territory in any offensive acts or interference against other States and to comply fully with the purposes and principles of the Charter, the Declaration and the resolutions and decisions of the General Assembly relating to military activities and arrangements. It called on the administering Power to take further steps to strengthen and diversify the economy of Guam, with a view of reducing its economic dependence on the United States. The Assembly reiterated that one obstacle to economic growth stemmed from the fact that large tracts of land were held by the United States federal authorities, and called on the administering Power to expedite the transfer of land to the people of Guam.

The Assembly also noted the statement by the representative of the administering Power that should the Guamanian voters approve it in a plebiscite planned for 1987, the draft text of a Commonwealth Act proposed by the Guam Commission on Self-determination would be submitted to the United States Congress for consideration.

Montserrat: In resolution 41/21, adopted without a vote, the Assembly called on the administering Power, the United Kingdom, to continue to strengthen the economy of Montserrat and to increase assistance to programmes of diversification in order to promote balanced growth and the economic and financial viability of the Territory; to continue the assistance necessary for the employment of the local population in the civil service, particularly at senior levels; and to take urgent steps to facilitate the readmission of Montserrat as associate member of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization.

St. Helena: In adopting its decision on St. Helena, the Assembly expressed the view that the administering Power, the United Kingdom, should continue to implement infrastructure and community development projects aimed at improving the general welfare of the community, including the critical unemployment situation, and to encourage local initiative and enterprise. The Assembly noted with concern the trade and transportation dependency of the Territory on South Africa as well as the continued presence of military facilities on the dependency of Ascension Island.

The vote was, 125 in favour to 2 against (United Kingdom, United States), with 26 abstentions.

The Fourth Committee, by a vote of 75 in favour to 30 against, with 21 abstentions, had decided to retain in the text the reference to the presence of military facilities on Ascension Island.

Tokelau: In adopting resolution 41/26 without a vote, the Assembly approved the report of the 1986 United Nations Visiting Mission to Tokelau and endorsed its observations, conclusions and recommendations. The Assembly noted that the people of Tokelau had expressed their desire to maintain at this stage their present status and relationship with the administering Power, New Zealand.

It also noted the continuing development of the General Fono as Tokelau's highest political body, and considered that the process of devolution of authority to Tokelau's political and administrative institutions should continue. The Assembly urged the administering Power, in co-operation with the Tokelau Public Service, to expand and intensify its programme of political education in the Territory so as to improve the awareness of the people of the options available to them in the exercise of their right to self-determination and independence. The people of Tokelau were commended for their determination to manage their economic and political development in such a way as to ensure that it did not compromise or undermine their cultural heritage. The Assembly welcomed the assurance of the administering Power that legislation affecting Tokelau would only be passed after consultation with the General Fono of Tokelau.

Turks and Caicos Islands: By resolution 41/22, adopted without a vote, the Assembly urged the administering Power, the United Kingdom, in consultation with the territorial Government, to take all necessary measures to intensify and expand its programme of assistance in order to accelerate the development of the economic and social infrastructure of the Turks and Caicos Islands.

It emphasized that greater attention should be paid to the diversification of the economy, which would benefit the people of the Territory, and urged the administering Power, in consultation with the territorial Government, to continue to provide the assistance for the training of qualified local personnel in the skills essential to the development of various sectors of the economy and the society of the Territory.

Pitcairn: In a consensus statement on Pitcairn, the Assembly urged the administering Power, the United Kingdom, to continue to respect the "very individual life-style" that the people of the Territory had chosen and to preserve, promote and protect it.

United States Virgin Islands: By adopting without a vote resolution 41/24, the Assembly urged the administering Power, the United States, to strengthen the economy of the United States Virgin Islands by taking additional measures of diversification and continuing to develop the Territory's infrastructure with a view to reducing its heavy economic dependence on the United States.

It reiterated its call on the administering Power to facilitate further the participation of the United States Virgin Islands in various regional and intergovernmental bodies and organizations, and in other organizations of the United Nations. The administering Power was urged to continue to take all necessary measures to comply fully with the purposes and principles of the United Nations Charter, the Declaration and the relevant Assembly resolutions and decisions relating to military activities and arrangements by colonial Powers in Territories under their administration.

Other action

Foreign economic interests: By resolution 41/14, the Assembly condemned the activities of foreign economic and other interests in the colonial Territories impeding the implementation of the Declaration on decolonization. It also condemned the collaboration of "certain Western and other countries" with the racist minority regime of South Africa in the nuclear field and called on those and all other Governments to refrain from supplying that regime with installations, equipment or material that might enable it to produce uranium, plutonium and other nuclear materials, reactors or military equipment. The Assembly further called on all States, in particular "certain Western States", to take urgent, effective measures to terminate all collaboration with the racist regime of South Africa in the political, diplomatic, economic, trade, military and nuclear fields.

The vote was 125 in favour to 11 against (Belgium, Costa Rica, France, Federal Republic of Germany, Israel, Italy, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Portugal, United Kingdom, United States), with 15 abstentions.

Military activities: In its decision on military activities and arrangements by colonial Powers in Territories under their administration, the Assembly reiterated its condemnation of such activities that were detrimental to the rights and interests of the peoples concerned and deplored the fact that the colonial Powers concerned had taken no steps to implement the request that the Assembly had repeatedly addressed to them to withdraw immediately and unconditionally their military bases and installations from colonial Territories and to refrain from establishing new ones.

The Assembly condemned South Africa for its military build-up in Namibia, particularly its persistent acts of aggression and subversion against Angola and Mozambique, its introduction of compulsory military service for Namibians, and its use of mercenaries to reinforce its illegal occupation of Namibia and to participate in its attacks against independent African States. It demanded the urgent dismantling of all military bases in Namibia and called for the immediate cessation of the war of oppression waged by the racist minority regime against the people of Namibia and their national liberation movement, the South West Africa People's Organization (SWAPO). The Assembly also condemned the continued military, nuclear and intelligence collaboration between South Africa and certain countries, which constituted a violation of the arms embargo imposed against South Africa by the Security Council in its resolution 418 (1977).

The text was approved by a vote of 124 in favour to 13 against (Belgium, Costa Rica, El Salvador, France, Federal Republic of Germany, Israel, Italy, Japan, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Portugal, United Kingdom, United States), with 15 abstentions.

Specialized agencies: Under resolution 41/15, adopted by a vote of 123 in favour to 4 against (Israel, Malawi, United Kingdom, United States), with 27 abstentions, the Assembly expressed its concern that the assistance extended thus far by certain specialized agencies and other organizations of the United Nations system to the colonial peoples, particularly the people of Namibia and their national liberation movement, SWAPO, was "far from adequate in relation to the actual needs of the peoples concerned". All specialized agencies and other United Nations bodies were asked to take all necessary measures to withhold from South Africa any form of cooperation and assistance in the financial, economic, technical and other fields and to discontinue all support to that regime "until the people of Namibia have exercised fully their right to self-determination, freedom and independence in a united Namibia and until the inhuman system of apartheid has been totally eradicated".

The Assembly condemned the collaboration between the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and South Africa in disregard of repeated Assembly resolutions and called on the Fund to end such collaboration. It requested specialized agencies and other organizations of the United Nations system to render, as a matter of urgency, all possible moral and material assistance to the colonial peoples struggling for liberation from colonial rule.

The Fourth Committee, before approving the draft, had decided by a vote of 72 in favour to 49 against, with 24 abstentions, to retain the reference to Israel in a preambular paragraph mentioning the policy of "constructive engagement" with the apartheid regime of South Africa, and collaboration maintained by some Western countries and Israel with Pretoria?

Information: By resolution 41/13, adopted by a vote of 149 in favour to none against, with 3 abstentions (France, United Kingdom, United States), the Assembly requested the administering Powers concerned to transmit to the Secretary-General the information prescribed in Article 73e of the United Nations Charter (relating to economic, social and educational conditions in Territories), as well as the fullest possible information on political and constitutional developments in the Territories concerned and reaffirms that, in the absence of a decision by the General Assembly itself that a Non-Self-Governing Territory has attained a full measure of self-government in terms of chapter XI of the Charter, the administering Power concerned should continue to transmit information under Article 73 e with respect to that Territory.

Training: In resolution 41/27, adopted without a vote, the Assembly expressed appreciation to all those who supported the United Nations Educational and Training Programme for Southern Africa by providing contributions, scholarships or places in their educational institutions, and appealed to all States, institutions, organizations and individuals to offer greater financial and other support to the Programme in order to secure its continuation and steady expansion.

According to the Secretary-General's report (A/41/678 and Corr. 1), since 23 October 1985, the Programme had received voluntary contributions totalling $3,131,890. Additional pledges for 1986 totalled $339,014.

By resolution 41/28 without a vote, the Assembly invited all States to make generous offers of study and training facilities to inhabitants of Non-Self-Governing Territories and, wherever possible, to provide travel funds to prospective students. The administering Powers were urged to take effective measures to ensure the widespread and continuous dissemination in Territories of information relating to offers of study and training facilities by States and to provide all the necessary facilities to enable students to take up the offers.

The Secretary-General reported (A/41/664 and Add. 1) that, as of 30 September 1986, 35 Member States had offered to make scholarships available for the use of inhabitants of the Territories.