Fourth Committee takes action on Western Sahara, small territories, other decolonization issues.

Fourth Committee takes action on Western Sahara small Territories, other decolonization issues

The Fourth Committee (Decolonization) in November concluded its work for the fortieth session after considering the question of Western Sahara, the status of 14 other Territories, and the implementation of the 1960 Declaration on the Granting of Independence to Colonial Countries and Peoples.

The Committee on 12 November approved a 44-Power resolution on Western Sahara, adopted by the General Assembly on 2 December by a vote of 96 in favour to 7 against (Central African Republic, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, Guatemala, Morocco, Philippines, Zaire), with 39 abstentions. By it, Morocco and the Frente Popular para la Liberacion de Saguia el-Hamra y Rio de Oro (POLISARIO), were asked to undertake direct negotiations, in the shortest possible time, with a view to bringing about a cease-fire so as to create the necessary conditions for a peaceful and fair referendum for self-determination of the people of Western Sahara. The referendum was to be held "without any administrative or military constraints", under the auspices of the Organization of African Unity and the United Nations.

A resolution on implementation of the Declaration on decolonization by specialized agencies, recommended by the Committee, was also adopted in the Assembly on 2 December with a vote of 126 in favour to 3 against (Israel, United Kingdom, United States), with 22 abstentions. By it, the Assembly expressed its concern that the assistance extended thus far by certain specialized agencies to the colonial peoples, particularly the people of Namibia, was far from adequate in relation to the actual needs of the peoples concerned and reiterated the appeal to the specialized agencies to intensify their efforts to assist dependent peoples. It also called on the IMF to end that collaboration and not to grant new loans to South Africa.

The Committee also recommended draft consensus texts relating to Tokelau, Pitcairn and Gibraltar, a draft decision concerning St. Helena and nine other resolutions relating to Anguilla, American Samoa, Bermuda, British Virgin Islands, Cayman Islands, Guam, Montserrat, Turks and Caicos Islands, and the United States Virgin Islands. In all those cases, the Committee acted on recommendations of the Special Committee on decolonization.

The Committee decided it would not act on a draft on the question of the Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands. East Timor was not considered by the Fourth Committee, as the Assembly had decided to defer consideration of the question to its next session (see decision 40/402).

Other resolutions adopted dealt with 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. All those drafts were approved on 2 December by the General Assembly.

During the general debate on decolonization issues in the Fourth Committee, the majority of speakers declared that, irrespective of the size, population or geographical location, the peoples of small Territories had the same right to self-determination and independence as those of the other Territories, stressed the need to continue to dispatch visiting missions to colonial Territories and urged the administering Powers concerned to permit access of such missions to the Territories concerned; expressed deep concern at the continuing critical situation regarding Namibia and called for implementation forthwith of Security Council resolution 435 (1978); reaffirmed that information under Article 73 e of the Charter should continue to be transmitted until the Assembly had determined otherwise; called for greater financial support to the United Nations Educational and Training Programme for Southern Africa and invited all States to make generous offers of study and training facilities to peoples of colonial Territories.

Petitioners were heard on Western Sahara, Namibia, the Falkland Islands (Malvinas), Guam and the Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands. Australia, Denmark (on behalf of Finland, Iceland, Norway and Sweden), France, the United States and the United Kingdom maintained that it was beyond the competence of the Committee to hear petitioners on the question of the Trust Territory of the Pacific islands.

Action

Western Sahara: The Assembly, in adopting resolution 40/50, reaffirmed that the question of Western Sahara was a question of decolonization, and that its solution lay in implementation of the Organization of African Unity 1983 plan. Efforts of the OAU Chairman and the United Nations Secretary-General to promote a just and definitive solution of the question of Western Sahara were welcomed.

An alternative draft put forward by Morocco and seven other nations was withdrawn after amendments referring to direct talks between Morocco and POLISARIO were introduced. Under the Moroccan text, the Assembly would have decided that a free and democratic referendum should be organized beginning in January 1986, to enable the authentic population of Western Sahara fully to exercise their inalienable right to self-determination. The Secretary-General would have been asked to take appropriate steps to organize that referendum.

Abdellatif Filali, Foreign Minister of Morocco, stated that, by adopting the same resolution as it had adopted in 1984 on the "question" of Western Sahara, the Committee had opted for action that was "ineffective and inapplicable". Morocco had hoped by its draft to gain wide support for peace and dialogue. Although it was prepared to seek compromise and dialogue, Morocco would "not surrender its principles" and had now exhausted all the resources available to it.

Morocco therefore was not prepared to take part in any discussion or negotiation on the Territory in the United Nations bodies, nor would it consider itself bound by any resolution adopted by the General Assembly in its absence. It continued "to place confidence in the Secretary-General and was prepared to listen to him whenever the General Assembly allowed him to act in accordance with the Charter".

Morocco's presence in the Territory was legitimate. Morocco had always considered Western Sahara to be an integral part of its national territory.

POLISARIO had been created, organized and financed by a foreign Power to serve "unacknowledged purposes", he went on. Morocco could in no way negotiate with that movement. Until the population had expressed its will through a free and unrestricted referendum, no movement could claim to represent it with any legitimacy. Morocco had never been opposed to direct negotiation. It had been engaged in talks for some time with the Algerian Government. The problem was one for the two countries alone. Morocco therefore approved the idea of direct negotiation, but only with Algeria, Mr. Filali concluded.

Mansour Omar of POLISARIO, said the three fundamental principles of the peace plan for Western Sahara were direct negotiation between the two belligerents; withdrawal of Moroccan troops and their replacement by a United Nations and OAU peace-keeping force that would organize a referendum; and holding a referendum free from military or administrative pressure.

However, he said, despite the acceptance of the peace plan by the international community, Morocco was trying to exclude the OAU from the decolonization process in Western Sahara by announcing its willingness to hold a referendum on self-determination there on its own terms. Morocco's professions of good will were "merely ploys to avoid further isolation and gain time in which to strengthen its colonial occupation".

Morocco was "undermining the culture and customs of the Sahrawi people" and was "ruthlessly exploiting the wealth of the country with the help of profit-seeking foreign enterprises". The hopeless and costly war had only intensified and become more brutal since 1985. POLISARIO hoped that the United Nations and OAU would try "to persuade Morocco to abandon its colonialist policy so as to prevent further bloodshed".

In his report (A/40/692), Secretary-General Javier Perez de Cuellar described contacts he had had with the parties in conflict, and with OAU and several African Heads of State and Foreign Ministers. The Acting OAU Secretary-General on 27 August 1985 had informed Mr. Perez de Cuellar that OAU was still preoccupied with the Western Sahara conflict, but that no progress could be envisaged as long as the 1983 resolution adopted by the OAU remained unimplemented.

Small Territories

American Samoa. In resolution 40/41, adopted without a vote, the Assembly reaffirmed the responsibility of the administering Power, the United States, under the United Nations Charter, to promote the economic and social development of the Territory and 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.

Guam. In adopting resolution 40/42 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 and that the administering Power, the United States, should 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 also urged the administering Power to continue to take all necessary measures not to involve the Territory in any offensive acts or interference against any other States, called upon the administering Power to expedite the process of decolonization and took note of the statement by the administering Power that the Guam Commission on Self-Determination, appointed in February 1984 to deal with the status question acceptable to the people of the Territory for submission to the Congress of the United States for approval, hoped to hold a local referendum before the end of 1985.

Bermuda. By resolution 40/43, adopted without a vote, the Assembly urged the administering Power, the United Kingdom, taking into account the rights, interests and wishes of the people of Bermuda expressed freely in conditions leading to real self-determination, to continue to take all necessary steps to ensure the full and speedy implementation of General Assembly resolution 1514 (XV). 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 and that the administering Power should 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 also emphasized the desirability of sending a Visiting Mission to the Territory at the earliest possible opportunity.

British Virgin Islands. In resolution 40/44, adopted without a vote, the Assembly reiterated that the administering Power, the United Kingdom, should create conditions in the Territory to enable its people to exercise freely and without interference their inalienable right to self-determination and independence. The Assembly noted the continuing commitment of the territorial Government to the goal of economic diversification and reiterated its call upon the administering Power, in co-operation with the territorial Government, to intensify its efforts in that regard. The specialized agencies and other United Nations bodies were urged to intensify measures to accelerate the economic and social progress of the Territory.

Cayman Islands. By adopting resolution 40/45 without a vote, the Assembly reaffirmed that it was ultimately for the people of the Cayman Islands themselves to detrmine their future politicial status in accordance with relevant provisions of the United Nations Charter and the Declaration, and reaffirmed the importance of fostering an awareness among the people of the Territory of the possibilities open to them in the exercise of their right to self-determination and independence. The administering Power, the United Kingdom, in co-operation witht he territorial Government, was urged to safeguard the inalienable right of the people of the Territory to the enjoyment of their natural resources by taking effective measures to ensure their right to own and dispose of thoe resources and to establish and maintain control of their future development.

Montserrat. The Assembly, by adopting without a vote resolution 40/46, 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 the people of the Territory of their inalienable right to self-determination and independence, and urged the administering Power, the United Kingdom, to take the necessary measures, in co-operation with the territorial Government, to restore sustained and balanced growth to the economy of the Territory and to intensify its assistance in the development of all sectors thereof, which would benefit the people of the Territory.

Turks and Caicos Islands. In resolution 40/47, adopted without a vote, the Assembly reaffirmed the inalienable right of the people of the Territory to self-determination and independence in conformity with the Declaration on decolonization, emphasized that greater attention should be paid to diversification of the economy, which would benefit the people of the Territory, and requested the administering Power, the United Kingdom, in consultation with the territorial Government, to continue to provide the assistance necessary for the training of qualified local personnel in skills essential to the development of various sectors of the economy and the society of the Territory.

Anguilla. By adopting resolution 40/48 without a vote, the Assembly 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 the people of the Territory of their inalienable right to self-determination and independence, and called upon the administering Power, the United Kingdom, to continue to facilitate the participation of Anguilla in the Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean and its subsidiary body, the Caribbean Development and Co-operation Committee, and in other organizations of the United Nations system.

United States Virgin Islands. In resolution 40/49, adopted without a vote, the Assembly reaffirmed that it was ultimately for the people of the United States Virgin Islands themselves to determine their future political status and reaffirmed the importance of fostering an awareness among the people of the Territory of the possibilities open to them in the exercise of their right to self-determination. The Assembly noted that the Legislature had endorsed the report of the Select Committee, established by the Senate in 1983 to ascertain the views of the people of the Territory on their future status; the report included, inter alia, a recommendation that a referendum on the status issue should be held on 4 November 1986, in conjunction with the next general election for people of the Territory to choose between a variety of status options including independence, statehood, free association, incorporated territory, status quo or a compact of federal relations. The administering Power, the United States, was urged, in cooperation with the territorial Government, to strengthen the economy of the Territory by taking additional measures of diversification in all fields and developing an adequate infrastructure with a view to reducing its economic dependence on the United States.

Tokelau. By decision 40/411, adopted without a vote, the Assembly reaffirmed the inalienable right of the people of Tokelau to self-determination and independence and reaffirmed that it was the responsibility of the administering Power, New Zealand, to keep the people of the Territory fully informed of that right. The Assembly noted that the people of Tokelau had expressed the view that, for the time being, they did not wish to review the nature of the existing relationship between Tokelau and New Zealand but that they desired to be given some latitude and some degree of autonomy in decision-making. The Assembly welcomed the assurances of the administering Power that it would continue to be guided solely by the wishes of the people of Tokelau as to the future status of the Territory and noted the continuing efforts of the administering Power to promote the economic development of the Territory and measures it had taken to safeguard and guarantee the rights of the people of Tokelau to all their natural resources.

Pitcairn. In adopting decision 40/412 without a vote, the Assembly took note of the statement of the representative of the United Kingdom affirming that his Government's policy was one of respect for the very individual lifestyle that the people of the Territory had freely chosen and that it perceived its role as the administering Power as doing what it could to preserve, promote and protect it.

Gibraltar. In its decision 40/413, adopted without a vote, 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 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.

The Fourth Committee had reviewed letters from Spain (A/40/113) and the United Kingdom (A/40/121) to the Secretary-General, in which the two Governments reaffirmed their positions concerning Gibraltar in the light of their Brussels joint statement. The joint letter from Spain and the United Kingdom to the Secretary-General (A/40/429) contained the text of notes on Gibraltar exchanged on 13 June 1985 between the two States on the occasion of the signature of the Treaty concerning the accession of Spain to the European Communities.

St. Helena. In decision 40/414, the Assembly urged the administering Power, the United Kingdom, to continue to take all necessary steps to ensure the speedy implementation of the Declaration on decolonization in respect of the Territory and reaffirmed the importance of promoting an awareness among the people of St. Helena of the possibilities open to them in the exercise of their right to self-determination. The Assembly also noted with concern the presence of military facilities on the dependency of Ascension Island and recalled all the relevant United Nations resolutions and decisions concerning military bases and installations in colonial and non-self-governing Territories.

The vote was 121 in favour to 2 against (United Kingdom, United States), with 31 abstentions.

The draft decision on St. Helena was adopted by the Fourth Committee by a recorded vote of 112 in favour to 3 against (Iceland, United Kingdom, United States), with 25 abstentions. Before approving the draft, the Committee decided by a recorded vote of 77 in favour to 27 against, with 27 abstentions to retain in the text a reference to the presence of military facilities on Ascension Island.

Specialized agencies

By resolution 40/53, the Assembly asked all specialized agencies and other United Nations bodies to take all necessary measures to withhold from South Africa any form of 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 inalienable right to self-determination, freedom and national independence in a united Namibia and until the inhuman system of apartheid has been totally eradicated". The Assembly said that the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund should end all links with the racist regime. Specialized agencies and other organizations of the United Nations were asked to render all possible moral and material assistance to the colonial peoples struggling for liberation from colonial rule as well as to the newly independent and emerging States so as to enable them to achieve genuine economic independence.

Information

The Assembly adopted, by a vote of 149 in favour to none against, with 3 abstentions (France, United Kingdom, United States), resolution 40/51, by which it asked the administering Powers to transmit to the Secretary-General the information prescribed in Article 73e of the 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.

Training Programme

Resolution 40/54, adopted without a vote, concerned the United Nations Educational and Training Programme for Southern Africa. The Assembly expressed its appreciation to all those that had supported the Programme 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.

Since 23 October 1984, voluntary contributions totalling $2,886,998 had been received. Additional pledges for 1985 totalled $237,432.

Study and training: In resolution 40/55, adopted without a vote, the Assembly invited all States to make generous offers of study and training facilities for inhabitants of non-self-governing Territories and, wherever possible, to provide travel funds to prospective students, and urged the administering Powers 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/40/718) that, as of 30 September 1985, 33 Member States had offered to make scholarships available to inhabitants of the Territories. Student programmes were planned or under way in the USSR, Ukrainian SSR, Byelorussian SSR, Federal Republic of Germany, Malta, Czechoslovakia, Austria, Poland, Sudan and Turkey.