questions relating to decolonization

Questions relating to decolonization 9 4 5

Chapter I

Questions relating to decolonization

During 1992, the United Nations continued its ef-forts to eliminate colonialism in all its forms andmanifestations. The General Assembly’s SpecialCommittee on the Situation with regard to the Im-plementation of the Declaration on the Grantingof Independence to Colonial Countries and Peo-ples (the Committee on colonial countries) heldits session in New York (5 February-l June and20 July-7 August), at which it considered variousaspects of the implementation of the 1960 Decla-ration on the Granting of Independence to Co-lonial Countries and Peoples. The Committee ex-amined decolonizat ion in general as well asindividual Non-Self-Governing Territories.

1960 Declarationon colonial countries

The United Nations, in 1992, reaffirmed the1960 Declaration on the Granting of Independenceto Colonial Countries and Peoples(1) as the basisfor the decolonization process.

Plan of Action for theDecade for the Eradication of Colonialism

In accordance with the Plan of Action adoptedby the General Assembly in 1991(2) for the Dec-ade for the Eradication of Colonialism (1990-2000), which the Assembly had declared in1988,(3) the Committee on colonial countries or-ganized a seminar in the Caribbean region to re-view the special development needs of island ter-ritories (St. George’s, Grenada, 17-19 June 1992).The seminar was attended by representatives fromthe Non-Self-Governing Territories (NSGTs) ofBermuda, British Virgin Islands, Montserrat,Turks and Caicos Islands and United States Vir-gin Islands and focused on a broad range of eco-nomic and social conditions, including: problemsof small , s t ructural ly open economies; foodproduction; tourism development; development ofoffshore financial centres; drug trafficking andmoney laundering; development of f inancialmanagement expertise; industrial development;human resources development; environmental is-sues; disaster preparedness and relief; the role ofspecialized agencies, international and regional or-ganizations in economic and social development;

and the provision of technical assistance. It alsoconsidered regional cooperation concerning thepreservation and protection of marine resourcesfrom over-exploitation; sea and air transport;higher education; research and development; andregional pooling arrangements for sharing specialskills and expertise. On 19 June, the seminaradopted a final document summarizing its discus-sions and recommendations which was containedin the Committee’s report on the seminar.(4) Theseminar’s guidelines and rules of procedure werecontained in a separate report to the Committeeon colonial countries.(5)

On 4 August,(6) the Working Group of the Com-mittee on colonial countries decided to recommendto the Committee that the conclusions and recom-mendations of the seminar be taken into accountin considering the situation in the Caribbean Ter-ritories. Noting that the Plan of Action for the Decadeprovided for the holding of seminars in the Carib-bean and Pacific regions alternately, the WorkingGroup decided to recommend that the Commit-tee organize a seminar in the Pacific region in 1993to consider issues relating to the Trust and Non-Self-Governing Territories. The Working Group fur-ther decided to recommend that the Committee in-vite United Nations organs, agencies and institu-tions to inform the Secretary-General of actions takenin implementing a 1991 Assembly resolution relatingto the Plan of Action.(2) The Committee on colonialcountries approved those recommendations with-out objection.(7)

Commit tee on co lonia l count r iesThe Committee on colonial countries held its

1992 session in two parts, with a total of 14 meet-ings from 5 February to 1 June and from 20 Julyt o 7 A u g u s t i n N e w Y o r k , ( 7 ) a t w h i c h i t c o n s i d e r e d

aspects of the implementation of the 1960 Decla-ration. It considered the reports of its WorkingGroup,(6) a report of an open-ended WorkingGroup on improving the efficiency of the Com-mittee’s work(8) and five reports of the newlymerged Subcommittee on Small Territories, Peti-tions, Information and Assistance (formerly theSubcommittee on Small Territories and the Sub-committee on Petitions, Information and As-sistance) on the dissemination of information ondecolonization,(9) examination of petitions,(10)Pitcairn,(11) St. Helena,(12) and 10 other small Ter-ritories.(13)

9 4 6 Trusteeship and decolonization

In February, (14) the United States informed theGeneral Assembly that it had decided to suspendits cooperation with the Special Committee, claim-ing that it had focused on an outmoded agendainstead of new approaches aimed at addressing thespecific needs of the few remaining NSGTs.

Implementa t ion of the Decla ra t ion

GENERAL ASSEMBLY ACTION

On 25 November 1992, the General Assemblyadopted reso lu t ion 47 /23 by recorded vo te .

Implementation of the Declaration on the Granting ofIndependence to Colonial Countries and Peoples

The General Assembly,Having examined the report of the Special Committee

on the Situation with regard to the Implementation ofthe Declaration on the Granting of Independence to Co-lonial Countries and Peoples,

Recalling its resolution 1514(XV) of 14 December 1960,containing the Declaration on the Granting of Indepen-dence to Colonial Countries and Peoples, and all itsprevious resolutions concerning the implementation ofthe Declaration, most recently resolution 46/71 of 11 De-cember 1991, as well as the relevant resolutions of theSecurity Council,

Recognizing that the eradication of colonialism is oneof the priorities of the Organization for the decade thatbegan in 1990,

Deeply conscious of the need to take, speedily, measuresto eliminate the last vestiges of colonialism by the year2000, as called for in its resolution 43/47 of 22 Novem-ber 1988,

Reiterating its conviction of the need for the eliminationof colonialism, as well as of the need for the total eradi-cation of racial discrimination, apartheid and violationsof basic human rights,

Conscious that the success of national liberation strug-gles and the resultant international situation haveprovided the international community with a unique op-portunity to make a decisive contribution towards thee l imina t ion of co lonia l i sm in a l l i t s forms andmanifestations,

Noting with satisfaction the achievements of the SpecialCommittee in contributing to the effective and completeimplementation of the Declaration and other relevantresolutions of the United Nations on decolonization,

Stressing the importance of the participation of the ad-ministering Powers in the work of the Special Com-mittee,

Noting also with satisfaction the cooperation and activeparticipation of some administering Powers in the workof the Special Committee, as well as their continuedreadiness to receive United Nations visiting missions inthe Territories under their administration,

Noting with concern the negative impact which the non-participation of certain administering Powers has hadon the work of the Special Committee, depriving it ofan important source of information on the Territoriesunder their administration,

Aware of the pressing need of newly independent andemerging States for assistance from the United Nationsand its system of organizations in the economic, socialand other fields,

Aware also of the pressing need of the remaining Non-Self-Governing Territories, including particularly thesmall island Territories, for economic, social and otherassistance from the United Nations and the organiza-tions within its system,

1. Reaffirms its resolution 1514(XV) and all other reso-lutions on decolonization, including its resolution 43/47in which it declared the decade that began in 1990 asthe International Decade for the Eradication of Colonial-ism, and calls upon the administering Powers, in accord-ance with those resolutions, to take all necessary stepsto enable the peoples of the Territories concerned to ex-ercise fully as soon as possible their right to self-determination and independence;

2. Affirms once again that the continuation of colonial-ism in any form or manifestation—including racism,apartheid and economic exploitation, as well as policiesand practices to suppress legitimate national liberationmovements—is incompatible with the Charter of theUnited Nations, the Universal Declaration of HumanRights and the Declaration on the Granting of Inde-pendence to Colonial Countries and Peoples and posesa threat to international peace and security;

3. Reaffirms its determination to continue to take all stepsnecessary to bring about the complete and speedy eradi-cation of colonialism and the faithful and strict observ-ance by all States of the relevant provisions of the Char-ter, the Declaration on the Granting of Independenceto Colonial Countries and Peoples and the UniversalDeclaration of Human Rights;

4. Affirms once again its support for the struggle of thepeoples under colonial rule to exercise their right to self-determination and independence;

5. Approves the report of the Special Committee onthe Situation with regard to the Implementation of theDeclaration on the Granting of Independence to Co-lonial Countries and Peoples covering its work during1992, including the programme of work envisaged for1993;

6. Calls upon all States, in particular the administer-ing Powers, as well as the specialized agencies and otherorganizations of the United Nations system, to give ef-fect within their respective spheres of competence to therecommendations of the Special Committee for thespeedy implementation of the Declaration and otherrelevant resolutions of the United Nations;

7. Condemns the activities of those foreign economicand other interests which impede the implementationof the Declaration as well as the elimination of colonial-ism, apartheid and racial discrimination;

8. Calls upon the administering Powers to ensure thatno activity of foreign economic and other interests inthe Non-Self-Governing Territories under their adminis-tration hinders the peoples of those Territories from ex-ercising their right to self-determination and inde-pendence;

9. Strongly condemns any nuclear collaboration with theGovernment of South Africa and calls upon any Statesthat are so involved to cease all such collaborationforthwith;

10. Calls upon the administering Powers to terminatemilitary activities in the Territories under their adminis-tration and to eliminate military bases there in compli-ance with the relevant resolutions of the General As-sembly and urges them not to involve those Territoriesin any offensive acts or interference against other States;


11. Urges all States, directly and through their actionin the specialized agencies and other organizations ofthe United Nations system, to provide moral and ma-terial assistance to the peoples of colonial Territories andrequests that the administering Powers, in consultationwith the Governments of the Territories under their ad-ministration, take steps to enlist and make effective useof all possible assistance, on both a bilateral and a multi-lateral basis, in the strengthening of the economies ofthose Territories;

12. R e q u e s t s the Special Committee to continue toseek suitable means for the immediate and full im-plementation of the Declaration and to carry out thoseactions approved by the General Assembly regardingthe International Decade for the Eradication of Colonial-ism in all Territories that have not yet attained indepen-dence and, in particular:

(a) To formulate specific proposals for the elimina-tion of the remaining manifestations of colonialism andto report thereon to the General Assembly at its forty-eighth session;

(b) To make concrete suggestions which could as-sist the Security Council in considering appropriatemeasures under the Charter with regard to develop-ments in colonial Territories that are likely to threateninternational peace and security;

(c) To continue to examine the compliance of Mem-ber States with resolution 1514(XV) and other relevantresolutions on decolonization;

(d) To continue to pay special attention to the smallTerritories, in particular through the dispatch of regu-lar visiting missions, and to recommend to the GeneralAssembly the most suitable steps to be taken to enablethe populations of those Territories to exercise their rightto self-determination and independence;

(e) To take all necessary steps to enlist world-widesupport among Governments, as well as national andinternational organizations, for the achievement of theobjectives of the Declaration and the implementationof the relevant resolutions of the United Nations;

13. Also calls upon the administering Powers to con-tinue to cooperate with the Special Committee in thedischarge of its mandate and to receive visiting missionsto the Territories to secure first-hand information andascertain the wishes and aspirations of their inhabitants;

14. Further calls upon the administering Powers thathave not participated in the work of the Special Com-mittee to do so at its 1993 session;

15. Requests the Secretary-General, the specializedagencies and other organizations of the United Nationssystem to provide economic, social and other assistanceto the Non-Self-Governing Territories and to continueto do so, as appropriate, after they exercise their rightto self-determination and independence;

16. Requests the Secretary-General to provide the Spe-cial Committee with the facilities and services requiredfor the implementation of the present resolution, as wellas of the other resolutions and decisions on decoloniza-tion adopted by the General Assembly and the SpecialCommittee.

G e n e r a l A s s e m b l y r e s o l u t i o n 4 7 / 2 3

2 5 N o v e m b e r 1 9 9 2 M e e t i n g 7 2 1 2 7 - 2 - 2 2 ( r e c o r d e d v o t e )

16-nation draft (A/47/L.17 & Add.1); agenda item 18.Sponsors: Algeria, Barbados, Cuba, Grenada, India, Libyan Arab Jamahiriya,

Marshall Islands, Micronesia, Namibia, Papua New Guinea, Sierra Leone,Solomon Islands, Tunisia, United Republic of Tanzania, Vanuatu, Zimbabwe.

Financial implications. 5th Committee, A/47/711; S-G, A/C.5/47/48.Meeting numbers. GA 47th session: 5th Committee 31; plenary 61, 72.

Recorded vote in Assembly as follows:

In favour: Afghanistan, Albania, Algeria, Angola, Antigua and Barbuda,Argentina, Australia, Austria, Bahamas, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Barbados,Belize, Benin, Bolivia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Botswana, Brazil, BruneiDarussalam, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad,Chile, China, Colombia, Costa Rica, Côte d’lvoire, Cuba, Cyprus,Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, Denmark, Djibouti, Ecuador, Egypt,El Salvador, Ethiopia, Fiji, Gabon, Ghana, Greece, Grenada, Guatemala,Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Guyana, Haiti, Iceland, India, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq,Ireland, Jamaica, Japan, Kenya, Kuwait, Lao People’s Democratic Republic,Latvia, Lebanon, Libyan Arab Jamahiriya, Liechtenstein, Lithuania,Madagascar, Malaysia, Maldives, Mali, Malta, Marshall Islands, Maurita-nia, Mauritius, Mexico, Micronesia, Mongolia, Morocco, Mozambique,Myanmar, Namibia, Nepal, New Zealand, Nicaragua, Niger, Nigeria, Nor-way, Oman, Pakistan, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Peru, Philip-pines, Poland, Portugal, Qatar, Republic of Korea, Rwanda, Saint Kitts andNevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Samoa, Sao Tomeand Principe, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Singapore,Spain, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Suriname, Swaziland, Sweden, Syrian ArabRepublic, Thailand, Togo, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Uganda, UnitedArab Emirates, United Republic of Tanzania, Uruguay, Vanuatu, Venezuela,Viet Nam, Yemen, Zambia, Zimbabwe.

Against: United Kingdom, United States.Abstaining: Belarus, Belgium, Bulgaria, Canada, Czechoslovakia, Esto-

nia, Finland, France, Germany, Hungary, Israel, Italy, Kazakhstan, Leso-tho, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Republic of Moldova, Romania, RussianFederation, Slovenia, Turkey, Ukraine.

Implementation by international organizationsR e p o r t s o f t h e S e c r e t a r y - G e n e r a l . I n r e s p o n s e

to a General Assembly request of 1991,(15) theSecretary-General submitted a June report witha later addendum(16) containing summaries of in-formation submitted by five specialized agencieson action taken to implement the Declaration.

In November,(17) the Secretary-General submit-ted a report on cooperation and coordination ofspecialized agencies and international institutionsassociated with the United Nations in their as-sistance to NSGTs, as requested by the Assemblyin 1991.(18) He discussed their participation in theAssembly’s Four th (Decoloniza t ion) Commit tee ,cooperation and coordination among them and ac-tion taken by the Governing Council of the UnitedN a t i o n s D e v e l o p m e n t P r o g r a m m e ( U N D P ) . T h eSecretary-General noted that the UNDP Govern-ing Council, on 14 February 1992, had approvedthe extension of the first country programme forAnguilla(19) and on 26 May had approved the sec-ond country programme for Anguilla, the thirdcountry programmes for Montserrat and Tokelauand the fifth multi-island programme for countriesof the Eastern Caribbean, including Anguilla, theBritish Virgin Islands and Montserrat.(20) On thesame date, the Council noted extensions of the sec-ond count ry programmes for the Br i t i sh Virg inIslands, the Cayman Islands and the Turks andCaicos Islands and of the intercountry programmef o r L a t i n A m e r i c a a n d t h e C a r i b b e a n . T h eSecretary-General’s report contained tables pre-senting an overview of the assistance extended in1991 by the specialized agencies and internationalinstitutions associated with the United Nations tonon-Member countries, including NSGTs, as wellas UNDP indicative planning figures from 1972 to


1996 for NSGTs in Asia and the Pacific and LatinAmerica and the Caribbean.

Report of the Acting President of the Eco-nomic and Social Council. In a June report,(21)the Acting President of the Economic and SocialCouncil presented an overview of continuing con-sultations with the Chairman of the Committeeon colonial countries and the Chairman of the Spe-cial Committee against Apartheid on the im-plementation of the Declaration by the United Na-tions system. While drawing attention to theextremely fragile economies of the small islandTerritories, the Acting President appealed to thespecialized agencies and other organizations con-cerned to expand and increase their assistance pro-grammes to all Trust and Non-Self-Governing Ter-ritories. Consultations between the Chairman ofthe Special Committee against Apartheid and theActing President focused on recent developmentsin South Africa and action taken by the interna-t i o n a l c o m m u n i t y . T h e C h a i r m a n s a i d t h a tstrengthened assistance to disadvantaged segmentsof the society was crucial in preparing South Afri-cans to fully participate in rebuilding their coun-try. The Chairman and the Acting President con-sidered that a large trained cadre of black SouthAfricans would play a critical role in facilitatinga smooth transition to a post-apartheid society.

In July,(22) the Chairman of the Committee oncolonial countries stated that his consultations withthe Acting President on the topic were set out inthe June report.(21)

Reaffirming the responsibility of the specialized agen-cies and other organizations of the United Nations sys-tem to take all effective measures, within their respec-tive spheres of competence, to assist in the full andspeedy implementation of the Declaration and otherrelevant resolutions of the United Nations bodies,

Recalling also General Assembly resolution S-16/1 of 14December 1989, containing the Declaration on Apart-heid and its Destructive Consequences in SouthernAfrica,

Recognizing that permanent peace and stability insouthern Africa can only be achieved when the systemof apartheid in South Africa has been eradicated andSouth Africa has been transformed into a united,democratic and non-racial country, and reiterating,therefore, that all the necessary measures should beadopted at the present time to bring a speedy end tothe apartheid system in the interest of all the people ofsouthern Africa, the African continent and the worldat large,

Deeply concerned that the objectives of the Charter of theUnited Nations and the Declaration on the Grantingof Independence to Colonial Countries and Peoples havenot been fully achieved,

Bearing in mind the extremely fragile economies of theNon-Self-Governing small island Territories and theirvulnerability to natural disasters, such as hurricanes andcyclones, and recalling relevant Genera1 Assembly reso-lutions,

Also bearing in mind the conclusions and recommenda-tions of the Meeting of Governmental Experts of IslandDeveloping Countries and Donor Countries and Or-ganizations, held in New York from 25 to 29 June1990,a

Recalling Genera1 Assembly resolution 46/70 of 11 De-cember 1991 on cooperation and coordination of spe-cialized agencies and the international institutions as-sociated with the United Nations in their assistance toNon-Self-Governing Territories,

ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL COUNCIL ACTION

On 31 July 1992, the Economic and SocialCouncil adopted resolution 1992/59 by recordedvote.

Implementation of the Declaration on the Granting ofIndependence to Colonial Countries and Peoplesby the specialized agencies and the internationalinstitutions associated with the United Nations

The Economic and Social Council,Having examined the report of the Secretary-General and

the report of the Acting President of the Economic andSocial Council on consultations held with the Chairmanof the Special Committee on the Situation with regardto the Implementation of the Declaration on the Grant-ing of Independence to Colonial Countries and Peoplesand the Chairman of the Special Committee againstApartheid,

Having heard the statement made by the Chairman ofthe Special Committee on the Situation with regard tothe Implementation of the Declaration on the Grant-ing of Independence to Colonial Countries and Peoples,

Recalling General Assembly resolution 1514(XV) of 14December 1960, containing the Declaration on theGranting of Independence to Colonial Countries andPeoples, and all other resolutions adopted by United Na-tions bodies on the subject, including in particular Eco-nomic and Social Council resolution 1991/68 of 26 July1991,

Noting with appreciation that assistance has continued tobe extended to refugees from southern Africa throughthe Office of the United Nations High Commissionerfor Refugees,

1. Takes note of the report of the Acting President ofthe Economic and Social Council, and endorses the ob-servations and suggestions contained therein;

2. Also takes note of the report of the Secretary-General;

3. Reaffirms that the recognition by the General As-sembly, the Security Council and other United Nationsorgans of the legitimacy of the aspiration of colonial peo-ples to exercise their right to self-determination and in-dependence entails, as a corollary, the extension by theorganizations of the United Nations system of all thenecessary moral and material assistance to those peoples;

4. Expresses its appreciation to those specialized agen-cies and other organizations of the United Nations sys-tem that have continued to cooperate in varying formsand degrees with the United Nations and the regionalorganizations concerned in the implementation of theDeclaration on the Granting of Independence to Co-lonial Countries and Peoples and other relevant resolu-tions of United Nations bodies, and urges all the spe-

aA/CONF.147/5-TD/B/AC.46/4.


cialized agencies and other organizations of the UnitedNations system to contribute to the full and speedy im-plementation of the relevant provisions of those reso-lutions;

5. Recommends that all States intensify their efforts inthe specialized agencies and other organizations of theUnited Nations to ensure the full and effective im-plementation of the Declaration and other related reso-lutions of the United Nations system;

6. Requests the specialized agencies and the interna-tional institutions associated with the United Nationsto strengthen existing measures of support and formu-late additional programmes of assistance to the remain-ing Trust and Non-Self-Governing Territories within theframework of their respective mandates;

7. Requests the specialized agencies and other organi-zations of the United Nations system, as well as inter-national and regional organizations, to take appropri-ate measures within their spheres of competence in orderto accelerate progress in the economic and social sec-tors of those Territories;

8. Also requests the specialized agencies and otherorganizations of the United Nations system, in for-mulating their assistance programmes, to take due ac-count of the text entitled “Challenges and opportuni-t i es : a s t ra teg ic f ramework” , which was adoptedunanimously by the Meeting of Governmental Ex-per t s of I s land Developing Count r ies and DonorCountries and Organizations;

9. Welcomes the continued initiative exercised by theUnited Nations Development Programme in main-taining close liaison among the specialized agenciesand other organizations of the United Nations systemand in coordinating the activities of the specializedagencies in extending effective assistance to the peo-ples of colonial Territories, and calls upon the special-ized agencies and other organizations of the UnitedNations system, as a matter of urgency, to contributegenerously to the relief, rehabilitation and reconstruc-tion efforts in the Non-Self-Governing Territories af-fected by natural disasters;

10. Urges the administering Powers concerned tofacilitate the participation of the representatives of theGovernments of Trust and Non-Self-Governing Terri-tories at the relevant meetings and conferences of theagencies and organizations so that the Territories maydraw the maximum benefits from the related activitiesof the specialized agencies and other organizations ofthe United Nations system;

11. Urges the governing bodies of those specializedagencies and other organizations of the United Nationssystem that have not already done so to include in theagenda of their regular sessions a separate item on theprogress made and action to be taken by their organi-zations in the implementation of the Declaration andother relevant resolutions of United Nations bodies;

12. Urges the executive heads of the specialized agen-cies and other organizations of the United Nations sys-tem to formulate, with the active cooperation of theregional organizations concerned, concrete proposals forthe full implementation of the relevant United Nationsresolutions and to submit the proposals as a matter ofpriority to their governing and legislative organs;

13. Urges the specialized agencies and other organi-zations of the United Nations system to adhere to theProgramme of Action contained in the Declaration on

Apartheid and its Destructive Consequences in South-ern Africa, in particular with regard to increased sup-port for the opponents of apartheid, the use of concertedand effective measures aimed at applying pressure toensure a speedy end to apartheid and ensuring the non-relaxation of existing measures to encourage the SouthAfrican regime to eradicate apartheid until there is clearevidence of profound and irreversible changes;

14. stresses, in the context of the Declaration onApartheid and its Destructive Consequences in South-ern Africa, the need for the specialized agencies andother organizations of the United Nations system to ren-der all possible assistance to the front-line and neigh-bouring States to enable them to rebuild their econo-mies, which have been adversely affected by SouthAfrica’s acts of aggression and destabilization, to with-stand any further such acts and to continue to supportthe people of South Africa;

15. Draws the attention of the Special Committee onthe Situation with regard to the Implementation of theDeclaration on the Granting of Independence to Co-lonial Countries and Peoples to the present resolutionand to the discussion held on the subject at the sub-stantive session of 1992 of the Economic and SocialCouncil;

16. Requests the President of the Economic and So-cial Council to continue to maintain close contact onthese matters with the Chairman of the Special Com-mittee on the Situation with regard to the Implemen-tation of the Declaration on the Granting of Indepen-dence to Colonial Countries and Peoples and to reportthereon to the Council;

17. Also requests the President of the Council to main-tain contact with the Chairman of the Special Commit-tee against Apartheid, which is the focal point for theinternational campaign against apartheid, and to reportthereon to the Council as appropriate;

18. Requests the Secretary-General to follow the im-plementation of the present resolution, with particularattention to coordination and integration arrangementsfor maximizing the efficiency of the assistance activi-ties undertaken by various organizations of the UnitedNations system, and to report thereon to the Councilat its substantive session of 1993;

19. Decides to keep these questions under continuousreview.

Economic and Soc ia l Counc i l r e so lu t ion 1992 /59

3 1 J u l y 1 9 9 2 M e e t i n g 4 2 3 5 - 1 1 - 8 ( r e c o r d e d v o t e )

17-nation draft (E/1992/L.38), orally revised; agenda item 6 (b).Sponsors: Algeria, Angola, Benin, Congo, Fiji, Guinea, Iran, Jamaica, Malay-

sia, Namibia, Papua New Guinea, Somalia, Suriname, Trinidad and Tobago,Tunisia, Uganda, Zambia.

Recorded vote in Council as follows:

In favour: Algeria, Angola, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Benin, Botswana, Bra-zil, Burkina Faso, Chile, China, Colombia, Ecuador, Ethiopia, Guinea, India,Iran, Jamaica, Kuwait, Madagascar, Malaysia, Mexico, Morocco, Pakistan,Peru, Philippines, Rwanda, Somalia, Suriname, Swaziland, Syrian ArabRepublic, Togo, Trinidad and Tobago, Turkey, Yugoslavia, Zaire.

Against: Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Po-land, Romania, United Kingdom, United States.

Abstaining: Argentina, Australia, Belarus, Canada, Finland, Russian Fed-eration, Spain, Sweden.


On 16 November 1992, on the recommendationof the Four th Commit tee , the Genera l Assemblyadopted resolution 47/16 by recorded vote.


Implementation of the Declaration on the Grantingof Independence to Colonial Countries and Peoplesby the specialized agencies and the internationalinstitutions associated with the United Nations

The General Assembly,Having considered the item entitled “Implementation of

the Declaration on the Granting of Independence to Co-lonial Countries and Peoples by the specialized agen-cies and the international institutions associated withthe United Nations”,

Having considered the reports submitted on the questionby the Secretary-General and the Chairman of the Spe-cial Committee on the Situation with regard to the Im-plementation of the Declaration on the Granting of In-dependence to Colonial Countries and Peoples,

Having examined the chapter of the report of the Spe-cial Committee on the Situation with regard to the Im-plementation of the Declaration on the Granting of In-dependence to Colonial Countries and Peoples relatingto the question,

Recalling its resolution 1514(XV) of 14 December 1960,containing the Declaration on the Granting of Indepen-dence to Colonial Countries and Peoples, and resolu-tion 1541(XV) of 15 December 1960, as well as all itsother resolutions on this subject, including, in particu-lar, resolution 46/181 of 19 December 1991, endorsingthe Plan of Action for the International Decade for theEradication of Colonialism,

Recalling also its resolution S-16/1 of 14 December 1989,the annex to which contains the Declaration on Apart-heid and its Destructive Consequences in SouthernAfrica,

Bearing in mind the relevant provisions of the final docu-ments of the successive Conferences of Heads of Stateor Government of Non-Aligned Countries and of theresolutions adopted by the Assembly of Heads of Stateand Government of the Organization of African Unity,

Deeply concerned that the objectives of the Charter of theUnited Nations and the Declaration on the Grantingof Independence to Colonial Countries and Peoples havenot been fully achieved,

Recognizing that permanent peace and stability in south-ern Africa can only be achieved when the system of apart-heid in South Africa has been eradicated and South Africahas been transformed into a united, democratic and non-racial country, and reiterating therefore that all the neces-sary measures should be adopted at the present time tobring a speedy end to the apartheid system in the in-terest of all the people of southern Africa, the Africancontinent and the world at large,

Noting that the large majority of the remaining colonialTerritories are small island Territories.

Recalling its resolution 43/189 of 20 December 1988,concerning specific measures in favour of island develop-ing countries,

Bearing in mind the conclusions and recommendationsof the Meeting of Governmental Experts of Island De-veloping Countries and Donor Countries and Organi-zations held in New York from 25 to 29 June 1990,

Recalling relevant resolutions of the Caribbean Devel-opment and Cooperation Committee concerning the ac-cess of colonial Territories to programmes of the UnitedNations system,

Noting the assistance extended thus far to colonial Ter-ritories by certain specialized agencies and other organi-

zations of the United Nations system, in particular theUnited Nations Development Programme, and con-sidering that such assistance should be expanded fur-ther, commensurate with the pressing needs of the peo-ples concerned for external assistance.

Stressing the importance of securing necessary resourcesfor funding expanded assistance programmes for thepeoples concerned and the need to enlist the supportof all major funding institutions within the United Na-tions system in that regard,

Noting with serious concern the continuing effects of theacts of aggression and destabilization that have beencommitted by South Africa against neighbouring in-dependent African States,

Reaffirming the responsibility of the specialized agen-cies and other organizations of the United Nations sys-tem to take all the necessary measures, within theirrespective spheres of competence, to ensure the full im-plementation, without further delay, of General Assem-bly resolution 1514(XV) and other relevant resolutionsof the United Nations, particularly those relating to theextension of assistance to the peoples of the colonial Ter-ritories,

Expressing its appreciation to the Organization of Afri-can Unity, the South Pacific Forum and the CaribbeanCommunity, as well as other regional organizations, forthe continued cooperation and assistance they have ex-tended to the specialized agencies and other organiza-tions of the United Nations system in this regard.

Concerned by the fact that not all Member States haveadhered to the measures provided for in the Programmeof Action contained in the Declaration on Apartheid andits Destructive Consequences in Southern Africa andhave thus continued or re-established relations withSouth Africa in a number of fields,

Bearing in mind the importance of the activities of non-governmental organizations aimed at putting an end tothe assistance that is still being rendered to South Africaby some specialized agencies,

Expressing its conviction that closer contacts and consul-tations between and among the specialized agencies andother organizations of the United Nations system andregional organizations help to facilitate the effective for-mulation of assistance programmes to the peoples con-cerned,

Mindful of the imperative need to keep under continu-ous review the activities of the specialized agencies andother organizations of the United Nations system in theimplementation of the various United Nations decisionsrelating to decolonization,

Bearing in mind the extremely fragile economies of thesmall island Territories and their vulnerability to natu-ral disasters, such as hurricanes and cyclones, and recall-ing relevant resolutions of the General Assembly,

Recalling its resolution 46/70 of 11 December 1991 oncooperation and coordination of the specialized agen-cies and the international institutions associated withthe United Nations in their assistance to Non-Self-Governing Territories,

1. Approves the chapter of the report of the SpecialCommittee on the Situation with regard to the Im-plementation of the Declaration on the Granting of In-dependence to Colonial Countries and Peoples relatingto the question;

2. Takes note of the report of the Chairman of the Spe-cial Committee on the Situation with regard to the Im-

Questions relating to decolonization 951

plementation of the Declaration on the Granting of In-dependence to Colonial Countries and Peoples on hisconsultations with the Acting President of the Economicand Social Council, and endorses the observations andsuggestions arising therefrom;

3. Recommends that all States intensify their efforts inthe specialized agencies and other organizations of theUnited Nations system to ensure the full and effectiveimplementation of the Declaration on the Granting ofIndependence to Colonial Countries and Peoples andother relevant resolutions of the United Nations;

4. Reaffirms that the specialized agencies and otherorganizations and institutions of the United Nations sys-tem should continue to be guided by the relevant reso-lutions of the United Nations in their efforts to contrib-ute to the full implementation, without further delay,of the Declaration on the Granting of Independence toColonial Countries and Peoples and all other relevantGeneral Assembly resolutions;

5. Reaffirms also that the recognition by the GeneralAssembly, the Security, Council and other United Na-tions organs of the legitimacy of the aspiration of co-lonial peoples to exercise their right to self-determinationand independence entails, as a corollary, the extensionof all necessary moral and material assistance to thosepeoples and their national liberation movements by thespecialized agencies and other organizations of theUnited Nations system;

6. Expresses its appreciation to those specialized agen-cies and other organizations of the United Nations sys-tem that have continued to cooperate with the UnitedNations and the regional and subregional organizationsin the implementation of Genera1 Assembly resolution1514(XV) and other relevant resolutions of the UnitedNations, and urges all the specialized agencies and otherorganizations of the United Nations system to acceler-ate the full and speedy implementation of the relevantprovisions of those resolutions;

7. Requests the specialized agencies and other organi-zations of the United Nations system, as well as inter-national and regional organizations, to examine and re-v iew condi t ions in each Ter r i to ry so as to t akeappropriate measures to accelerate progress in the eco-nomic and social sectors of the Territories;

8. Requests all specialized agencies and other organi-zations of the United Nations system to strengthenmeasures of support and formulate adequate pro-grammes of assistance to the peoples of colonial Terri-tories, bearing in mind that such assistance should notonly meet their immediate needs but also create condi-tions for development after they have exercised theirright to self-determination and independence;

9. Also requests the specialized agencies and other or-ganizations of the United Nations system to provide,through an inter-agency framework, the assistancenecessary to small island Territories to alleviate the ad-verse conditions arising from the interplay of factorsrelating mainly to their size and geographical location;

10. Further requests the specialized agencies and otherorganizations of the United Nations system, in formulat-ing their assistance programmes, to take due accountof the conclusions and recommendations, entitled“Challenges and opportunities: a strategic framework”,of the Meeting of Governmental Experts of Island De-veloping Countries and Donor Countries and Organi-zations held in New York in June 1990;

11. Once again requests the specialized agencies andother organizations of the United Nations system to con-tinue to provide all humanitarian, material and moralassistance to Namibia and all newly independent andemerging States so as to enable them to consolidate theirpolitical independence and achieve genuine economicindependence;

12. Urges the executive heads of the specialized agen-cies and other organizations of the United Nations sys-tem, in cooperation with the regional and other organi-zations where appropriate, to submit to their governingand legislative organs concrete proposals for the full im-plementation of the relevant United Nations decisions,particularly specific programmes of assistance to the peo-ples of the colonial Territories and their national liber-ation movements;

13. Recommends that the executive heads of the WorldBank and the International Monetary Fund draw theattention of their governing bodies to the present reso-lution and consider introducing flexible procedures toprepare specific programmes for the peoples of the Non-Self-Governing Territories;

14. Urges the specialized agencies and other organi-zations of the United Nations system that have not al-ready done so to include in the agenda of the regularmeetings of their governing bodies a separate item onthe progress they have made in the implementation ofGeneral Assembly resolution 1514(XV) and other rele-vant resolutions of the United Nations;

15. Welcomes the continued initiative exercised by theUnited Nations Development Programme in maintain-ing close liaison among the specialized agencies andother organizations of the United Nations system andin coordinating the activities of the agencies in extend-ing effective assistance to the peoples of the Non-Self-Governing Territories, and calls upon the specializedagencies and other organizations of the United Nationssystem, as a matter of urgency, to contribute generouslyto the relief, rehabilitation and reconstruction efforts inthose Non-Self-Governing Territories affected by natu-ral disasters;

16. Urges the administering Powers concerned tofacilitate the participation of the representatives of theGovernments of Trust and Non-Self-Governing Terri-tories in the relevant meetings and conferences of theagencies and organizations so that the Territories maydraw the maximum benefits from the related activitiesof the specialized agencies and other organizations ofthe United Nations system;

17. Urges the specialized agencies and other organi-zations of the United Nations system to adhere to theProgramme of Action contained in the Declaration onApartheid and its Destructive Consequences in South-ern Africa, in particular with regard to increased sup-port for the opponents of apartheid, the use of concertedand effective measures aimed at applying pressure toensure a speedy end to apartheid, and ensuring the non-relaxation of existing measures to encourage the SouthAfrican regime to eradicate apartheid until there is clearevidence of profound and irreversible changes;

18. Stresses, in the context of the Declaration onApartheid and its Destructive Consequences in South-ern Africa, the need for the specialized agencies andother organizations of the United Nations system to ren-der all possible assistance to the front-line and neigh-bouring States to enable them to rebuild their econo-


mies, which have been adversely affected by acts of ag-gression and destabilization by South Africa, to with-stand any further such acts and to continue to supportthe people of South Africa;

19. Invites the specialized agencies and other organi-zations of the United Nations system to cooperate withthe Action for Resisting Invasion, Colonialism andApartheid Fund established by the Eighth Conferenceof Heads of State or Government of Non-Aligned Coun-tries, held at Harare from 1 to 6 September 1986, withthe common objective of providing emergency assistanceto the front-line States and national liberation move-ments struggling against the apartheid regime, and inother measures taken by the Movement of Non-AlignedCountries and the Organization of African Unity;

20. Urges all States, especially those that have eco-nomic, financial or other links to South Africa, to ad-here fully to the Programme of Action contained in theDeclaration on Apartheid and its Destructive Conse-quences in Southern Africa until the establishment ofa united, democratic and non-racial South Africa;

21. Recommends that all Governments intensify theirefforts in the specialized agencies and other organiza-tions of the United Nations system of which they aremembers to ensure the full and effective implementa-tion of General Assembly resolution 1514(XV) and otherrelevant resolutions of the United Nations and, in thatconnection, accord priority to the question of provid-ing assistance on an emergency basis to the peoples ofthe Non-Self-Governing Territories;

22. Requests the Secretary-General to continue to as-sist the specialized agencies and other organizations ofthe United Nations system in working out appropriatemeasures for implementing the relevant resolutions ofthe United Nations and to prepare for submission tothe relevant bodies, with the assistance of those agen-cies and organizations, a report on the action taken inimplementation of the relevant resolutions, includingthe present resolution, since the circulation of his previ-ous report;

23. Commends the Economic and Social Council forits debate and its resolution 1992/59 of 31 July 1992 onthis issue and requests it to continue, as appropriate,to consider, in consultation with the Special Commit-tee on the Situation with regard to the Implementationof the Declaration on the Granting of Independence toColonial Countries and Peoples, appropriate measuresfor coordination of the policies and activities of the spe-cialized agencies and other organizations of the UnitedNations system in implementing the relevant resolutionsof the General Assembly;

24. Requests the specialized agencies to report peri-odically to the Secretary-General on the implementa-tion of the present resolution;

25. Requests the Secretary-General to transmit thepresent resolution to the governing bodies of the ap-propriate specialized agencies and international insti-tutions associated with the United Nations so that thosebodies take the necessary measures to implement theresolution, and also requests the Secretary-General toreport to the General Assembly at its forty-eighth ses-sion on the implementation of the present resolution;

26. Requests the Special Committee to continue to ex-amine the question and to report thereon to the GeneralAssembly at its forty-eighth session.

Genera l Assembly r e so lu t ion 47 /16

1 6 N o v e m b e r 1 9 9 2 M e e t i n g 6 1 1 0 0 - 3 0 - 1 9 ( r e c o r d e d v o t e )

Approved by Fourth Committee (A/47/646) by recorded vote (93-27-13), 3November (meeting 8); draft by Committee on colonial countries(A/47/23); agenda items 12 & 100.

Meeting numbers. GA 47th session: 4th Committee 2-8; plenary 61.


In favour: Afghanistan, Algeria, Angola, Bahamas, Bahrain, Bangladesh,Barbados, Belize, Benin, Bolivia, Botswana, Brazil, Brunei Darussalam, Bur-kina Faso, Burundi, Cameroon, Cape Verde, Chile, China, Colombia, CostaRica, Cuba, Cyprus, Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, Djibouti, Domi-nica, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, Equatorial Guinea, Ethiopia, Fiji, Gam-bia, Ghana, Grenada, Guatemala, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Guyana, Haiti,Honduras, India, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Jamaica, Jordan, Kenya, Kuwait,Lao People’s Democratic Republic, Lebanon, Lesotho, Liberia, Libyan ArabJamahiriya, Malaysia, Maldives, Mali, Mauritania, Mexico, Mongolia,Morocco, Myanmar, Namibia, Nepal, Nicaragua, Niger, Nigeria, Oman, Pak-istan, Papua New Guinea, Peru, Philippines, Qatar, Rwanda, Saint Lucia,Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Sao Tome and Principe, Saudi Arabia,Senegal, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Suriname,Swaziland, Syrian Arab Republic, Thailand, Togo, Trinidad and Tobago, Tu-nisia, Uganda, United Arab Emirates, United Republic of Tanzania, Vanu-atu, Venezuela, Viet Nam, Yemen, Zambia, Zimbabwe.

Against: Australia, Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Canada, Czechoslovakia,Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Hungary, Iceland, Israel, Italy,Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Norway, Po-land, Portugal, Republic of Moldova, Romania, Russian Federation, Slove-nia, Sweden, United Kingdom, United States.

Abstaining: Argentina, Belarus, Congo, Côte d’lvoire, Greece, Ireland,Japan, Malta, Marshall Islands, Micronesia, New Zealand, Panama,Paraguay, Republic of Korea, Samoa, Spain, Turkey, Ukraine, Uruguay.

On 25 November , the Assembly adopted reso-lu t ion 47 /22 wi thou t vo te .

Cooperation and coordination of the specializedagencies and the international institutions associated

with the United Nations in their assistance toNon-Self-Governing Territories

The General Assembly,Recalling its resolution 46/70 of 11 December 1991,Having considered the report of the Secretary-General

on cooperation and coordination of the specialized agen-cies and the international institutions associated withthe United Nations in their assistance to Non-Self-Governing Territories,

Aware that, in addition to general problems facing de-veloping countries, the remaining Non-Self-GoverningTerritories, many of which are small island Territories,also suffer handicaps arising from the interplay of suchfactors as their size, remoteness, geographical disper-sion, vulnerability to natural disasters, lack of naturalresources, shortage of administrative personnel andmigration, particularly of personnel with high-level skills,

Recalling resolution 24(XI) of 22 November 1988, onthe Programme of Assistance to Small Island Develop-ing Countries, adopted by the Caribbean Developmentand Cooperation Committee at its eleventh session, inwhich the Committee directed its secretariat to continueto examine the access of the non-independent Carib-bean countries to programmes and activities of theUnited Nations system with the aim of identifying areaswithin that system which could provide technical andother assistance to those countries in the furtherance oftheir development process, and other resolutions of theCommittee,

Mindful of the growing importance that the GeneralAssembly attaches to the contributions of the special-ized agencies and the international institutions to theeconomic and social development of Non-Self-GoverningTerritories, and the role being played by the United Na-


tions Development Programme and the specializedagencies in that regard,

Taking note of the report of the Secretary-General onthe specific problems and needs of island developingcountries,a

Noting that several of the Non-Self-Governing Terri-tories in the Caribbean may reach net contributor sta-tus during the fifth programming cycle of the UnitedNations Development Programme (1992-1996) under thecurrent criteria for the allocation of Programme-fundedcountry programmes,

Recalling also the plan of action contained in Agenda21,b adopted by the United Nations Conference on En-vironment and Development,

1. Takes note with satisfaction of the report of theSecretary-General;

2. Welcomes the contributions being made to Non-Self-Governing Territories by the specialized agenciesand the international institutions associated with theUnited Nations and urges them to intensify their as-sistance to those Territories;

3. Takes note of the recommendation contained in thereport of the Secretary-General on the specific problemsand needs of island developing countries, prepared bythe secretariat of the United Nations Conference on Tradeand Development, regarding the establishment of a familyof indicators of vulnerability of island developing countries;

4. Recommends that the specialized agencies and the in-ternational institutions consider the question of the cooper-ation and coordination of assistance to Non-Self-GoverningTerritories within the context of the Administrative Com-mittee on Coordination and its subsidiary bodies;

5. Welcomes the statements made by the representa-tives of the United Nations Educational, Scientific andCultural Organization, the Food and Agriculture Or-ganization of the United Nations and the United Na-tions Development Programme,c and invites other spe-cialized agencies and the international institutionsassociated with the United Nations to participate in fu-ture debates of the General Assembly on the remain-ing Non-Self-Governing Territories, with a view to ap-prising the Assembly of their development programmesin those Territories and thereby facilitating more in-formed comments on their work;

6. Requests the Secretary-General to report to theGeneral Assembly at its forty-eighth session on the im-plementation of the present resolution;

7. Decides to keep this question under review.

aA/47/414 & Add.1.

bReport of the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development, Riode Janeiro, 3-14 June 1992, vol. I Sales No. E.93.I.8.

cA/C.4/47/SR.3 & 5.


25 November 1992 Meeting 72 Adopted without vote

10-nation draft (A/47/L.16/Rev.1); agenda item 18.Sponsors: Barbados, Belize, Grenada, Guyana, Jamaica, Papua New Guinea,

Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Trinidad and Tobago,Vanuatu.

Meeting numbers. GA 47th session: plenary 61, 72.

Fore ign in teres ts impedingimplementa t ion of the Declara t ion

In 19921 (7) the Committee on colonial countriescons idered fore ign economic and o ther in teres ts

which impeded implementation of the 1960 Decla-ra t ion . I t had before i t work ing papers p reparedby the Secretariat on economic conditions and for-eign activities in Anguilla,(23) Bermuda,(24) theCayman Islands,(25) Montserrat,(26) the Turks and

Caicos Islands(27) and the United States VirginIslands.(28)

The Committee drafted a resolution on the ac-tivities of foreign interests which it recommendedto the General Assembly for adoption.


On 16 November 1992, the General Assembly,on the recommendation of the Fourth Commit-tee, adopted resolution 47/15 by recorded vote.

Activities of those foreign economic and other interestswhich impede the implementation of the

Declaration on the Granting of Independenceto Colonial Countries and Peoples in Territories

under colonial domination and efforts to eliminatecolonialism, apartheid and racial discrimination

in southern AfricaThe General Assembly,Having considered the item entitled “Activities of those

foreign economic and other interests which impede theimplementation of the Declaration on the Granting ofIndependence to Colonial Countries and Peoples in Ter-ritories under colonial domination and efforts to elimi-nate colonialism, apartheid and racial discrimination insouthern Africa”,

Having examined the chapter of the report of the Spe-cial Committee on the Situation with regard to the Im-plementation of the Declaration on the Granting of In-dependence to Colonial Countries and Peoples relatingto the question,

Recalling its resolution 1514(XV) of 14 December 1960,containing the Declaration on the Granting of Indepen-dence to Colonial Countries and Peoples, as well as allits other resolutions on this subject, including, in par-ticular, resolution 46/181 of 19 December 1991, endors-ing the Plan of Action for the International Decade forthe Eradication of Colonialism,

Reaffirming the solemn obligation of the administeringPowers under the Charter of the United Nations to pro-more the political, economic, social and educational ad-vancement of the inhabitants of the Territories under theiradministration and to protect the human and naturalresources of those Territories against abuses,

Reaffirming also that those economic and other activi-ties which impede the implementation of the Declara-tion on the Granting of Independence to Colonial Coun-tries and Peoples and obstruct efforts aimed at theelimination of colonialism, apartheid and racial discrimi-nation in South Africa and in colonial Territories are indirect violation of the rights of the inhabitants and ofthe principles of the Charter and all relevant resolutionsof the United Nations,

Seriously concerned about the activities of those foreigneconomic, financial and other interests which continueto exploit the natural resources that are the heritage ofthe indigenous populations of the colonial and Non-Self-Governing Territories in the Caribbean, the Pacific andother regions, as well as their human resources, to the


detriment of their interests, thus depriving them of theirright to control the resources of their Territories andimpeding the realization by those peoples of their legiti-mate aspirations for self-determination and inde-pendence,

Bearing a mind the relevant provisions of the final docu-ments of the successive Conferences of Heads of Stateor Government of Non-Aligned Countries and of theresolutions adopted by the Assembly of Heads of Stateand Government of the Organization of African Unity,

Gravely concerned that certain countries, transnationalcorporations and international financial institutions havecontinued their economic relations with South Africa,

Recognizing the crucial and decisive role that the im-position of international sanctions has played in apply-ing the necessary pressure on the South African regimeto undertake significant measures towards the eradica-tion of apartheid,

1. Approves the chapter of the report of the SpecialCommittee on the Situation with regard to the Im-plementation of the Declaration on the Granting of In-dependence to Colonial Countries and Peoples relatingto the question;

2. Reaffirms the inalienable right of the peoples of co-lonial and Non-Self-Governing Territories to self-determination and independence and to the enjoymentof the natural resources of their Territories, as well astheir right to dispose of those resources in their best in-terests;

3. Reiterates that any administering or occupyingPower that deprives the colonial peoples of the exerciseof their legitimate rights over their natural resources orsubordinates the rights and interests of those peoples toforeign economic and financial interests violates the sol-emn obligations it has assumed under the Charter ofthe United Nations;

4. Reaffirms its concern over the activities of thoseforeign economic, financial and other interests whichcontinue to exploit the natural resources that are theheritage of the indigenous populations of the colonialand Non-Self-Governing Territories in the Caribbean,the Pacific and other regions, as well as their humanresources, to the detriment of their interests, thus depriv-ing them of their right to control the resources of theirTerritories and impeding the realization by those peo-ples of their legitimate aspirations for self-determinationand independence;

5. Condemns the activities of those foreign economicand other interests in the colonial Territories which im-pede the implementation of the Declaration on theGranting of Independence to Colonial Countries andPeoples, contained in Genera1 Assembly resolution1514(XV), and the efforts to eliminate colonialism,apartheid and racial discrimination;

6. Strongly condemns the collaboration with the SouthAfrican regime by certain countries as well as transna-tional corporations that continue to make new invest-ments in South Africa and supply the racist regime witharmaments, nuclear technology and all other materialsthat are likely to buttress it and thus aggravate the threatto peace in the region;

7. Calls upon all States to maintain the existing meas-ures against the apartheid regime as specified in theDeclaration on Apartheid and its Destructive Conse-quences in Southern Africa, annexed to General Assem-bly resolution S-16/1 of 14 December 1989;

8. Calls once again upon all Governments that have notyet done so to take, in accordance with the relevant pro-visions of General Assembly resolution 2621(XXV) of12 October 1970, legislative, administrative or othermeasures in respect of their nationals and the bodies cor-porate under their jurisdiction that own and operate en-terprises in colonial Territories that are detrimental tothe interests of the inhabitants of those Territories, inorder to put an end to such enterprises and to preventnew investments that run counter to the interests of theinhabitants of those Territories;

9. Calls upon those oil-producing and oil-exportingcountries that have not yet done so to take effective meas-ures against the oil companies concerned so as to ter-minate the supply of crude oil and petroleum productsto the racist regime of South Africa;

10. Reiterates that the exploitation and plundering ofthe marine and other natural resources of colonial andNon-Self-Governing Territories by foreign economic in-terests, in violation of the relevant resolutions of theUnited Nations, are a grave threat to the integrity andprosperity of those Territories;

11. Invites all Governments and organizations of theUnited Nations system to take all possible measures toensure that the permanent sovereignty of the peoplesof colonial and Non-Self-Governing Territories over theirnatural resources is fully respected and safeguarded;

12. Urges the administering Powers concerned to takeeffective measures to safeguard and guarantee the in-alienable right of the peoples of the colonial and Non-Self-Governing Territories to their natural resources andto establish and maintain control over the future devel-opment of those resources, and requests the administer-ing Powers to take all necessary steps to protect the prop-erty rights of the peoples of those Territories;

13. Calls upon the administering Powers concernedto ensure that no discriminatory and unjust wage sys-tems or working conditions prevail in the Territoriesunder their administration and to apply in each Terri-tory a uniform system of wages to all the inhabitantswithout any discrimination;

14. Requests the Secretary-General to continue,through all means at his disposal, to inform world pub-lic opinion of those activities of foreign economic andother interests which impede the implementation of theDeclaration on the Granting of Independence to Co-lonial Countries and Peoples;

15. Appeals to mass media, trade unions and non-governmental organizations, as well as individuals, tocontinue their efforts for the full implementation of theDeclaration on the Granting of Independence to Co-lonial Countries and Peoples and in the struggle againstapartheid and the mobilization of international publicopinion against the policy pursued by the South Afri-can apartheid regime and to oppose the relaxation ofexisting measures against the regime, in order to acceler-ate the process of constitutional change with the aimof establishing a united, democratic and non-racialSouth Africa;

16. Decides to continue to monitor closely the situa-tion in the colonial and Non-Self-Governing Territoriesso as to ensure that all economic activities in those Ter-ritories are aimed at strengthening and diversifying theireconomies in the interest of the indigenous peoples andat promoting the economic and financial viability ofthose Territories, in order to facilitate and accelerate the


exercise by the peoples of those Territories of theirright to self-determination and independence;

17. Requests the Special Committee on the Situationwith regard to the Implementation of the Declarationon the Granting of Independence to Colonial Coun-tries and Peoples to continue to examine this questionand to report thereon to the General Assembly at itsforty-eighth session.


1 6 N o v e m b e r 1 9 9 2 M e e t i n g 6 1 9 5 - 3 4 - 1 2 ( r e c o r d e d v o t e )

Approved by Fourth Committee (A/47/645) by recorded vote (89-32-8), 3November (meeting 81: draft by Committee on colonial countries(A/47/23); agenda item 99.

Meeting numbers. GA 47th session: 4th Committee 2-8: plenary 61.

Recorded vote in Assembly es follows:

In favour: Afghanistan, Algeria, Angola, Bahamas, Bahrain, Ban-gladesh, Barbados, Belize, Benin, Bolivia, Botswana, Brazil, BruneiDarussalam, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cameroon, Cape Verde, Chile,China, Colombia, Costa Rica, Cubs, Cyprus, Democratic People’sRepublic of Korea, Djibouti, Dominica, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador,Equatorial Guinea, Ethiopia, Fiji, Gambia, Ghana, Guatemala, Guinea,Guinea-Bissau, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, India, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq,Jamaica, Jordan, Kenya, Kuwait, Lao People’s Democratic Republic, Leb-anon, Liberia, Libyan Arab Jamahiriya, Malaysia, Maldives, Mali,Mauritania, Mexico, Mongolia, Myanmar, Namibia, Nepal, Nicaragua,Niger, Nigeria, Oman, Pakistan, Papua New Guinea, Peru, Philippines,Qatar, Rwanda, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, SaoTome and Principe, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Sin-gapore, Sri Lanka, Suriname, Syrian Arab Republic, Thailand, Togo,Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Uganda, United Arab Emirates, UnitedRepublic of Tanzania, Vanuatu, Venezuela, Viet Nam, Yemen, Zambia,Zimbabwe.

Against: Australia, Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Canada, Czechoslo-vakia, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland,Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Malta, Nether-lands, New Zealand, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Republic of Moldova,Romania, Russian Federation, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Turkey, UnitedKingdom, United States.

Abstaining: Argentina, Belarus, Congo, Croatia, Marshall Islands,Micronesia, Panama, Paraguay, Republic of Korea, Samoa, Ukraine,Uruguay,

Military activities in colonial countries

In 1992, the Committee on colonial countriesagain considered military activities by colonialPowers in Territories under their administrationwhich might impede the implementation of the1960 Declarat ion. I t had before i t workingpapers prepared by the Secretariat on militaryact ivi t ies and arrangements in Bermuda,(29)Guam(30) and the United States Virgin Islands.(31)

The Committee drafted a decision on militaryactivities in colonial countries(32) which it recom-mended to the General Assembly for adoption.

On 21 August,(33) the Chairman of the Com-mittee transmitted to the Security Council the textof that decision,(32) drawing particular attentionto paragraph 7, which urged the Council to con-sider, as a matter of urgency, the report of theSecu r i t y Counc i l Commi t t ee e s t ab l i shed in1977(34) and to adopt further measures to widenthe scope of another 1977 Council resolution(35)to make it more effective and comprehensive. TheCommittee further called for scrupulous observ-ance of a 1984 Council resolution(36) in which theCouncil enjoined Member States from importingarmaments from South Africa.


On 16 November 1992, the General Assembly,on the recommendation of the Fourth Commit-tee, adopted decision 47/409 by recorded vote.

Military activities and arrangements by colonialPowers in Territories under their administration

which might be impeding the implementa t ionof the Declaration on the Granting of Independence

to Colonial Countries and PeoplesAt its 61st plenary meeting, on 16 November 1992,

the General Assembly, on the recommendation of theFourth Committee, adopted the following text:

“1. The General Assembly, having considered thechapter of the report of the Special Committee on theSituation with regard to the Implementation of theDeclaration on the Granting of Independence to Co-lonial Countries and Peoples relating to an item on theagenda of the Special Committee entitled ‘Military ac-tivities and arrangements by colonial Powers in Terri-tories under their administration which might be imped-ing the implementation of the Declaration on theGranting of Independence to Colonial Countries andPeoples’ and recalling its resolution 1514(XV) of 14 De-cember 1960 and all other resolutions and decisions ofthe United Nations relating to military activities in co-lonial and Non-Self-Governing Territories, reaffirms itsstrong conviction that military bases and installationsin the Territories concerned could constitute an obsta-cle to the exercise by the people of those Territories oftheir right to self-determination and reiterates its strongviews that existing bases and installations, which areimpeding the implementation of the Declaration, shouldbe withdrawn and that no further entrenchment shouldbe condoned.

“2. Aware of the presence of such bases and instal-

lations in some of those Territories, the General Assem-bly urges the administering Powers concerned to con-tinue to take all necessary measures not to involve thoseTerritories in any offensive acts or interference againstother States, and to comply fully with the purposes andprinciples of the Charter of the United Nations.

“3 . The General Assembly reiterates its condem-nation of all those military activities and arrangementsby colonial Powers in Territories under their adminis-tration that might run counter to the rights and interestsof the colonial peoples concerned, especially their rightto self-determination and independence. The Assem-bly once again calls upon the colonial Powers concernedto terminate such activities and to eliminate such mili-tary bases in compliance with the relevant resolutionsof the Assembly.

“4 . The General Assembly reiterates that the co-lonial Territories and areas adjacent thereto should notbe used for nuclear testing, dumping of nuclear wastesor deployment of nuclear and other weapons of massdestruction.

“5. The General Assembly welcomes the importantchanges taking place in South Africa aimed at facilitat-ing the commencement of substantive constitutionalnegotiations. The Assembly notes that, these develop-ments notwithstanding, apartheid remains firmly en-trenched and that as a result there is a continuing threatto the peace and security of the region.


“6. The General Assembly notes with grave con-cern revelations of covert funding and collusion by theSouth African regime with certain political organiza-tions and reports of the involvement of its security forcesin perpetrating acts of violence.

“7 . The General Assembly condemns the contin-ued military, nuclear and intelligence collaboration be-tween South Africa and certain countries, which con-stitutes a violation of the military embargo imposedagainst South Africa by the Security Council in its reso-lution 418(1977) of 4 November 1977, and which posesa threat to international peace and security The Assem-bly urges the Council to consider, as a matter of urgency,the report of the Security Council Committee establishedunder its resolution 421(1977) of 9 December 1977 andto adopt further measures to widen the scope of Coun-cil resolution 418(1977) in order to make it more effec-tive and comprehensive. The Assembly calls for an im-mediate end to all forms of such collaboration. TheAssembly further calls for the scrupulous observance ofresolution 558(1984) of 13 December 1984, in which theCouncil enjoined Member States to refrain from im-porting armaments from South Africa.

“8 . The General Assembly considers that the ac-quisition of nuclear-weapon capability by the South Afri-can regime, with its infamous record of violence andaggression, constitutes a further effort on its part to ter-rorize and intimidate independent States in the regioninto submission. The Assembly condemns the contin-uing support to the South African regime in the mili-tary and other fields. In this context, the Assembly ex-presses its concern at the grave consequences forinternational peace and security of the collaboration be-tween the apartheid system in South Africa and certainWestern Powers and other countries in the military andnuclear fields. It calls upon the States concerned to endall such collaboration and, in particular, to halt the sup-ply to the apartheid system of equipment, technology,materials and training enabling the regime to increaseits capability to manufacture nuclear weapons.

“9 . The General Assembly strongly condemns thecontinuing collaboration of certain countries with theracist regime in the military and nuclear fields and ex-presses its conviction that such collaboration is in con-travention of the arms embargo imposed against SouthAfrica under Security Council resolution 418(1977) andundermines international solidarity against the apart-heid regime. The Assembly thus calls for the termina-tion forthwith of all such collaboration.

“10. The General Assembly is particularly mind-ful in that regard of the Declaration on South Africa,adopted by the Assembly of Heads of State and Govern-ment of the Organization of African Unity at its twenty-seventh ordinary session, held at Abuja, Nigeria, from3 to 5 June 1991,a the report of the Tenth Conferenceof Ministers for Foreign Affairs of Non-Aligned Coun-tries, held at Accra from 2 to 7 September 1991,b andthe Communiqué adopted by the Heads of Governmentof the countries of the Commonwealth at their meetingheld at Harare from 16 to 22 October 1991.c

“11. The General Assembly urges all Governments,the specialized agencies and other intergovernmental or-ganizations to provide increased material assistance tothe thousands of refugees who have been forced by theoppressive policies of the apartheid regime in South

Africa to flee into the neighbouring Stales and for thepurpose of resettlement of those who are returning.

“12. The General Assembly deplores the continuedalienation of land in colonial Territories, particularly inthe small island Territories of the Pacific and Caribbeanregions, for military installations. The large-scale utili-zation of the local resources for this purpose could ad-versely affect the economic development of the Territo-ries concerned.

“13. The General Assembly requests the Secretary-General to continue, through all means at his disposal,to inform world public opinion of the facts concerningthe military activities and arrangements in colonial Ter-ritories which are impeding the implementation of theDeclaration on the Granting of Independence to ColonialCountries and Peoples, contained in Assembly resolu-tion 1514(XV).

“14. The General Assembly requests the Special Com-mittee on the Situation with regard to the Implementa-tion of the Declaration on the Granting of Independenceto Colonial Countries and Peoples to continue to exam-ine this question and to report thereon to the Assemblyat its forty-eighth session.”

aA/46/390.bA/46/726-S/23265.cA/46/708.

G e n e r a l A s s e m b l y d e c i s i o n 4 7 / 4 0 9

98-39-10 (recorded vote)

Approved by Fourth Committee (A/47/645) by recorded vote (90-33-7), 3November (meeting 8): draft by Committee on colonial countries (A/47/23):agenda item 99.



In favour: Afghanistan, Algeria, Angola, Bahamas, Bahrain, Bangladesh,Barbados, Belize, Benin, Bolivia, Botswana, Brazil, Brunei Darussalam, BurkinaFaso, Burundi, Cameroon, Cape Verde, Chile, China, Colombia, Costa Rica,Cuba, Cyprus, Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, Djibouti, Dominica,Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, Equatorial Guinea, Ethiopia, Fiji, Gambia, Ghana,Guatemala, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, India, Indonesia,Iran, Iraq, Jamaica, Jordan, Kenya, Kuwait, Lao People’s Democratic Republic,Lebanon, Liberia, Libyan Arab Jamahiriya, Madagascar, Malaysia, Maldives,Mali, Mauritania, Mexico, Mongolia, Myanmar, Namibia, Nepal, Nicaragua,Niger, Nigeria, Oman, Pakistan, Papua New Guinea, Peru, Philippines, Qatar,Rwanda, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Sao Tome andPrincipe, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Singapore, SriLanka, Sudan, Suriname, Swaziland, Syrian Arab Republic, Thailand, Togo,Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Uganda, United Arab Emirates, United Republicof Tanzania, Vanuatu, Venezuela, Viet Nam, Yemen, Zambia, Zimbabwe.

Against: Australia, Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Canada, Croatia, Czech-oslovakia, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary,Iceland, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Lux-embourg, Malta, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Repub-lic of Moldova, Romania, Russian Federation, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden,Turkey, Ukraine, United Kingdom, United States.

Abstaining: Argentina, Belarus, Congo, Marshall Islands, Micronesia,Panama, Paraguay, Republic of Korea, Samoa, Uruguay.

Informat ion d isseminat ion

The Committee on colonial countries, acting onthe recommendation of its Subcommittee on SmallTerritories, Petitions, Information and Assistance,(9)adopted recommendat ions for the d isseminat ionof information on decolonization. It requested theUnited Nations Department of Public Information(DPI) to intensify its publicity on decolonization;disseminate this information more widely; and pro-duce new visual material on problems of decoloni-


zation. The Committee also requested DPI to pro-vide it with reports from United Nations informa-t ion cent res about the d isseminat ion of in forma-t ion on decoloniza t ion and appea led to the massmedia to also support the peoples of colonial coun-t r i e s b y a d d r e s s i n g d e c o l o n i z a t i o n i s s u e s . T h eCommittee also called on D P I, in cooperation withthe Uni ted Nat ions Depar tment of Pol i t ica l Af-f a i r s , t o i n c r e a s e i t s s p e a k i n g e n g a g e m e n t s a tuniversities and to intensify their cooperation withnon-governmenta l organiza t ions .


O n 2 5 N o v e m b e r , t h e G e n e r a l A s s e m b l yadopted reso lu t ion 47 /24 by recorded vo te .

Dissemination of information on decolonizationThe General Assembly,Having examined the chapter of the report of the Spe-

cial Committee on the Situation with regard to the Im-plementation of the Declaration on the Granting of In-dependence to Colonial Countries and Peoples relatingto the dissemination of information on decolonizationand publicity for the work of the United Nations in thefield of decolonization,

Recalling its resolution 1514(XV) of 14 December 1960,containing the Declaration on the Granting of Indepen-dence to Colonial Countries and Peoples, and other reso-lutions and decisions of the United Nations concerningthe dissemination of information on decolonization, inparticular General Assembly resolution 46/72 of 11 De-cember 1991,

Reiterating the importance of publicity as an instrumentfor furthering the aims of the Declaration and mindfulof the role of world public opinion in effectively assist-ing the peoples of the colonial Territories to achieve self-determination and independence,

Noting that while censorship laws have been repealed,existing legislation and other measures still curtail thefreedom of the press in South Africa,

Aware of the importance of non-governmental organi-zations in the dissemination of information on decoloni-zation,

1. Approves the chapter of the report of the SpecialCommittee on the Situation with regard to the Im-plementation of the Declaration on the Granting of In-dependence to Colonial Countries and Peoples relatingto the dissemination of information on decolonizationand publicity for the work of the United Nations in thefield of decolonization;

2. Considers it important for the United Nations to con-tinue to play an active role in the process of decoloniza-tion and to intensify its efforts to ensure the widest pos-sible dissemination of information on decolonization,with a view to further mobilizing international publicopinion in support of complete decolonization by theyear 2000;

3. Requests the Secretary-General, taking into accountthe suggestions of the Special Committee, to continueto take concrete measures through all the media at hisdisposal, including publications, radio and television,to give widespread and continuous publicity to the workof the United Nations in the field of decolonization and,inter alia;

(a) To continue, in consultation with the SpecialCommittee, to collect, prepare and disseminate basicmaterial, studies and articles relating to the problemsof decolonization and, in particular, to continue to pub-lish the periodical Objective: Justice and other publications,special articles and studies, including the Decolonizationseries, and to increase the information on all the Terri-tories under consideration by the Special Committee,selecting appropriate material for wider disseminationby reprints in various languages;

(b) To seek the full cooperation of the administer-ing Powers in the discharge of the tasks referred to above;

(c) To intensify the decolonization-oriented activi-ties of all United Nations information centres;

(d) To maintain a working relationship with the Or-ganization of African Unity and appropriate regionaland intergovernmental organizations, particularly in thePacific and Caribbean regions, by holding periodic con-sultations and exchanging information;

(e) To solicit, in consultation with United Nationsinformation centres, assistance in the dissemination ofinformation on decolonization from non-governmentalorganizations;

(f) To continue to produce comprehensive pressreleases for all meetings of the Special Committee andits subsidiary bodies;

(g) To ensure that the necessary facilities and serv-ices to that end are made available;

(h) To report to the Special Committee on measurestaken in the implementation of the present resolution;

4. Requests all States, in particular the administer-ing Powers, as well as the specialized agencies and otherorganizations of the United Nations system and non-governmental organizations with a special interest indecolonization, to undertake or intensify, in coopera-tion with the Secretary-General and within their respec-tive spheres of competence, the large-scale dissemina-tion of information referred to in paragraph 2 above;

5. Requests the Special Committee to follow the im-plementation of the present resolution and to reportthereon to the General Assembly at its forty-eighthsession.


2 5 N o v e m b e r 1 9 9 2 M e e t i n g 7 2 1 3 2 - 2 - 1 7 ( r e c o r d e d v o t e )

16-nation draft (A/47/L.18 & Add.1); agenda item 18.Sponsors: Algeria, Barbados, Cuba, Grenada, India, Libyan Arab Jamahiriya,

Madagascar, Marshall Islands, Micronesia, Namibia, Papua New Guinea,Sierra Leone, Solomon Islands, Tunisia, United Republic of Tanzania, Vanu-atu, Zimbabwe.

Financial implications. 5th Committee, A/47/711; S-G, A/C.5/47/48.Meeting numbers. GA 47th session: 5th Committee 31; plenary 61, 72.


In favour: Afghanistan, Albania, Algeria, Angola, Antigua and Barbuda,Argentina, Australia, Austria, Bahamas, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Barbados,Belarus, Belize, Benin, Bolivia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Botswana, Bra-zil, Brunei Darussalam, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Central African Repub-lic, Chad, Chile, China, Colombia, Costa Rica, Côte d’lvoire, Cuba, Cyprus,Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, Denmark, Djibouti, Ecuador, Egypt,El Salvador, Ethiopia, Fiji, Gabon, Ghana, Greece, Grenada, Guatemala,Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, Iceland, India, Indone-sia, Iran, Iraq, Ireland, Jamaica, Japan, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Kuwait, LaoPeople’s Democratic Republic, Latvia, Lebanon, Lesotho, Libyan ArabJamahiriya, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Madagascar, Malaysia, Maldives,Mali, Malta, Marshall Islands, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mexico, Micronesia,Mongolia, Morocco, Mozambique, Myanmar, Namibia, Nepal, NewZealand, Nicaragua, Niger, Nigeria, Norway, Oman, Pakistan, Panama,Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Portugal, Qatar, Repub-lic of Korea, Russian Federation, Rwanda, Saint Kitts and Nevis, SaintLucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Samoa, Sao Tome and Principe,Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Singapore, Spain, Sri


Lanka, Sudan, Suriname, Sweden, Syrian Arab Republic, Thailand, Togo,Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Turkey, Uganda, Ukraine, United ArabEmirates, United Republic of Tanzania, Uruguay, Vanuatu, Venezuela, VietNam, Yemen, Zambia, Zimbabwe.

Against: United Kingdom, United States.Abstaining: Belgium, Bulgaria, Canada, Czechoslovakia, Estonia, Finland,

France, Germany, Hungary Israel, Italy, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Poland,Republic of Moldova, Romania, Slovenia.

Puerto Rico

In 1992, the Committee on colonial countriesendorsed the recommendation made by the open-ended Working Group(8) that the Committeedefer until 1993 consideration of its decision of 15August 1991(37) by which it deplored the fact thatthe United States Congress had not adopted a legalframework for holding a referendum to enable thepeople of Puerto Rico to determine their politicalfuture. The Committee also endorsed the Group’ssuggestion that requests for hearings be given dueconsideration by the Committee. Accordingly, theCommittee, during its July session, heard 19representatives of organizations from Puerto Rico.

In July,(38) the Committee’s Rapporteur drewattention to related reports prepared in 1982,(39)1984,(40) 1985,(41) 1986,(42) 1987,(43) 1988,(44)1989,(45) 1990(46) and 1991,(47) as well as a studyprepared by him in 1985.(41)

New Caledonia

During its consideration of New Caledonia, theCommittee on colonial countries had before it aworking paper prepared by the Secretariat(48) onrecent political and economic developments. Itrecalled that under the provisions of the 1988Matignon Agreement,(49) a self-determinationreferendum would be held in 1998 following a 10-year period of development aimed at effectingmore equitable economic distribution between theindigenous Melanesians, known as Kanaks, whocomprised about 45 per cent of the population,and persons of European origin, mainly French.

The Commit tee to Monitor the MatignonAgreement, at its third meeting (Paris, 17 and 18October 1991), agreed that progress was beingmade in economic and social areas but stressedthe need for France to increase its efforts to bringabout more equitable economic distribution andprovide education and training that would ena-ble Kanaks to participate equally in the economyand Government of the Territory. As to politicaldevelopments, the review of electoral rolls andpreparation of voter lists was continuing with thehelp of magistrates from France.

The paper noted that for many years themajority of Kanaks had been dependent for theirlivelihood on subsistence agriculture because themining sector and most land suitable for commer-cial agriculture were controlled by inhabitants ofEuropean origin. As called for by the MatignonAgreement, a large proportion of government de-

velopment funds were being channelled to areasinhabited by Kanak majori t ies . Developmentprojects included the construct ion of roads,schools, colleges, medical centres, hotels and hous-ing as well as electrification and the laying of tele-phone lines and water distribution systems. Underland redistribution projects, from 1988 to 1991,62,500 hectares of land were redistributed, ofwhich 75 per cent went to Kanaks.


On 25 November 1992, the General Assembly,on the recommendation of the Fourth Commit-tee, adopted resolution 47/26 without vote.

Question of New CaledoniaThe General Assembly,Having considered the question of New Caledonia,Having examined the chapter of the report of the Spe-

cial Committee on the Situation with regard to the Im-plementation of the Declaration on the Granting of In-dependence to Colonial Countries and Peoples relatingto New Caledonia,

Reaffirming the right of peoples to self-determination’as enshrined in the Charter of the United Nations.

Recalling its resolutions 1514(XV) of 14 December 1960and 1541(XV) of 15 December 1960,

Noting the importance of the positive measures beingpursued in New Caledonia by the French authorities,in cooperation with all sectors of the population, to pro-mote political, economic and social development in theTerritory, including measures in the area of environmen-tal protection and action with respect to drug abuse andtrafficking, in order to provide a framework for its peace-ful progress to self-determination,

Noting also, in this context, the importance of equita-ble economic and social development, as well as con-tinued dialogue among the parties involved in NewCaledonia in the prepara t ion of the ac t o f s e l f -determination of New Caledonia,

1. Approves the section of the report of the SpecialCommittee on the Situation with regard to the Im-plementation of the Declaration on the Granting of In-dependence to Colonial Countries and Peoples relatingto New Caledonia;

2. Urges all the parties involved, in the interest of allthe people of New Caledonia, to maintain their dialoguein a spirit of harmony;

3. Invites all the parties involved to continue promot-ing a framework for the peaceful progress of the Terri-tory towards an act of self-determination in which alloptions are open and which would safeguard the rightsof all New Caledonians;

4. Welcomes measures taken recently and those an-ticipated to strengthen and diversify the New Caledo-nian economy in all fields;

5. Also Welcomes the call by the Committee to Moni-tor the Matignon Agreement, at its meeting held in Parison 17 and 18 October 1991, for greater progress in hous-ing, employment, training, education and health carein New Caledonia;

6. Commends the decision to establish a Melanesiancultural centre as a contribution to preserving the in-digenous culture of New Caledonia;


7. Takes note of the recent positive initiatives aimedat protecting New Caledonia’s natural environment,notably the “Zoneco” operation designed to map andevaluate marine resources within the economic zone ofNew Caledonia;

8. Acknowledges the close links between New Caledo-nia and the peoples of the South Pacific and the posi-tive actions being taken by the French authorities tofacilitate the further development of those links, includ-ing the development of closer relations with the mem-

ber countries of the South Pacific Forum;9. Requests the Special Committee to continue the ex-

amination of this question at its next session and to re-port thereon to the General Assembly at its forty-eighthsession.


25 November 1992 Meeting 72 Adopted without vote

Approved by Fourth Committee (A/47/648) without objection, 3 November(meeting 8); draft by Committee on colonial countries (A/47/23); agendaitem 18.


REFERENCES(1)YUN 1960, p. 49, GA res. 1514(XV), 14 Dec. 1960.(2)YUN 1991, p. 777, GA res. 46/181 19 Dec. 1991. (3)GAres. 43/47, 22 Nov. 1988. (4)A/AC.109/1114. (5)A/AC.109/1107.(6)A/AC.109/L.1791 & Corr.1. (7)A/47/23. (8)A/AC.109/L.1776.(9)A/AC.109/L.1780. (10)A/AC.109/L.1782. (11)A/AC.109/L.1777.(12)A/AC.109/L.1778. (13)A/AC.109/L.1779. (14)A/47/86.(15)YUN 1991, p. 782. GA res. 46/65, 11 Dec. 1991.(16)A/47/281 & Add.1. (17)A/47/649. (18)YUN 1991, p. 784, GAres. 46/70, 11 Dec. 1991. (19)E/1992/28 (dec. 92/10). (20)Ibid.(dec. 92/25). (21)E/1992/85. (22)A/AC.109/L.1785. (23)A/AC.109/1119. (24)A/AC.109/1104. (25)A/AC.109/1117. (26)A/AC.109/1118.(27)A/AC.109/1124. (28)A/AC.109/1123. (29)A/AC.109/1103.(30)A/AC.109/1113. (31)A/AC.109/1110. (32)A/AC.109/1136.(33)S/24471. (34)YUN 1977, p. 162, SC res. 421(1977), 9Dec. 1977. (35)Ibid., p. 161, SC res. 418(1977), 4 Nov. 1977.(36)YUN 1984, p. 143, SC res. 558(1984), 13 Dec. 1984.(37)YUN 1991, p. 790. (38)A/AC.109/L.1788. (39)YUN 1982,

p. 1276. (40)A/AC.109/L.1519. (41)YUN 1985, p. 1081.(42)A/AC.109/L.1598. (43)YUN 1987, p. 972. (44)A/AC.109/L.1676. (45)A/AC.109/L.1703. (46)A/AC.109/L.1746. (47)YUN1991, p. 789. (48)A/AC.109/1120. (49)A/AC.109/964.

Other genera l ques t ions

Scholarsh ips

The Secretary-General, in accordance with aGeneral Assembly request of 1991,(l) reported inSeptember 1992(2) on offers made by MemberStates of study and training facilities for inhabi-tants of NSGTs. Five Member States informed theSecretary-General of scholarships offered to in-habitants of NSGTS during the 1991-1992 or 1992-1993 academic year. Australia had granted awardsto 15 students from New Caledonia to attend Aus-tralian institutions of higher education; Barbadoshad awarded a total of 14 scholarships to nationalsfrom NSGTs of the Caribbean; Cyprus offered onescholarship at the Cyprus Forestry College; NewZealand had granted study awards to 7 students

from New Caledonia and to 13 from Tokelau; andthe United Kingdom had offered a total of 159scholarships to students from British dependentTerritories.

Between 1 October 1991 and 30 September1992, the Secretariat had received requests from42 students for information on the availability ofscholarships. None were inhabitants of NSGTs.



Offers by Member States of study andtraining facilities for inhabitants of

Non-Self-Governing TerritoriesThe General Assembly,Recalling its resolution 46/66 of 11 December 1991,Having examined the report of the Secretary-General on

offers by Member States of study and training facilitiesfor inhabitants of Non-Self-Governing Territories, pre-pared pursuant to General Assembly resolution 845(IX)of 22 November 1954,

Conscious of the importance of promoting the educa-tional advancement of the inhabitants of Non-Self-Governing Territories,

Strongly convinced that the continuation and expansionof offers of scholarships is essential in order to meet theincreasing need of students from Non-Self-GoverningTerritories for educational and training assistance, andconsidering that students in those Territories should beencouraged to avail themselves of such offers,

1. Takes note of the report of the Secretary-General;2. Expresses its appreciation to those Member States that

have made scholarships available to the inhabitants ofNon-Self-Governing Territories;

3. Invites all States to make or continue to makegenerous offers of study and training facilities to the in-habitants of those Territories that have not yet attainedself-government or independence and, wherever possi-ble, to provide travel funds to prospective students;

4. Urges the administering Powers to take effectivemeasures to ensure the widespread and continuous dis-semination in the Territories under their administrationof information relating to offers of study and trainingfacilities made by States and to provide all the neces-sary facilities to enable students to avail themselves ofsuch offers;

5. Requests the Secretary-General to report to theGeneral Assembly at its forty-eighth session on the im-plementation of the present resolution;

6. Draws the attention of the Special Committee on theSituation with regard to the Implementation of theDeclaration on the Granting of Independence to Co-lonial Countries and Peoples to the present resolution.


1 6 N o v e m b e r 1 9 9 2 M e e t i n g 6 1 A d o p t e d w i t h o u t v o t e

Approved by Fourth Committee (A/47/647) without objection, 3 November(meeting 8); 47-nation draft (A/C.4/47/L.4); agenda item 101.

Sponsors: Algeria, Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Australia, Barbados, Be-lize, Benin, Brazil, Bulgaria, Burkina Faso, Burundi, China, Costa Rica, Cuba,Cyprus, El Salvador, Fiji, Guatemala, Guinea, Guyana, Honduras, Indone-sia, Iran, Jamaica, Madagascar, Malaysia, Mali, New Zealand, Nicaragua,Nigeria, Pakistan, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Philippines, Saint Lucia,


Samoa, Senegal, Singapore, Solomon Islands, Sudan, Sweden, Thailand,Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Uruguay, Vanuatu, Venezuela.


Information to the United Nations

States responsible for the administration ofNSGTs continued to inform the Secretary-Generalabout the Territories’ economic, social and educa-tional conditions under the terms of Article 73 eof the United Nations Charter (see APPENDIX II).In reports to the Committee(3) and the GeneralAssembly,(4) the Secretary-General listed the dateof receipt of the information provided by the ad-ministering States and the period covered by theirreports. In 1992, he stated that he had receivedinformation with respect to the following NSGTS:

New Zealand: TokelauUnited Kingdom: Bermuda, British Virgin Islands, Cay-

man Islands, Gibraltar, St. HelenaUnited States: American Samoa, Guam, United States

Virgin Islands


On 16 November 1992, the General Assembly,on the recommendation of the Fourth Commit-tee, adopted resolution 47/14 by recorded vote.

Information from Non-Self-Governing Territoriestransmitted under Article 73 of

the Charter of the United NationsThe General Assembly,

Having examined the chapter of the report of the Spe-cial Committee on the Situation with regard to the Im-plementation of the Declaration on the Granting of In-dependence to Colonial Countries and Peoples relatingto the information from Non-Self-Governing Territoriestransmitted under Article 73 e of the Charter of theUnited Nations and the action taken by the SpecialCommittee in respect of that information,

Having also examined the report of the Secretary-Generalon the question,

Recalling its resolution 1970(XVIII) of 16 December1963, in which it requested the Special Committee tostudy the information transmitted to the Secretary-General in accordance with Article 73 e of the Charterand to take such information fully into account in ex-amining the situation with regard to the implementa-tion of the Declaration on the Granting of Independenceto Colonial Countries and Peoples, contained in GeneralAssembly resolution 1514(XV) of 14 December 1960,

Recalling also its resolution 46/63 of 11 December 1991,in which it requested the Special Committee to continueto discharge the functions entrusted to it under resolu-tion 1970(XVIII),

Stressing the importance of timely transmission by theadministering Powers of adequate information under Ar-ticle 73 e of the Charter, in particular in relation to thepreparation by the Secretariat of the working papers onthe Territories concerned,

1. Approves the chapter of the report of the SpecialCommittee on the Situation with regard to the Im-plementation of the Declaration on the Granting of In-dependence to Colonial Countries and Peoples relatingto the information from Non-Self-Governing Territories

transmitted under Article 73 e of the Charter of theUnited Nations;

2. Reaffirms that, in the absence of a decision by theGeneral Assembly itself that a Non-Self-Governing Ter-ritory has attained a full measure of self-government interms of Chapter XI of the Charter, the administeringPower concerned should continue to transmit informa-tion under Article 73 e of the Charter with respect tothat Territory;

3. Requests the administering Powers concerned totransmit or continue to transmit to the Secretary-General the information prescribed in Article 73 e ofthe Charter, as well as the fullest possible informationon political and constitutional developments in the Ter-ritories concerned, within a maximum period of sixmonths following the expiration of the administrativeyear in those Territories;

4. Requests the Secretary-General to continue to en-sure that adequate information is drawn from all avail-able published sources in connection with the prepara-tion of the working papers relating to the Territoriesconcerned;

5. Requests the Special Committee to continue to dis-charge the functions entrusted to it under General As-sembly resolution 1970(XVIII), in accordance with es-tablished procedures, and to report thereon to theAssembly at its forty-eighth session.Genera l Assembly r e so lu t ion 47 /14

1 6 N o v e m b e r 1 9 9 2 M e e t i n g 6 1 1 4 2 - 0 - 3 ( r e c o r d e d v o t e )

Approved by Fourth Committee (A/47/644) by recorded vote (129-0-3), 3November (meeting 8): draft by Committee on colonial countries(A/47/23); agenda item 98.



In favour: Afghanistan, Algeria, Angola, Argentina, Australia, Austria,Bahamas, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belarus, Belgium, Belize, Benin,Bolivia, Botswana, Brazil, Brunei Darussalam, Bulgaria, Burkina Faso,Burundi, Cameroon, Canada, Cape Verde, Chile, China, Colombia, Congo,Costa Rica, Côte d’lvoire, Croatia, Cuba, Cyprus, Czechoslovakia,Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, Denmark, Djibouti, Dominica, Ec-uador, Egypt, El Salvador, Ethiopia, Fiji, Finland, Germany, Ghana, Greece,Grenada, Guatemala, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras,Hungary, Iceland, India, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Jamaica,Japan, Jordan, Kenya, Kuwait, Lao People’s Democratic Republic, Leba-non, Lesotho, Liberia, Libyan Arab Jamahiriya, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg,Madagascar, Malaysia, Maldives, Mali, Malta, Marshall Islands, Maurita-nia, Mexico, Micronesia, Mongolia, Morocco, Myanmar, Namibia, Nepal,Netherlands, New Zealand, Nicaragua, Niger, Nigeria, Norway, Oman, Pak-istan, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Poland,Portugal, Qatar, Republic of Korea, Republic of Moldova, Romania, Rus-sian Federation, Rwanda, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines,Samoa, Sao Tome and Principe, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Seychelles, SierraLeone, Singapore, Slovenia, Spain, Sri Lanka, Suriname, Swaziland,Sweden, Syrian Arab Republic, Thailand, Togo, Trinidad and Tobago, Tu-nisia, Turkey, Uganda, Ukraine, United Arab Emirates, United Republic ofTanzania, Uruguay, Vanuatu, Venezuela, Viet Nam, Yemen, Zambia,Zimbabwe.

Against: None.Abstaining: France, United Kingdom, United States.

Vis i t ing miss ions

The Chairman of the Committee on colonialcountr ies , as requested by the Committee in1991,(5) held consultations with representatives ofthe administering Powers on the question of send-ing visiting missions to NSGTS. The Chairman re-ported in July 1992(6) that he had also informedthe Powers of progress in the reforms that theCommittee had initiated to improve its efficiencyand methods of work. One administering Power

Ques t ions re la t ing to decolonisa t ion 961

indicated that the possibility of a further visitingmission to the Territory under its administrationwas under review by the leaders of that Territory.Another stated that missions should be studiedon a case-by-case basis to determine their objec-tives and assess whether they would be produc-tive. The United Kingdom stated that it saw nocase for missions by the Committee on colonialcountries to its dependent Territories.

On 28 July,(7) the Committee adopted a reso-lution on the question of sending missions to Ter-ritories, stressing the need to dispatch periodicvisiting missions to facilitate full implementationof the 1960 Declaration,(8) calling on the ad-ministering Powers to continue to cooperate byreceiving United Nations missions in the Territo-ries under their administration and to partici-pate in the work of the Committee, and request-ing its Chairman to continue consultations withthose Powers and to report to the Committeethereon.

REFERENCES(1)YUN 1991, p. 791, GA res. 46/66, 11 Dec. 1991.(2)A/47/486. (3)A/AC.109/1121. (4)A/47/473. (5)YUN 1991,p. 793. (6)A/AC.109/L.1783. (7)A/AC.109/1131. (8)YUN 1960,p. 49, GA res. 1514(XV), 14 Dec. 1960.

Other colonial Territories

East Timor

During its consideration of East Timor, theCommittee on colonial countries heard state-ments by Portugal as the administering Power,Indonesia and 23 petitioners.

The Committee had before it a July workingpaper(1) prepared by the Secretariat reviewingpolitical developments, the human rights situa-tion, economic and social conditions and otherdevelopments. It also outlined United Nationsconsideration of the question.

Regarding the comprehensive settlement ofthe question of East Timor, it was noted that theSecretary-General had been in contact with theparties concerned with a view to reactivating adialogue that could lead to a settlement. TheGovernments of Indonesia and Portugal hadpresented proposals and views on a dialogue tothe Secretary-General, who continued his effortsto obtain an agreement on the modalities andformat of such talks.

Acting on the proposal of its Chairman, the Com-mittee decided without objection to continue con-sideration of the item at its next session, subjectto any directives by the General Assembly.


By decision 47/402 of 18 September 1992, theGeneral Assembly, on the recommendation of theGeneral Committee, deferred consideration of theitem on East Timor to its forty-eighth (1993)session.

Falkland Islands (Malvinas)

The Committee on colonial countries again con-sidered the question of the Falkland Islands (Mal-vinas) in 1992. The United Kingdom, the ad-ministering Power concerned, did not participatein the consideration of the item. The Committeeacceded to a request from Argentina to participate.It had before it a July working paper, (2) preparedby the Secretariat, which described political de-velopments and economic, social and educationalconditions in the islands and also discussed con-sideration of the question by the United Nationsand the Organization of American States.(3) InSeptember 1991,(4) Argentina and the UnitedKingdom had signed an agreement revising theterms of the Madrid Agreement of 1990, whichdealt with the Interim Reciprocal Information andConsultation System as it applied to militaryvessels.(5)

By a vote of 20 to 0 with 3 abstentions, the Com-mittee adopted a resolution on the question on 29July(6) that requested Argentina and the UnitedKingdom to consolidate the current process of di-alogue and cooperation by resuming negotiationsto find a peaceful solution to the sovereignty dis-pute relating to the islands; reiterated its firm sup-port for the mission of good off ices of theSecretary-General in assisting the parties; anddecided to keep the issue under review.


On 10 November 1992, the General Assembly,by decision 47/408, decided to defer considera-tion of the question of the Falkland Islands (Mal-vinas) and to include it in the provisional agendaof its forty-eighth (1993) session.

Wes te rn SaharaSecurity Council consideration. As requested

by the Security Council in 1991,(7) the Secretary-General, in February 1992, submitted a further re-port on the United Nat ions Mission for theReferendum in Western Sahara ( M I N U R S O ) . (8 )The report described the mil i tary aspects ofMINURSO and all other aspects of the operation,including developments since his last report to theCouncil in December 1991.(9) The Secretary-General noted that the referendum for self -determination of the people of Western Saharashould have taken place in January 1992. How-ever, it had not been possible to proceed with the


original timetable, in view of continuing problemsand differences of interpretation by Morocco andthe Frente Popular para la Liberación de Saguiael-Hamra y de Río de Oro (Frente POLISARIO) re-garding the implementation of the Secretary-General’s settlement plan,(10) approved by theCouncil in April 1991.(11) He proposed a three-month target period for resolving all outstandingissues blocking the plan’s implementation, afterwhich he would report further to the SecurityCouncil, not later than the end of May 1992. Ifby that date no agreement had been reached onimplementing the existing plan, he said it wouldbe necessary to consider alternative courses of ac-tion and possibly adopt a new approach. Mean-while, the Secretary-General recommended thatthe current level of MINURSO activity be main-tained and that the mandate of its military ele-ments continue to be restricted to verifying thecease-fire and cessation of hostilities in the areasdefined in September 1991.(12)

On 25 March 1992,(13) the President of theSecurity Council informed the Secretary-Generalthat the members of the Council had taken noteof his February report on MINURSO and reiteratedtheir support for his efforts and the efforts to bem a d e b y t h e S e c r e t a r y - G e n e r a l ’ s S p e c i a lRepresentative for Western Sahara to acceleratethe implementation of the settlement plan.

In May,(14) the Secretary-General submitted tothe Council a further report on the situation inWestern Sahara in which he addressed the currentstatus of the plan in its military and other aspects.The Secretary-General stated that the role of theMINURSO military unit was essentially limited tomonitoring and verifying the cease-fire into whichMorocco and the Frente POLISARIO had entered.He said the Special Representative had toured themission area and neighbouring countries from 19to 30 Apri l 1992, meet ing with the King ofMorocco, the Secretary-General of the FrentePOLISARIO and the Heads of State of Algeria andMauritania. Based on his initial contacts with theparties, the Special Representative concluded thattheir respective positions remained far apart andthat their differences had continued to present seri-ous obstacles to the implementation of the settle-ment plan. At the same time, he was encouragedto find that both parties remained committed tothe plan as a framework for a solution to the West-ern Sahara confl ict . Algeria and Mauri taniapromised him their full support and cooperationto overcome existing obstacles and facilitate the ex-ecution of the plan.

The Secretary-General also stated that regard-less of the progress of the current talks, he re-mained convinced of the need to maintain the mili-tary strength of MINURSO in Western Sahara toadequately monitor the cease-fire. He recom-

mended that the Council extend MINURSO’s man-date until the end of August. He hoped that bythen substantial progress would have been madeto prepare the ground for a referendum. If by thattime, however, the peace process remained dead-locked, despite the efforts of the Special Represen-tative, the Security Council might wish to considera different approach.

The President of the Securi ty Counci l , inJune,(15) informed the Secretary-General that theCouncil members welcomed the fact that the twoparties had agreed to engage in discussions withthe Special Representative, with a view to reac-tivating the settlement plan. They reaffirmed theirsupport for the efforts which the Secretary-Generaland his Special Representative were making andasked him to submit a further progress report onimplementation of the plan. The members of theCouncil shared the Secretary-General’s views onthe need to maintain the presence of MINURSOpersonnel in Western Sahara to monitor thecease-fire.

As requested, the Secretary-General submitteda further progress report on the situation on 20August 1992.(16) He reported that the SpecialRepresentative had had talks with both parties be-ginning in mid-June, meeting separately withthem at Geneva, in the mission area and finallyin New York, where the talks concluded on 2 July.The talks had focused on safeguards to protect thepolitical, economic, social and other rights andliberties of the losing side in the referendum, what-ever the outcome. The talks were expected to cre-ate a climate of mutual trust and confidence inwhich obstacles to the referendum, such as thecriteria for eligibility to vote, could be overcome.Both parties agreed to engage in a new round oftalks with the Special Representative, this timedevoted to the interpretation of the criteria foreligibility to vote as contained in a 1991 report ofthe Secretary-General.(9) Morocco had acceptedthose criteria, despite reservations on provisionswhich it found to be unnecessarily restrictive.However, the Frente POLISARIO had rejected thosecriteria on the grounds that they would unduly en-large the electoral body beyond the voters includedin the 1974 census. Nevertheless, the FrentePOLISARIO had gradually reassessed its positionin the light of the Special Representative’s effortsto relaunch the settlement plan. Without preju-dice to its position on the criteria, the POLISARIOFront agreed to support the efforts of the SpecialRepresentative to ensure that both parties arrivedat the same interpretation of all criteria. TheSecretary-General stated that he intended to sub-mit a further report to the Council before the endof September, focusing on the results of the nextround of talks by his Special Representative andthe parties, which were due to begin on 24 Au-


gust. He proposed maintaining the existing deploy-ment and staffing of MINURSO.

On 31 August,(17) the President of the SecurityCouncil stated that the Council members hopedboth parties would cooperate fully with the Secretary-General and the Special Representative in their effortsto achieve speedy progress in implementing the planand strongly urged the parties to make extraordi-nary efforts to ensure the plan’s success. The Councilmembers looked forward to receiving a further pro-gress report before the end of September.

The Secretary-General, on 2 October,(18) re-ported to the Council that talks concerning the in-terpretation of the criteria for eligibility to vote, heldfrom 25 August to 25 September, were inconclu-sive, and that he had agreed with a proposal by theSpecial Representative to hold further consultationsto clarify unresolved questions. In addition, therewere plans to try to determine with the partieswhether a meeting of tribal chiefs could help re-solve the problems impeding implementation of thesettlement plan. The Secretary-General proposedpostponing his report to the Council pending theclose of these consultations. Replying to theSecretary-General, the Council, on 8 October,(19)welcomed the plan to explore with the parties a meet-ing of tribal chiefs and emphasized the urgency ofthe pending questions being settled. It awaited afurther progress report from the Secretary-General.

On 22 December,(20) the Secretary-General in-formed the Council that it was not possible to holda consultative meeting of tribal chiefs due to dis-crepancies regarding the notion of tribal chiefs. Inaddition, despite the efforts of the Special Represen-tative, agreements among all concerned on the majoraspects of the settlement plan had not been reached.The Secretary-General stated that he felt obligedto take concrete steps towards holding the referendumand would set forth the necessary steps to do so inJanuary 1993.

Consideration by the Committee on colonialcountries. The Committee heard the views of onerepresentative of the Frente POLISARIO and con-sidered a working paper prepared by the Secretariatcontaining information on developments in West-ern Sahara.(21) The paper discussed General As-sembly consideration of the question in 1991, ac-tivities of the Secretary-General’s good offices andpolitical and other developments from August 1991to July 1992.

General Assembly consideration. The Assem-bly’s Fourth Committee heard statements by fourpetitioners on behalf of the Frente POLISARIO, theWestern Sahara Awareness Project, the Sahara Funda n d B r o w n U n i v e r s i t y ( P r o v i d e n c e , U n i t e dStates).(22)

As requested by the General Assembly in1991,(23) the Secretary-General reported in October1992(24) on the situation in Western Sahara and

described the activities he had taken from 24 Oc-tober 1991 to 2 October 1992 towards a settlement.



Question of Western SaharaThe General Assembly,Having considered the question of Western Sahara,Reaffirming the inalienable right of all peoples to self-

determination and independence, in accordance withthe principles set forth in the Charter of the United Na-tions and in General Assembly resolution 1514(XV) of14 December 1960, containing the Declaration on theGranting of Independence to Colonial Countries andPeoples,

Recalling its resolution 46/67 of 11 December 1991,Recalling also the agreement in principle given on 30

August 1988 by the Kingdom of Morocco and the FrentePopular para la Liberación de Saguia el-Hamra y deRío de Oro to the proposals of the Secretary-Generalof the United Nations and the current Chairman of theAssembly of Heads of State and Government of the Or-ganization of African Unity in the context of their jointmission of good offices,

Recalling further Security Council resolutions 621(1988)of 20 September 1988, 658(1990) of 27 June 1990,690(1991) of 29 April 1991, and 725(1991) of 31 Decem-ber 1991, relating to the question of Western Sahara,

Recalling with satisfaction the entry into force of the cease-fire in Western Sahara on 6 September 1991, in accord-ance with the proposal of the Secretary-General acceptedby the two parties,

Noting with satisfaction the appointment on 23 March1992 of Mr. Sahabzada Yaqub-Khan as SpecialRepresentative of the Secretary-General for WesternSahara,

Taking note with satisfaction of the section on Western Sa-hara in the Final Document of the Tenth Conferenceof Heads of State or Government of Non-Aligned Coun-tries, held at Jakarta from 1 to 6 September 1992,a

Having examined the relevant chapter of the report ofthe Special Committee on the Situation with regard tothe Implementation of the Declaration on the Grant-ing of Independence to Colonial Countries and Peoples,

Having also examined the report of the Secretary-General,1. Takes note with appreciation of the report of the

Secretary-General;2. Pays tribute to the Secretary-General for his action

with a view to settling the question of Western Saharaby the implementation of the settlement plan;

3. Reiterates its support for further efforts of theSecretary-General for the organization and supervisionby the United Nations, in cooperation with the Organi-zation of African Unity, of a referendum for self-determination of the people of Western Sahara, inconformity with resolutions 658(1990) and 690(1991) bywhich the Security Council adopted the settlement planfor Western Sahara;

aA/47/675-S/24816.


4. Endorses the contents of the letter dated 31 August1992 from the President of the Security Council to theSecretary-General in which the members of the Coun-cil informed the Secretary-General that they shared hisviews on the necessity of the two parties scrupulously abid-ing by the cease-fire and abstaining from any provoca-tive behaviour endangering the settlement plan, and ex-pressed their hope that both parties would extend theirfull cooperation to the Secretary-General and the Spe-cial Representative in their efforts to achieve speedy pro-gress in the implementation of the plan and would makeextraordinary efforts to ensure the success of the plan;

5. Requests the Special Committee on the Situationwith regard to the Implementation of the Declarationon the Granting of Independence to Colonial Countriesand Peoples to continue to consider the situation in WesternSahara, bearing in mind the ongoing referendum pro-cess, and to report thereon to the General Assembly atits forty-eighth session;

6. Invites the Secretary-General to submit to the GeneralAssembly at its forty-eighth session a report on the im-plementation of the present resolution.



Approved by Fourth Committee (A/47/648) without vote, 3 November (meeting8); draft by Chairman (A/C.4/47/L.2); agenda item 18.


Financing of MINURSO


On 14 Sep tember 1992 , the Genera l Assemblyadopted decision 46/481 by which it included inthe draft agenda of its forty-seventh (1992) sessionthe item entitled “Financing of the United NationsMiss ion for the Referendum in Weste rn Sahara” .

Repor t of the Secretary-General . In Decem-ber,(25) the Secretary-General submitted a reporton financing MINURSO in which he discussed thestatus of assessed contributions, voluntary contri-b u t i o n s , t h e f i n a n c i a l p e r f o r m a n c e r e p o r t o nMINURSO from 17 May 1991 to 30 November 1992and cos t es t imates for the per iod f rom 1 Decem-ber 1992 to 30 November 1993. Annexed to the reportwere statistical tables.


On 22 December 1992 , the Genera l Assemblyadopted decision 47/451 A, by which it author-ized the Secre ta ry-Genera l to en ter in to commit -ments up to the amount of $7.1 million gross ($6.8million net) for the maintenance of MINURSO forthe period ending 28 February 1993 and that theamount be provided from the unencumbered bal-ance of the appropriation provided for the Mission.It deferred the question of financing the Missionunt i l i t s resumed for ty-seventh sess ion .

Other Territories

The Committee on colonial countries also dealtwith the following 13 island Territories and had before

it working papers prepared by the Secretariatdescribing constitutional and political develop-ments and economic and social conditions inthem: American Samoa,(26) Anguilla,(27) Ber-muda,(28) British Virgin Islands,(29) Cayman Is-lands(30) Guam,(31) Montserrat,(32) Pitcairn,(33) St.Helena,(34) Tokelau,(35) Trust Territory of the Pa-cific Islands (see Chapter II of this section), Turksand Caicos Islands(36) and United States VirginIslands.(37) It also considered a working paper onGibraltar.(38)

The Committee allocated the item to its Sub-committee on Small Territories(39) for preliminaryconsideration and subsequently took up the itembetween 1 June and 29 July. It adopted a consoli-dated draft resolution, the first part of which dealtwith decolonization in general and the second with10 specific Territories, and two draft decisions, oneon Pitcairn and the other on St. Helena, as recom-mendations to the General Assembly.


On 25 November, the General Assembly, on ther e c o m m e n d a t i o n o f t h e F o u r t h C o m m i t t e e ,adopted resolutions 47/27 A and B without vote.

Questions of American Samoa, Anguilla, Bermuda,the British Virgin Islands, the Cayman Islands,

Guam, Montserrat , Tokelau, the Turksand Caicos Islands and the

United States Virgin Islands

AGeneral

The General Assembly,Having considered the questions of American Samoa, An-

guilla, Bermuda, the British Virgin Islands, the Cay-man Islands, Guam, Montserrat, Tokelau, the Turks andCaicos Islands and the United States Virgin Islands,

Having examined the relevant chapter of the report ofthe Special Committee on the Situation with regard tothe Implementation of the Declaration on the Grant-ing of Independence to Colonial Countries and Peoples,

Recalling its resolution 1514(XV) of 14 December 1960,containing the Declaration on the Granting of Indepen-dence to Colonial Countries and Peoples, and all reso-lutions and decisions of the United Nations relating tothose Territories, including, in particular, those resolu-tions adopted by the General Assembly at its forty-sixthsession on the individual Territories covered by the pres-ent resolution,

Recalling also its resolution 1541(XV) of 15 December1960, containing the principles which should guideMember States in determining whether or not an obli-gation exists to transmit the information called for underArticle 73 e of the Charter of the United Nations,

Conscious of the need to ensure the full and speedy im-plementation of the Declaration in respect of those Ter-ritories, in view of the target set by the United Nationsto eradicate colonialism by the year 2000,

Aware of the special circumstances of the geographicallocation and economic conditions of each Territory, andbearing in mind the necessity of promoting economic


stability and diversifying and strengthening further theeconomies of the respective Territories as a matter ofpriority,

Conscious of the particular vulnerability of the smallTerritories to natural disasters and environmental degra-dation,

Mindful that United Nations visiting missions providea means of ascertaining the situation in the small Ter-ritories, and considering that the possibility of sendingfurther visiting missions to those Territories at an ap-propriate time and in consultation with the administer-ing Powers should be kept under review,

Noting with appreciation the contribution to the devel-opment of some Territories by specialized agencies andother organizations of the United Nations system, inpar t icu la r the Uni ted Nat ions Development Pro-gramme, as well as regional institutions such as theCaribbean Development Bank,

Bearing in mind the fragile economy of the small Terri-tories and their vulnerability to natural disasters andenvironmental degradation, and recalling General As-sembly resolutions and the recommendations of theMeeting of Governmental Experts of Island Develop-ing Countries and Donor Countries and Organizations,held in New York from 25 to 29 June 1990,a

Recalling the conclusions and recommendations of theUnited Nations regional seminars on decolonization heldin 1990 in observance of the thirtieth anniversary of theDeclaration on the Granting of Independence to Co-lonial Countries and Peoples, as well as the positiontaken by the territorial Governments contained in thereports of the seminars,b

1. Approves the chapter of the report of the SpecialCommittee on the Situation with regard to the Im-plementation of the Declaration on the Granting of In-dependence to Colonial Countries and Peoples relatingto American Samoa, Anguilla, Bermuda, the BritishVirgin Islands, the Cayman Islands, Guam, Montser-rat, Tokelau, the Turks and Caicos Islands and theUnited States Virgin Islands;

2. Reaffirms the inalienable right of the people ofthose Territories to self-determination and independencein conformity with the Charter of the United Nationsand General Assembly resolution 1514(XV), contain-ing the Declaration on the Granting of Independenceto Colonial Countries and Peoples;

3. Reaffirm also that it is ultimately for the peopleof those Territories themselves to determine freely theirfuture political status in accordance with the relevantprovisions of the Charter, the Declaration and the rele-vant resolutions of the General Assembly and, in thatconnection, calls upon the administering Powers, incooperation with the territorial Governments, to facili-tate programmes of political education in the Territo-ries in order to foster an awareness among the peopleof the possibilities open to them in the exercise of theirright to self-determination, in conformity with the legiti-mate political status options clearly defined in GeneralAssembly resolution 1541(XV);

4. Reiterates that it is the responsibility of the ad-ministering Powers to create such conditions in the Ter-ritories as will enable their people to exercise freely andwithout interference their inalienable right to self-determination and independence;

5. Reiterates the view that such factors as territorial size,geographical location, size of population and limited nat-

ural resources should in no way serve as a pretext todelay the speedy exercise by the peoples of those Terri-tories of their inalienable right to self-determination;

6. Reaffirm the responsibility of the administeringPowers under the Charter to promote the economic andsocial development and to preserve the cultural iden-tity of those Territories, and recommends that priorityshould continue to be given, in consultation with theterritorial Governments concerned, to the strengthen-ing and diversification of their respective economies;

7. Urges the administering Powers, in cooperationwith the territorial Governments concerned, to take orcontinue to take effective measures to safeguard andguarantee the inalienable right of the peoples of thoseTerritories to own, develop or dispose of the naturalresources of those Ter r i to r ies , inc luding mar ineresources, and to establish and maintain control overthe future development of those resources;

8. Also urges the administering Powers to take allnecessary measures to protect and conserve the environ-ment of the Territories under their administrationagainst any environmental degradation, and requeststhe specialized agencies concerned to continue to mon-itor environmental conditions in those Territories;

9. Calls upon the administering Powers to continueto take all necessary measures, in cooperation with therespective territorial Governments, to counter problemsrelated to drug trafficking;

10. Urges the administering Powers to foster or con-tinue to foster close relations between the Territories andother island communities in their respective regions, andto promote cooperation between the respective territorialGovernments and regional institutions, as well as thespecialized agencies and other organizations of theUnited Nations system;

11. Also urges the administering Powers to cooperateor continue to cooperate with the Special Committeein its work by providing timely and up-to-date infor-mation for each Territory under their administration,in accordance with Article 73 e of the Charter, and byfacilitating the dispatch of visiting missions to the Ter-ritories to secure first-hand information thereon and toascertain the wishes and aspirations of the inhabitants;

12. Appeals to the administering Powers to continueor to resume their participation in future meetings andactivities of the Special Committee and to ensure theparticipation in the work of the Special Committee ofrepresentatives of the Non-Self-Governing Territories;

13. Urges Member States to contribute to the effortsof the United Nations to achieve the eradication ofcolonialism by the year 2000, and calls upon them tocontinue to give their full support to the action of theSpecial Committee towards the attainment of that ob-jective;

14. Invites the specialized agencies and other organi-zations of the United Nations system to initiate or tocontinue to take all necessary measures to accelerate pro-gress in the social and economic life of the Territories;

15. Requests the specialized agencies and other organi-zations of the United Nations system, in formulatingtheir assistance programmes, to take due account of thetext entitled “Challenges and opportunities: a strate-

aA/CONF.147 /5 -TD/B/AC.46 /4 .

bA/AC.109/1040 & Corr.1. and A/AC.109/1043.


gic framework”, which was adopted unanimously by theMeeting of Governmental Experts of Island Develop-ing Countries and Donor Countries and Organizations;

16. Requests the Special Committee to continue theexamination of the question of the small Territories andto recommend to the General Assembly the most suita-ble steps to be taken to enable the populations of thoseTerritories to exercise their right to self-determinationand independence, and to report thereon to the Assem-bly at its forty-eighth session.

BIndividual Territories

I. American SamoaThe General Assembly,Referring to resolution A above,Having heard the statement of the representative of the

United States of America as the administering Power,c

Noting the establishment of a new Political Status andConstitutional Review Commission by the Governor andthe Fono, the legislature of the Territory,

Noting the need to diversify and develop the economyof the Territory through the expansion of the existingsmall and service-oriented industries as well as throughthe development of commercial fishing and the tourismindustry,

Noting also the devastation caused by hurricane Val inDecember 1991 and the recovery efforts of the territorialGovernment in conjunction with the administeringPower and the international community,

Recalling the dispatch in 1981 of a United Nations visit-ing mission to the Territory,

1. Welcomes the establishment of a new Political Sta-tus and Constitutional Review Commission createdunder executive order by the Governor in August 1992;

2. Calls upon the administering Power, in coopera-tion with the territorial Government, to continue to pro-mote the economic and social development of the Ter-ritory in order to reduce its heavy economic andfinancial dependence on the United States of America;

3. Urges the administering Power to continue to sup-port measures by the territorial Government aimed atpromoting the diversification of the economy and thedevelopment of the existing industries, particularly com-mercial fishing and tourism;

4. Calls upon the administering Power to continue toprovide the Territory with the necessary assistance,through a number of its agencies, to reconstruct themany public facilities and thousands of family dwell-ings destroyed or heavily damaged by hurricane Val;

5. Notes that a period of eleven years has elapsed sincea United Nations mission visited the Territory.

II. AnguillaThe General Assembly,Referring to resolution A above,Having heard the statement of the representative of the

United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ire-land, as the administering Power,d

Aware of the desire of the people of Anguilla for ahigher level of self-government,

Taking note of the statement by the administering Powerthat it would help the people of Anguilla to become in-dependent when and if that was their constitutionallyexpressed wish,

Noting the reaction of the political leaders to theabolishment of the death penalty by the administeringPower and the statement of the Chief Minister on thisquestion,

Noting the admission of the Territory as an observerin the Organization of Eastern Caribbean States in 1991,

Noting that the unemployment rate in the Territoryfell from 27 per cent in 1984 to 1.1 per cent in 1989,that salaries and allowances in the public sector haverisen substantially since 1984 and that the number ofposts has increased by 34 per cent since 1985,

Aware of the inability of Anguilla’s educational sys-tem to alleviate the problem of scarcity of skilled na-tional personnel, particularly in the fields of economicmanagement and tourism, and that educational reformis of paramount importance to the achievement of thelong-term economic goals of the Territory,

Noting further that the Government’s Public Sector In-vestment Programme for 1991-1995, estimated at 35 mil-lion United States dollars, is expected to be financedby external donors through grants and concessionalloans,

Taking into recount the main development objectives es-tablished by the Territory’s Executive Council, namely,the improved management of the economy through a moreefficient public sector, the strategic development of humanresources through the reform of the educational and train-ing systems and the development of integrated policiesof physical infrastructural improvements, as well as thepreservation of the natural environment,

Recognizing the contribution of the marine resourcesof Anguilla to its local economy,


1. Takes note of the statement of the Chief Ministerthat the Government of Anguilla has no intention ofmoving towards independence during its current termof office;

2. Notes with concern that the administering Power con-tinues to deny further delegation of competence over thespecial areas of responsibility of the Governor toministers of the territorial Government prior to settinga time-frame for independence;

3. Calls upon the administering Power to consult with,and take into account the wishes of, the Governmentand the people of Anguilla prior to taking any decisionlikely to impact on their livelihood;

4. Welcomes the admission of the Territory as an ob-server in the Organization of Eastern Caribbean States,and requests the administering Power to facilitate theTerritory’s participation in other regional and/or inter-national organizations;

5. Commends the territorial Government for the vir-tual full-employment situation prevailing in the Terri-tory, and for the increases in the salaries and numberof posts in the public sector over the past years;

6. Notes with concern the incapacity of Anguilla’seducational system to supply the Territory’s labour mar-ket with skilled managers, particularly in the areas ofeconomic management and tourism;

7. Calls upon the administering Power., as well as otherMember States and international organizations, to af-

cA/C.4/47/SR.7.d A /C .4 /47 /SR .4 .


ford or continue to afford the Government of Anguillatraining possibilities for its staff in that respect;

8. Invites the international donor community to con-tribute generously to the Government’s Public SectorInvestment Programme for 1991-1995 and to grant theTerritory all possible assistance to enable it to reach themain development objectives established by the Execu-tive Council of the Territory;

9. Welcomes the measures taken by the territorialGovernment to protect and conserve marine resourcesand to control the activities of foreign fishermen oper-ating illegally in the area;

10. Calls upon the administering Power to provide theTerritory with the necessary assistance to mitigate theadverse effects of hurricane Hugo and to facilitate theprovision of additional assistance and funds from inter-national organizations and specialized agencies to theTerritory;

11. Notes that a period of eight years has elapsed sincea United Nations mission visited the Territory and callsupon the administering Power to facilitate the dispatchof a further visiting mission to Anguilla.

III. BermudaThe General Assembly,Referring to resolution A above,Having heard the statement of the representative of the


Noting with satisfaction the programme of Economic Sta-bility and Responsible Management undertaken by theGovernment and the steps taken to offset a decline inrevenue from tourism,

Noting a marked increase in unemployment in the Ter-ritory,

Noting with concern an increase in the illegal drug tradein the Territory,

Reaffirming its strong conviction that the presence of mili-tary bases and installations in the Territory could, incertain circumstances, constitute an obstacle to the im-plementation of the Declaration on the Granting of In-dependence to Colonial Countries and Peoples,

Noting that the Territory has never been visited by aUnited Nations visiting mission,

1. Expresses the view that it is ultimately for the peo-ple of Bermuda to decide their own future;

2. Requests the administering Power to assist the ter-ritorial Government in the implementation of its pro-gramme of Economic Stabi l i ty and Respons ib leManagement with a view to reducing the impact of therecession on the economy of the Territory and the un-precedented increase in unemployment;

3. Calls upon the administering Power to continue totake all necessary measures, in cooperation with the ter-ritorial Government, to counter problems related to drugtrafficking;

4. Also calls upon the administering Power to ensurethat the presence of military bases and installations inthe Territory would not constitute an obstacle to the im-plementation of the Declaration on the Granting of In-dependence to Colonial Countries and Peoples nor hin-der the population of the Territory from exercising itsr ight to se l f -de terminat ion and independence inconformity with the purposes and principles of the Char-ter of the United Nations;

5. Further calls upon the administering Power to facili-tate the dispatch of a United Nations visiting missionto the Territory.

IV. British Virgin IslandsThe General Assembly,Referring to resolution A above,Having heard the statement of the representative of the


Noting the participation of the Territory as an associ-ate member in some regional and international organi-zations,

Noting also the application of the Territory for mem-bership in the Food and Agriculture Organization of theUnited Nations,

Taking into account that, according to the annual reportof the Caribbean Development Bank for 1990, there hasbeen sustained growth in the economy of the Territory,and noting the measures taken by the territorial Govern-ment to develop the agricultural and industrial sectors,

Noting that the Territory might graduate to net-contributor status in the fifth programming cycle of theUnited Nations Development Programme, thereby re-quiring the Territory to contribute to the financing ofits projects,

Noting also that the Caribbean Development Bank hasreported that the scarcity of skilled manpower is the sin-gle most important constraint to the realization of thefull development potential of the economy of the Ter-ritory,

Noting further that the United Nations Children’s Fundis considering the continuation beyond 1992 of its five-year Multi-island Programme, which has funded educa-tional projects in the British Virgin Islands,

Recognizing the measures being taken by the territorialGovernment to prevent drug trafficking and moneylaundering,

1. Welcomes the admission of the British Virgin Is-lands as an associate member of the Caribbean Com-munity;

2. Reiterates its call upon the administering Power tofacilitate the admission of the Territory to associatemembership in the Food and Agriculture Organizationof the United Nations, as well as its participation in otherregional and international organizations;

3. Calls upon the administering Power to provide theTerritory with the necessary assistance to mitigate theadverse effects of hurricane Hugo and to facilitate theprovision of additional assistance and funds to the Ter-ritory from international organizations and specializedagencies;

4. Welcomes the efforts by the territorial Governmentto raise the quality of the labour force and to meet thetrained labour requirements of the public servicethrough its development plan for education;

5. Calls upon the United Nations Development Pro-gramme to continue its technical assistance to the Brit-ish Virgin Islands, bearing in mind the vulnerabilityof the Territory to external economic factors and thescarcity of skilled workers in the Territory;

6. Expresses its satisfaction at the consideration beinggiven by the United Nations Children’s Fund to the con-tinuation of its five-year Multi-island Programme aimedat improving education, health and social services in theTerritory;


7. Urges the regional and international financial in-stitutions as well as the specialized agencies and otherorganizations of the United Nations system, to assist theGovernment of the British Virgin Islands in identify-ing its medium- and long-term needs and to increasetheir participation in the full recovery of the Territory;

8. Notes with satisfaction the measures being taken bythe territorial Government to prevent drug traffickingand money laundering, and urges the administeringPower to continue its assistance to the Territory in thoseendeavours;

9. Notes with regret that a period of sixteen years haselapsed since a United Nations mission visited the Ter-ritory and appeals to the administering Power to facili-tate the dispatch of such a mission.

V. Cayman IslandsThe General Assembly,Referring to resolution A above,Having heard the statement of the representative of the


Noting the completion of the constitutional review ex-ercise in the Cayman Islands, as well as the establishedtimetable for the bringing into force of the amendedConstitution,

Aware that the general election in the Territory isscheduled for November 1992,

Noting the measures being taken by the territorialGovernment to promote agricultural production witha view to reducing the heavy dependence of the Terri-tory on imported provisions,

Expressing its concern that property and land continueto be owned and developed largely by foreign investors,

Noting that an increased proportion of the labour forceof the Territory consists of expatriates and that there isa need for the training of nationals in the technical, voca-tional, managerial and professional fields,

Noting also the action taken by the territorial Govern-ment to implement its localization programme to pro-mote increased participation of the local population inthe decision-making process in the Cayman Islands,

Noting further the policy of the territorial Governmentto control the growth and to upgrade the efficiency ofthe public service,

Noting with concern the vulnerability of the Territory todrug trafficking and related activities,

Noting with satisfaction the efforts of the territorialGovernment, the Governments of other countries of theregion, and the United Kingdom of Great Britain andNorthern Ireland, as the administering Power, to pre-vent and repress illicit activities such as money laun-dering, funds smuggling, false invoicing and otherrelated frauds, as well as the use of and trafficking inillegal drugs,


1. Requests the administering Power to expedite thebringing into force of the amended Constitution, in closecooperation with the territorial Government and inconformity with the wishes and aspirations of the Cay-manian population, with a view to enabling the peopleof the Cayman Islands to exercise their inalienable rightto self-determination;

2. Notes with satisfaction that the general election inthe Territory is scheduled for November 1992 and re-

quests the administering Power, in close cooperation withthe territorial Government, to continue the efforts aimedat ensuring that a free and fair general election is con-ducted in the Cayman Islands;

3. Calls upon the administering Power, in consulta-tion with the territorial Government, to continue to pro-mote the agricultural development of the Cayman Is-lands with a view to reducing the dependence of theTerritory on imported food supplies;

4. Urges the administering Power, in consultationwith the territorial Government, to continue to facili-tate the expansion of the current programme of secur-ing employment for the local population, in particularat the decision-making level;

5. Requests the administering Power, in consultationwith the territorial Government, to provide the assistancenecessary to enhance the efficiency of the public service;

6. Calls upon the administering Power, to continue totake all necessary measures, in cooperation with the ter-ritorial Government, to counter problems related tomoney laundering, funds smuggling and other relatedcrimes, as well as drug trafficking;

7. Notes with regret that a period of fifteen years haselapsed since a United Nations mission visited the Ter-ritory, and appeals to the administering Power to facili-tate the dispatch of such a mission.

V I . G u a mThe General Assembly:Referring to resolution A above,Having heard the statement of the representative of the

United States of America, as the administering Power,cRecalling that the second round of negotiations between

the Government of the United States of America andthe Government of Guam aimed at transferring landand facilities at the Naval Air Station, Agana, openedin July 1991,

Aware that large tracts of land in the Territory con-tinue to be reserved for the use of the Department ofDefense of the administering Power,

Cognizant that the administering Power has undertakena programme of transferring surplus federal land to theGovernment of Guam,

Cognizant also of the potential for diversifying and de-veloping the economy of Guam through commercialfishing and agriculture,

Mindful of discussions between the Guam Commis-sion on Self-Determination and the executive branchof the administering Power on the draft Guam Com-monwealth Act, which were recently concluded and willlead to consideration of the measure by the legislativebranch of the administering Power,

Recalling that, in referendums held in Guam in 1987,a draft Commonwealth Act was endorsed by the peopleof Guam that, upon expeditious enactment by the Con-gress of the United States of America, would reaffirmthe right of the people of Guam to draft their own con-stitution and to govern themselves,


1. Calls upon the administering Power to continue toensure that the presence of military bases and installa-tions in the Territory should not constitute an obstacleto the implementation of the Declaration on the Grant-ing of Independence to Colonial Countries and Peoplesnor hinder the population of the Territory from exer-


cising its right to self-determination, including indepen-dence, in conformity with the purposes and principlesof the Charter of the United Nations;

2 . Also calls upon the administering Power, in cooper-ation with the territorial Government, to continue toexpedite the transfer of land to the people of the Terri-tory and to take the necessary steps to safeguard theirproperty rights;

3. Notes that discussions held since 1990 between theGovernment of the United States of America and theGuam Commission on Self-Determination have resultedin qualified agreements on the provisions of the GuamCommonwealth Act, including agreements to disagreeon several substantive portions of the Guam proposal,which are to be forwarded to the Congress of the UnitedStates for consideration;

4. Urges the administering Power to continue to sup-port appropriate measures by the territorial Governmentaimed at promoting growth in commercial fishing andagriculture;

5. Reiterates is request to the administering Power thatit continue to recognize and respect the cultural and eth-nic identity of the Chamorro people, the indigenous in-habitants of Guam;

6. Notes that a period of thirteen years has elapsedsince a United Nations mission visited the Territory.

VII. MontserratThe General Assembly,Referring to resolution A above,Having heard the statement of the representative of the


Recalling the devastation caused by hurricane Hugo inSeptember 1989 and the recovery efforts of the territorialGovernment in conjunction with the administeringPower and the international community,

Taking into account the membership of Montserrat inregional and international bodies and the outstandingrequest of the Territory for readmission to associatemembership in the United Nations Educational, Scien-tific and Cultural Organization,

Noting the general elections held in Montserrat on8 October 1991 and the election of a new Chief Minister,

Noting also that it is the policy of the territorial Govern-ment, while considering that independence is inevita-ble, to pursue a gradual approach to preparing the peo-ple of Montserrat for independence,

Noting further that, according to the Eastern CaribbeanCentral Bank, the economy of the Territory has contin-ued its recovery,

Taking note of the statement of the Chief Minister atthe Fifteenth Annual Miami Conference on the Carib-bean, held at Miami from 2 to 6 December 1991, thatthe offshore financial services industry requires little orno natural resources and could make a substantial con-tribution to small island countries,

Noting the policy of the territorial Government to re-place expatriates with suitably trained and qualified na-tionals,

Noting also that planned developments in the Territoryaimed at enhancing the island’s attractiveness as a touristdestination may impact negatively on the environment,in the absence of effective natural resource management,

Recalling that the last United Nations visiting missionto the Territory took place in 1982,

1. Urges the administering Power to continue to in-tensify and expand its programme of aid in order to ac-celerate the development of the economic and socialinfrastructure of the Territory;

2. Reiterates its call upon the administering Power, incooperation with the territorial Government, to take,as a matter of urgency, the necessary steps to facilitatethe readmission of Montserrat as an associate memberof the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cul-tural Organization;

3. Urges the specialized agencies and other organi-zations of the United Nations system, as well as regionaland other multilateral financial institutions, to continueto expand their assistance to the Territory in thestrengthening, development and diversification of theeconomy of Montserrat in accordance with its medium-and long-term development plans, as well as in alleviat-ing the devastation caused by hurricane Hugo;

4. Requests the administering Power to continue tofacilitate the assistance of the specialized agencies andother organizations of the United Nations system, aswell as regional and multilateral financial institutions,to the Government of Montserrat;

5. Calls upon the administering Power, in coopera-tion with the territorial Government, to assist the Ter-ritory in its efforts to implement an ecotourism strategyaimed at developing its natural resources in a mannerconsistent with environmental considerations;

6. Notes with satisfaction the measures being taken bythe territorial Government, in cooperation with the ad-ministering Power, to restore the Territory’s offshorefinancial services industry;

7. Urges the administering Power to continue its as-sistance to the Territory in the prevention of drugtrafficking and money laundering;

8. Also urges the administering Power, in cooperationwith the territorial Government, to provide the neces-sary assistance for the training of local personnel in theskills essential to the development of the Territory andto encourage skilled workers to remain in the Territory;

9. Notes with regret that a period of ten years haselapsed since a United Nations mission visited the Ter-ritory and calls upon the administering Power to facili-tate the dispatch of a visiting mission to Montserrat.

VIII. TokelauThe General Assembly,Referring to resolution A above,Having heard the statement of the representative of New

Zealand, the administering Power,e

Noting the continuing devolution of power to the localauthority, the General Fono (Council), and mindful thatthe cultural heritage and traditions of the people ofTokelau should be taken fully into account in the evo-lution of the political institutions of Tokelau,

Noting also the endeavours of Tokelau to develop its ma-rine and other resources and its efforts to diversify theincome-earning ability of its population,

Noting further the concern of the people of the Terri-tory regarding the serious consequences of changes inclimatic patterns on the future of Tokelau,

Welcoming the information that Tokelau, while wish-ing to preserve the benefits of its current relationship

cA/C.4/47/SR.6.


with New Zealand, is exploring ways of achieving greaterpolitical and administrative autonomy,

Noting with appreciation the assistance extended toTokelau by the administering Power, other MemberStates and International organizations, in particular theUni ted Nat ions Development Programme, and i t spreparation of a third country programme for Tokelaufor the period 1992-1996,

1. Encourages the Government of New Zealand, theadministering Power, to continue to respect fully thewishes of the people of Tokelau in carrying out the po-litical and economic development of the Territory in sucha way as to preserve their social, cultural and traditionalheritage;

2. Calls upon the administering Power, in consulta-tion with the General Fono (Council), to continue to ex-pand its development assistance to Tokelau in order topromote the economic and social development of theTerritory;

3. Notes that the plan to transfer the Office forTokelau Affairs from Apia to Tokelau is being pursuedwithin the context of the exploration of ways of achiev-ing greater political and administrative autonomy, andinvites the administering Power to continue to providemaximum assistance in this regard;

4. Invites all governmental and non-governmental or-ganizations, financial institutions, Member States andorganizations of the United Nations system to grant orto continue to grant Tokelau special emergency eco-nomic assistance to mitigate the effects of cyclonic stormsand to enable the Territory to meet its medium- andlong-term reconstruction and rehabilitation require-ments and address the issues of changes in climaticpatterns.

IX. Turks and Caicos IslandsThe General Assembly,Referring to resolution A above,Having heard the statement of the representative of the


Noting the territorial Government’s plan to reform thepublic service to enhance its efficiency,

Noting also the administrative steps taken by the ter-ritorial Government to implement its policy of locali-zation of employment,

Noting further the Government’s expressed need for 11.5million United States dollars per year in developmentassistance to achieve its stated goal of economic inde-pendence by the year 1996,

Noting the Government’s efforts to set up a Turks andCaicos development corporation,

Noting further that the agricultural sector is small andlimited to subsistence farming for the local market andthat 90 per cent of the food consumed in the Territoryis imported,

Concerned at the continued decline of fisheries and ma-rine production in relative terms in the past year,

Noting the Chief Minister’s attendance at the TwelfthMeeting of the Conference of Heads of Government ofthe Caribbean Community, held at Basseterre, SaintKitts and Nevis, from 2 to 4 July 1991,

1. Calls upon the territorial Government to promotealternative employment opportunities for those civil ser-vants whose employment would be terminated as a re-

sult of the public service reform and the planned reduc-tion of employees in the service;

2. Also calls upon the territorial Government to en-sure that the employment of expatriates in the Terri-tory’s labour force is not prejudicial to the recruitmentof suitably qualified and available islanders;

3. Calls upon the specialized agencies and other in-stitutions of the United Nations system to explore con-crete ways of assisting the Turks and Caicos Govern-ment to reach its stated goal of achieving economicindependence by 1996;

4. Urges the administering Power to study favoura-bly, in cooperation with the territorial Government, theneeds of the Territory in this respect with a view to meet-ing those needs;

5. Invites international financial institutions anddonor organizations, including the European InvestmentBank and the Commonwealth Development Corpora-tion, to provide the Territory with the necessary as-sistance for the setting up and/or operation of the Turksand Caicos Development Corporation;

6. Urges the administering Power and the relevantregional and international organizations to assist the ter-ritorial Government in increasing the efficiency of theagricultural and fisheries sectors;

7. Also urges the administering Power and the rele-vant regional and international organizations to sup-port the efforts of the territorial Government to addressthe problem of environmental pollution and degra-dation;

8. Notes the admission of the Turks and Caicos Is-lands as an associate member of the Caribbean Com-munity and invites other regional and international or-ganizations to consider granting the Territory a similarstatus should the territorial Government so request;

9. Notes with regret that a period of twelve years haselapsed since a United Nations mission visited the Ter-ritory and appeals to the administering Power to facili-tate the dispatch of such a mission.

X. United States Virgin IslandsThe General Assembly,Referring to resolution A above,Having heard the statement of the representative of the

United States of America, as the administering Power,’Having heard the statement of the representative of the

Government of the United States Virgin Islands,dNoting that legislation has been approved in the Vir-

gin Islands Senate and signed into law by the Gover-nor of the Territory to conduct a referendum on politi-cal status in 1993,

Noting also that the extension to ninety days of theresidency requirement for voting has not addressed theconcerns of the representatives of the territorial Govern-ment and those of the Commission on Status and Fed-eral Relations regarding eligibility to participate in areferendum on self-determination,

Noting further that legislation has been proposed in theUnited States Congress to transfer Water Island to theTerritory at the end of 1992, and that the issue remainsunder consideration,

Noting the position of the judicial authorities of theUnited States of America regarding the issue of the WestIndian Company’s title and rights to the reclamationand development of the submerged land at Long Bayin the Charlotte Amalie Harbour,

Questions relating to decolonization 971

Noting also the continuing interest of the territorialGovernment in seeking associate membership in the Or-ganization of Eastern Caribbean States and observer sta-tus in the Caribbean Community, and its inability, forfinancial reasons, to participate in the Food and Agricul-ture Organization of the United Nations and the WorldHealth Organization,

Noting further the expressed concerns of the Virgin Is-lands Government and people of the Territory over thevacancy of the District Court judgeship and their wishfor the appointment of Virgin Islanders to other topposts in the judicial system,

Recalling the dispatch in 1977 of a United Nations visit-ing mission to the Territory and the outstanding requestby the territorial Government for a United Nations mis-sion to the Territory to observe the referendum process,

1. Requests the administering Power to provide thefullest cooperation and assistance to the territorialGovernment and the Commission on Status and Fed-eral Relations in their review of the residency require-ment for those eligible to participate in a genuine exer-cise of the right to self-determination in the United StatesVirgin Islands;

2. Invites the administering Power, as a matter of ur-gency, to facilitate the termination of Federal ownershipof Water Island at the end of 1992;

3. Notes that a nominee has been named for a dis-trict court judgeship and that the district court judgeon Saint Croix is a Virgin Islander;

4. Reiterates its request to the administering Power tofacilitate as appropriate the participation of the Terri-tory in the Organization of Eastern Caribbean Statesand the Caribbean Community, as well as in variousinternational and regional organizations, including theCaribbean Group for Cooperation in Economic Devel-opment of the World Bank, in accordance with the policyof the administering Power and the terms of referenceof such organizations;

5. Calls upon the administering Power to respondfavourably to the request of the territorial Governmentfor the dispatch of a United Nations visiting and ob-server mission to the Territory.

Gene ra l Assembly r e so lu t ion 47 /27 A and B


Approved by Fourth Committee (A/47/648) without objection, 5 November(meeting 9): draft by Committee on colonial countries (A/47/23), asamended by United States (A/C.4/47/L.6, A/C.4/47/L.7, A/C.4/47/L.8);agenda item 18.


Gibraltar

On 25 November, the General Assembly, on ther e c o m m e n d a t i o n o f t h e F o u r t h C o m m i t t e e ,adopted decision 47/411 without vote.

Question of GibraltarAt its 72nd plenary meeting, on 25 November 1992,

the General Assembly, on the recommendation of theFourth Committee, adopted the following text as rep-resenting the consensus of the members of the Assembly:

“The General Assembly, recalling its decision 46/420of 11 December 1991 and recalling at the same time thatthe statement agreed to by the Governments of Spainand the United Kingdom of Great Britain and North-ern Ireland at Brussels on 27 November 1984 stipulates,inter alia, the following:

‘The establishment of a negotiating process aimedat overcoming all the differences between them overGibraltar and at promoting cooperation on a mutu-ally beneficial basis on economic, cultural, touristic,aviation, military and environmental matters. Bothsides accept that the issues of sovereignty will be dis-cussed in that process, The British Government willfully maintain its commitment to honour the wishesof the people of Gibraltar as set out in the preambleof the 1969 Constitution’,

takes note of the fact that, as part of this process, theMinisters for Foreign Affairs have held annual meet-ings alternately in each capital, and urges both Govern-ments to continue their negotiations with the object ofreaching a definitive solution to the problem of Gibral-tar in the light of relevant resolutions of the General As-sembly and in the spirit of the Charter of the UnitedNations.”

Genera l Assembly dec i s ion 47 /411

A d o p t e d w i t h o u t v o t e

Approved by Fourth Committee (A/47/648) without objection, 3 November(meeting 8); draft consensus (A/C.4/47/L.3); agenda item 18.Meeting numbers. GA 47th session: 4th Committee 2-8; plenary 72.

Pitcairn

The Subcommittee on Small Territories, Peti-tions, Information and Assistance noted with re-gret that the United Kingdom, the administeringPower concerned, did not participate in its deliber-ations on Pitcairn and appealed to the UnitedKingdom to reconsider its position and resume itspa r t i c i pa t i on i n t he Commi t t ee on co lon i a lcountries.(40)


On 25 November 1992, the General Assembly,on the recommendation of the Fourth Commit-tee, adopted decision 47/412 without vote.

Question of PitcairnAt its 72nd plenary meeting, on 25 November 1992,

the General Assembly, on the recommendation of theFourth Committee, adopted the following text as rep-resenting the consensus of the members of the Assembly:

“The General Assembly, having examined the situ-ation in Pitcairn, reaffirms the inalienable right of thepeople of Pitcairn to self-determination in conformitywith the Declaration on the Granting of Independenceto Colonial Countries and Peoples, contained in Assem-bly resolution 1514(XV) of 14 December 1960, whichfully applies to the Territory. The Assembly furtherreaffirms the responsibility of the administering Powerto promote the economic and social development of theTerritory. The Assembly urges the administering Powerto continue to respect the very individual lifestyle thatthe people of the Territory have chosen and to preserve,promote and protect it. The Assembly requests the Spe-cial Committee on the situation with regard to the Im-plementation of the Declaration on the Granting of In-dependence to Colonial Countries and Peoples tocontinue to examine the question of Pitcairn at its nextsession and to report thereon to the Assembly at its forty-eighth session.”


General Assembly decision 47/412Adopted without vote

Approved by Fourth Committee (A/47/648) without objection, 3 November(meeting 8): draft by Committee on colonial countries (A/47/23): agendaitem 18.


S t . Helena

The Subcommit tee on Smal l Ter r i to r ies , Pe t i -t ions , Informat ion and Ass is tance noted wi th re -gret that the United Kingdom, the administeringPower concerned, did not participate in its deliberationson St . Helena and appea led to the Uni ted King-dom to reconsider its position and resume its par-ticipation in the Committee on colonial countries.(41)


On 25 November 1992, the General Assembly,on the recommendation of the Fourth Commit-tee, adopted decision 47/413 by recorded vote.

Question of St. HelenaAt its 72nd plenary meeting, on 25 November 1992,

the General Assembly, on the recommendation of theFourth Committee, adopted the following text:

“1. The General Assembly, having examined thequestion of St. Helena, reaffirms the inalienable rightof the people of St. Helena to self-determination andindependence in conformity with the Declaration on theGranting of Independence to Colonial Countries andPeoples, contained in Assembly resolution 1514(XV) of14 December 1960. The Assembly urges the administer-ing Power, in consultation with the Legislative Counciland other representatives of the people of St. Helena,to continue to take all necessary steps to ensure thespeedy implementation of the Declaration in respect ofthe Territory and, in that connection, reaffirms the im-portance of promoting an awareness among the peopleof St. Helena of the possibilities open to them in theexercise of their right to self-determination.

“2 . The General Assembly reaffirms the responsi-bility of the administering Power to promote the eco-nomic and social development of the Territory and callsupon the administering Power to continue, in coopera-tion with the territorial Government, to strengthen theeconomy, to encourage local initiative and enterprise andto increase its assistance to diversification programmeswith the aim of improving the general welfare of thecommunity, including the employment situation of theTerritory.

“3 . The General Assembly urges the administer-ing Power, in cooperation with the territorial Govern-ment, to continue to take effective measures to safeguardand guarantee the inalienable right of the people of St.Helena to own and dispose of the natural resources ofthe Territory, including marine resources, and to estab-lish and maintain control over the future developmentof those resources.

“4 . The General Assembly reaffirms that contin-ued development assistance from the administeringPower, together with any assistance that the internationalcommunity might be able to provide, constitutes an im-portant means of developing the economic potential ofthe Territory and of enhancing the capacity of its peo-ple to realize fully the goals set forth in the relevant pro-

visions of the Charter of the United Nations. The As-sembly, in that connection, welcomes the assistancerendered by the United Nations Development Pro-gramme and invites other organizations of the UnitedNations system to assist in the development of the Ter-ritory.

“5 . The continued presence of military facilities inthe Territory prompts the General Assembly, on the basisof previous United Nations resolutions and decisionsconcerning military bases and installations in colonialand Non-Self-Governing Territories, to urge the ad-ministering Power to take measures to avoid the involve-ment of the Territory in offensive acts or interferenceagainst neighbouring States.

“6 . The General Assembly considers that the pos-sibility of dispatching a United Nations visiting missionto St. Helena at an appropriate time should be keptunder review, and requests the Special Committee onthe situation with regard to the Implementation of theDeclaration on the Granting of Independence to Co-lonial Countries and Peoples to continue to examine thequestion of St. Helena at its next session and to reportthereon to the Assembly at its forty-eighth session.”

General Assembly decision 47/413104-2-43 (recorded vote)

Approved by Fourth Committee (A/47/648) by recorded vote (96-2-34), 3November (meeting 8); draft by Committee on colonial countries(A/47/23); agenda item 18.



In favour: Algeria, Angola, Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Bahamas,Bahrain, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belize, Benin, Bolivia, Botswana, Brazil,Brunei Darussalam, Burkina Faso, Cape Verde, Chad, Chile, China, Colom-bia, Congo, Costa Rica, Côte d’lvoire, Cuba, Cyprus, Democratic People’sRepublic of Korea, Djibouti, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, Equatorial Guinea,Ethiopia, Fiji, Gabon, Ghana, Grenada, Guatemala, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau,Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, India, Indonesia, Iran, Jamaica, Kazakhstan,Kenya, Kuwait, Lao People’s Democratic Republic, Lebanon, Lesotho, Lib-yan Arab Jamahiriya, Madagascar, Malaysia, Maldives, Mali, Mauritania,Mauritius, Mexico, Micronesia, Mongolia, Morocco, Mozambique, Myan-mar, Nepal, Nicaragua, Niger, Nigeria, Oman, Pakistan, Papua New Guinea,Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Qatar, Republic of Korea, Russian Federation,Rwanda, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grena-dines, Sao Tome and Principe, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Sin-gapore, Sudan, Suriname, Syrian Arab Republic, Thailand, Togo, Trinidadand Tobago, Tunisia, Uganda, United Arab Emirates, United Republic ofTanzania, Uruguay, Vanuatu, Venezuela, Viet Nam, Yemen, Zambia,Zimbabwe.

Against: United Kingdom, United States.Abstaining: Australia, Austria, Belarus, Belgium, Bosnia and Herzego-

vina, Bulgaria, Cameroon, Canada, Czechoslovakia, Denmark, Estonia, Fin-land, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Israel, Italy,Japan, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Marshall Is-lands, Namibia, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Panama, Poland, Por-tugal, Republic of Moldova, Romania, Samoa, San Marino, Slovenia, Spain,Sweden, Turkey, Ukraine.

REFERENCES(1)A/AC.109/1115. (2)A/AC.109/1122 & Corr.1. (3)A/47/319.(4)A/46/596-S/23164. (5)A/45/136-S/21159. (6)A/47/23(A/AC.109/1132). (7)YUN 1991, p. 797, SC res. 725(1991), 31Dec. 1991. (8)S/23662. (9)YUN 1991, p. 797. (10)Ibid., p. 793.(11)Ibid., p. 794, SC res. 690(1991), 29 Apr. 1991. (12)Ibid.,

p. 796. (13)S/23755. (14)S/24040. (15)S/24059. (16)S/24464.(17)S/24504. (18)S/24644. (19)S/24645. (20)S/25008.

(21)A/AC.109/1125. (22)A/C.4/47/SR.4. (23)YUN 1991, p. 796,GA res. 46/67, 11 Dec. 1991. (24)A/47/506. (25)A/47/743.(26)A/AC.109/1108. (27)A/AC.109/1106. (28)A/AC.109/1102.(29)A/AC.109/1100. (30)A/AC.109/1097. (31)A/AC.109/1111.(32)A/AC.109/1101. (33)A/AC.109/1098. (34)A/AC.109/1105.(35)A/AC.109/1112. (36)A/AC.109/1099. (37)A/AC.109/1109.(38)A/AC.109/1116. (39)A/AC.109/L.1779. (40)A/AC.109/L.1777.(41)A/AC.109/L.1778.

questions relating to decolonization

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