A/36/PV.90 General Assembly

Following the introduc- tion of draft resolution A/36/L.ll, on the United Nations Conference for the Promotion of International Co-opera- tion in the Peaceful Uses of Nuclear Energy, and during the debate on that item and on the report of IAEA, inten- sive negotiations on the substance of the draft resolution were conducted between the sponsors of the draft resolu- tion and the representatives of other groups of Member States. 3. As we pointed out, our goal was to reach an agree- ment and a consensus on the draft resolution. I am pleased to be in a position now to announce that that goal has been achieved. A particular tribute is to be paid to • Resumed from the S2nd meeting. NEW YORK the representatives of countries directly'involved in the negotiations for their efforts, which contributed to con- structive and generally acceptable solutions. 4. As a result, the General Assembly now has before it a new, considerably changed draft resolution in document A/36/L.IIIRev.l. It is with special satisfaction that I can now inform the General Assembly that the sponsors listed in that text have been joined by Austria, Belgium,. Italy, Japan and Thrkey. This significant fact reflects the high degree of harmony on the substance of the draft resolu- tion achieved in the course of the negotiations. 5. Bearing in mind the significance of the United Na- tions Conference for the Promotion of International Co- operation in the Peaceful Uses of Nuclear Energy, many countries are paying particular attention to its preparation. The thrust of the present draft resolution is to contribute to the fruitful work of the Preparatory Committee. We expect that the General Assembly will adopt the draft res- olution by consensus and thereby express its support of and give guidance to the work of the Preparatory Cor:i- mittee.

I now call upon the representative of the United Kingdom, who wishes to make a statement on behalf of the IQ member States of the European Com- munity. 7. Miss SOLESBY (United Kingdom): I have the hon- our to speak on behalf of the IQ member States of the European Community with regard to draft resolution A/36/L.IllRev.I, which coocerns the United Nations Con- ference for the Promotion of International Co-operation in the Peaceful Uses of Nuclear Energy, to be held at Gen- eva from 29 August to 9 September 1983. The 10 mem- ber States are content that the revised version of draft res- olution A/36/L.II should be adopted by consensus. We feel, however, that it is necessary to express our concern at the approach initially adopted by the sponsors of the original version of that draft resolution. 8. The members of the European Community are con- vinced that all concerned recognize the desirability of a consensus resolution on this important subject. We were therefore disappointed at the very limited opportunities of- fered to us by the authors to comment on the original version of this draft resolution before it was submitted to the Assembly. As a result of that lack of consultation, the original version contained a number of provisions that were not acceptable to the European Community. Our par- ticular concern was that the text as originally drafted did not take adequate account of the decisions of the Pre- paratory Committee for the Conference as set out in that Committee's report [A/36/48] and, in particular, in the an- nex to that document. It is the strongly held view of the European Community that the General Assembly should not prejudge decisions that rightly belong to the Pre- paratory Committee with regard to principles, documents and the duration and nature of meetings. 10. Having recorded the problems the European Com- munity encountered in considering the original draft, we recognize that the consensus text now before us is a sig- nificant improvement on the original version, particularly because, in our view, the text now makes it clear that it is for the Preparatory Committee to take all decisions with regard to the preparation of the Conference. We attach great importance to the preparatory process for this Con- ference and would lay particular emphasis on the neces- sity of working within the consensus principle. If the Conference is to be successful, then clearly the mainte- nance of this princiole is of fundamental importance.

The Assembly will now take a decision on draft resolution A/36/L.Il/Rev.l. The admin- istrative and financial implications of that draft resolution are set out in the report of the Fifth Committee [A/361798]. 12. May I take it that the Assembly adopts the draft resolution?

I shall now call on those repre- sentatives who wish to explain their votes. I remind repre- sentatives that statements in explanation of vote should not exceed 10 minutes.

My delegation welcomes this resolution's endorsement of the reeommendations contained in the annex to the report of the Preparatory Committee to which the General Assem- bly entrusted the task of laying the procedural and sub- stantive groundwork for the Conference. We also wel- come the resolution's further ,recognition of the important contribution to be made to ,the C:orference's success by progress in the work of tije IAEA Committee on As- surances of Supply, and the decision to take full account of its work. 15. In that connection my delegation wishes to draw at- tention to the efforts under way in the Committee on As- surances of Supply through its two newly established spe- cial working groups on principles of co-operation in the field of nuclear energy in accordance with the mandate of the Committee and on emergency and fallback mecha- nisms. We believe that the efforts of both are directly rel- evant to the objectives of the Conference and that the Pre- paratory Committee, as well as the Conference itself, will wish to take full advantage of the progress achieved.· 16. On the general question of principles of co-opera- tion in the peaceful uses of nuclear energy, my del~ga­ tion's willingness to join in the consensus on the present resolution should certainly not be taken as signifying that the United States subscribes in all respects to the princi- ples reaffirmed or recaIled th("rein from prior consensus resolutions on the subject. Fo~ example, in joining- in the consensus on General Assembly resolution 32/50, which 17. With respect to the responsibility of States which are advanced in the nuclear field to assist developing countries in this area, as affirmed in resolution 32/50 and reaffirmed in the seventh preambular paragraph of the present resolution, the United States has amply demon- strated its readiness to assist developing countries in the peaceful uses of nuclear energy and will continue to do so. However, our actual obligation in this regard relates to article IV of the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nu- clear Weapons [resolution 2373 (XXII). annex] and to its parties. With respect to the transfer of peaceful nuclear materials and technology, we are prepared to undertake this in a manner consistent with consideration of non-pro- liferation concerns and under agreed and appropriate inter- national safeguards applied through IAEA. 18. Rather than take issue on language from a consen- sus resolution of the past, and in a spirit of compromise, recognizing the considerable efforts made elsewhere in the present resolution, as in the previous one cited, to accommodate all points of view, my delegation was will- ing to join in the consensus on the final overall text. In this regard, we urge all participants to make continuing efforts to accommodate the views of others. 19. We look forward to participating in the further de- liberaiions of the Preparatory Committee as it works to- wards facilitating a balanced, constructive and mutually satisfactory outcome for the Conference.

' My delegation wishes to make some brief comments on the draft resolution A/36/ L.Il/Rev.l, adopted by consensus. At the outset, my del- egation wishes to express its appreciation to those delega- . tions which worked GOnstructively and for long hours to arrive at the accepted formulation of the elements which make up the draft resolution, a process to which my dele- gation contributed actively. Indeed, the present text is a significant improvement on the original draft resolution, A/36/L.ll. 21. We are rapidly approaching the United Nations Con- ference for the Promotion of International Co-operation in the Peaceful Uses of Nuclear Energy, and our next discus- sion of this item will be t~king place on its very doorstep. The year 1983 will be a crucial one, and the consensus that we have renewed once again today will be of funda- mental importance if we are to succeed in our efforts. We hope. therefore. that the same spirit will prevail during the preparatory meetings preceding the Conference. as well as during the Conference itself. 22. My delegation has one comment to make on the text of the resolution. We interpret the expressions "the legiti- mate nuclear energy ·needs" in the seventh preambular paragraph and "the increasing energy and other require- ments" in the eighth preambular paragraph to pertain only to the peaceful and non-explosive uses of nuclear energy. The Government of Canada, for its part, cannot conceive 23. Canada considem that the United Nations Con- ference has a major role to play. Over the last three years, under the auspices of IAEA. a number of steps have been taken, and they continue to be taken, in the International Nuclear Fuel Cycle Evaluation, the Committee on As- surances of Supply and the international plutonium stor- age exercises. There is a need to review, to take stock, and to draw conclusions. It is there, perhaps, that the Conference can make its most valuable contribution, and my Government sees the Conference as an act of consol- idation rather than as a point of departure for the un- known. . 24. Finally, as we have said in past explanations, Can- ada, as a reliable supplier of nuclear material and exporter of a proved and original reactor technology, is vitally in- terested both in the promotion of the peaceful uses of nu- dear energy and in the evolution of an effective interna- tional non-proliferation regime. If the Conference is to be as successful as we wish it to be, these objectives must be kept in mind, and Member States participating in the Conference should be animated by a spirit of responsibil- ity and restraint.

The delegation of Frnland welcomes the consensus reached on draft resolu- tion A/36/L.1I/Rev.l, just adopted. We are pleased to note that the text of the resolution before us marks a con- siderable improvement over the original version of the draft. For its part, my delegation had the opportunity to participate in the extensive consultations which resulted in a text acceptable to all. 26. Finland views the forthcoming United. Nations Con- ference in the light of two inherently linked objectives, which should be pursued concurrently and which are manifested in the statute of IAEA, as well as in the Non- Proliferation Treaty. First, internation~l co-operation in the transfer of nuclear materials, equipment and technology for economic and social developmc~t snl dId be pro- moted. Secondly, the non-proliferation regime should be strengthened. These are interrelated objectives, because the elimination of the dangers of proliferation would serve to remove obstacles to enhanced international economic co-operation in the field of the peaceful atom. 27. IAEA is the main international body responsible for both the promotional and regulatory aspects of peaceful uses of nuclear energy. We therefore note with satisfaction that the Agency will have a major role at all stages of th~ Conference and d1.!ring the Conference itself. We attach particular significance to the work of the Committee on Assurances of Supply, which was established by the Agency in 1980. That Committee is working on issues which lie at the core of international co-operation in the field of peaceful uses of nuclear energy. Without substan- tial progress in the work of that Committee, it will be difficult to see how the United Nations Conference could achieve its objectives.

May I express the President's ap- preciation for the efforts of delegations to achieve consen- sus on the resolution just adoPJed. AGENDA ITEl\J1 28 Third United Nations Conference on the Law of the Sea: report of the Secretary-General

I call on the representative of Si- erra Leone to introduce draft resolution A/36iL.18 and Add.I.

On behalf of its sponsors, I have the honour and privilege to introduce draft resolution A/36/L.18 and Add. I, under the title "'Third United Nations Conference on the Law of the Sea". The purpose of the draft resolution is to have the General Assembly approve and make provision for the holding of the eleventh session of the Conference. It will be recalled that the first session of this historic Con- ference was held from 3 to 15 December 1973, here in New York. The Secretary-General, at the opening of that session, I stated that the Third United Nations Conference on the Law of the Sea was the first to be held on the subject of the sea and ocean space since the ac;cession to independence of a large number of developing countries and that this gave it a particular and historic significance. He also emphasized the importance of the Conference to Member States and the necessity of reconciling the nu- merous interests involved, and said that the essential pur- pose was to establish a viable and agreed legal basis for international co-operation, without conflict and in the in- terests of all mankind. The Secretary-General also pointed out that there was a very real possibility that the causes of disputes between nations would be increased unless agree- ment on the regime of the sea was reached. 32. Those essential purposes of the Conference to which the Secretary-General alluded then remain equally valid today. As evidence of the importance which States and the international community continue to attach to this matter, it will be recalled that one of the recurrent themes in most of the policy statements during the general debate at this session was the Third United Nations Conference on the Law of the Sea, the need for' a fair and equitable sharing of the ocean's resources and a convention that would provide as equitable a settlement as possible. 33. Sierra Leone attended the first session of the Con- ference, and after some seven years of negotiations and consultations my Government continues to attach consid- erable importance to this matter-to the prospect of an agreed and comprehensive text on the law of the sea. The importance of the achievement of this prospect can hardly be over-emphasized, for it would mark the frrst time ever that the nations of our world, both old and new, rich and poor, from both ends of the global political spectrum, would have had the opportunity to sit down together to rationalize the rules that should govern the use and ex- ploitation of the resources of our common heritage in the ocean space. 35. In its operative part, the General Assembly approves the convening of the eleventh, final decision-making ses- sion of the Conference from 8 March to 30 April 1982, with an extension, if necessary, exclusively for the pur- pose of completing its work, and the convening of the Drafting Committee of the Conference from 18 January to 26 February i 982. Also in its operative part, the Secre- tary-General is requested to consult the Government of Venezuela in order to arrange for the signature of the Fi- nal Act and the opening of the convention for signature at Caracas in early September 1982. In the final operative paragraph the Assembly invites the Governments of States "Jarticipating in the Conference, as well as universities, philanthropic foundations and other !nterested national and international institutions and orgiiTIizations, to con- tribute to' the endowment of the Hamilton Shirley Amerasinghe Fellowship on the Law of the Sea in the form recommended by the Secretary-General in his re- port. This will be a small tribute to Shirley's unique con- tribution to the law of the sea. 36. As I have said, the Conference has resolved that its eleventh session will be the final, decision-making ses- sion of the Conference. The successftIl completion of this exercise would not only immeasurably enhance the pros- -pects and reality of international co-operation, but would also give meaning and vitality to the United Nations as a whole as the necessary instrument for the management of our common heritage and the solution of problems arising therefrom. 37. It is in this spirit that we should like to appeal to all Governments which because of foreign technological ad- vantages or other considerations may be tempted to con- template the unilateral path. to forgo such temptation. as to do otherwise would prove di~ruptive and would irrep- arably undermine confidence in the international nego- tiating process. It is therefore vital that all participants in the Conference commit themselves to the successful con- clusion of that unique undertaking. that is the Third United Nations Conference on the Law of the Sea. 38. Before I conclude, I should like to pay a tribute to Mr. Tommy Koh, President of the Conference, without whose exertions and unflappability the progress made dur- ing the last session would not have been possible. 39. Miss ELLIS (Venezuela) (interpretation from Span- ish): In connection with preparations being pursued by the Government of Venezuela for the signing of the Final Act and for the opening of the Convention for signature at Caracas early in September 1982, I am pleased to an- nounce that the Government of Ven~ela has been in contact with the special representative of the Secretary- General for the purpose of making the necessary arrange- ments.

The Assembly will now take a decision on draft resolution A/36/L.18 and Add.I. The report of the Fifth Committee on the administrative and financial implications of that draft resolution is contained in document A/361732. 42. As no vote has been requested, I shall take it that the Assembly adopts that draft resolution.

The Soviet Union highly commends the growing and positive role that is played by the Organization of African Unity [OAU] in the international arena. That organization has become an ac- knowledged and influential force that is actively promot- ing the solution of the urgent problems of the present day as they relate to the struggle for intern£l.tional security and against imperialism, colonialism and neo-colonialism. 44.. The activities of the OAU, which are focused on tii~ full liberation of the African continent from colonialism and racism, on promoting consolidation of the indepen- dence of African States and enhancing their role in inter- national co-operation and on strengthening international peace and security have been the object of steady sympa- thy and support on the part of the Soviet Union. 45. The difficulties involved in making Africa indepen- dent are further complicated by the interference of imperi- alist States in the affairs of African countries. These States are increasingly open in pursuing a policy of rap- prochement with the South African regime, which is not only the private preserve of the racist ideology of apartheid, but has long ago turned into the mailed fist of international imperialism so as to interfere in the internal affairs of sovereign African States to undermine the Af- rican liberation movement. Shamelessly equating the na- tional liberation struggle with "terrorism", the imperi- alists at the same time provide open support to the State terrorism of Pretoria and unabashedly encourage it to un- dertake direct aggression against neighbouring African countries. The representative of the African States has ftcently quite correctly stated from the rostrum of the General Assembly that the criminal aggression perpetrated by South Africa in August of this year against Angola is directly related to the fact that three Western Powers in April prevented the Security Council from imposing com- prehensive mandatory sanctions against South Africa and that the attempt made by South Africa, through mercen- aries, to overthrow the Government of the Republic of Seychelles should be regarded against the backdrop of the veto cast by the United States which prevented the Se- curity Council from condemning South Africa's aggres- sion against Angola. 47. The .Soviet Union greatly values the constructive efforts b~ing made by the African States in favour of peace and to turn Africa into a nuclear-free zone and the Indian Ocean into _a zone of peace. 48. In the congratulations sent by the President of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the Soviet Unic;71, Mr. Brezhnev, io the States and peoples of Africa on Africa Liberation Day he emphasized that "We regard our interaction in the world arena with the liberated countries of Africa as an important factor in contemporary international relations. The Soviet Union will continue consistently to pursue the develop- ment of co-operation with the liberated couiltries and to consolidate its alliance with the national liberation movements." 49. The Soviet Union is convinced that continuing and grq~ing co-operation between the United Nations and the GAD is in keeping with the interests of the struggle for the final elimination of the vestiges of colonialism, racism and apartheid and the task of consolidating peace and in- ternational security. 50. Miss SOLESBY (United Kingdom): I have the hon- our to speak on behalf of the ten member States of the European Community. 51. Our Governments welcome the inclusion of this item on the agenda of the thirty-sixth session. It gives us a good opportunity to review the level of co-operation be- tween the United Nations and the DAU. We are grateful for the report by the Secretary-General [A/36/317 alld Add.1 and 2], which contains detailed information on the nature of this co-operation in the fields of economic and social development, information and publicity. 52. We in Europe are particularly well aware of the ben- efits of regional co-operation. We are encouraged by the way in which African countries are working together to tackle the many serious and complex challenges facing the African continent today. We support the efforts ~hich are being undertaken by the many United Nations agen- cies to reinforce and intensify their assistance to the OAU. This will in turn assist the OAU in achieving the goals and applying the principles of the Charter of the United Nations. 53. The member States of the European Community re- main firmly convinced that African problems can best be resolved through African solutions worked out by the countries of that continent. African States must be able to determine their own futures within the framewurk of the OAU and without any outside interference.

I have the honour to speak on this item in my capacity as chairman of the group of African States for the month. 56. Let me begin by reaffirming Africa's unequivocal commitment to and faith in the purposes and principles of the United Nations, as enshrined in its Charter. 57. Co-operation between the United Nations and the OAU is not a cherished dream but a living real:~y, born of the oneness of our interdependent and interacting world. We in the OAU are determined to make that co-operation work, as it must work, for the benefit of our global com- munity. " 58. The two organizations have always co-operated in various endeavours. Those endeavours are spelled out in the report of the Secretary-General. In the political field, the United Nations and the OAU have worked together and continue to work together in their search for solutions to the problems of southern Africa. The struggle against apartheid and racial persecution in southern Africa is the common struggle of the two organizations, and so is the struggle for the liberation of Namibia. 59. In the economic field, the United Nations has al- ways been in active partnership with the OAU in the eco- nomic development of the African continent. The United Nations specialized agencies in particular have contributed a great deal, in collaboration with the OAU, to Africa's overall development efforts, including the development efforts to those movements in the south of our continent which are still struggling for the liberation of their coun- tries. WFP, FAO, ILO, UNDP and many others have con- tributed in no small measure to the development of the African continent. 60. This applies also in equal measure to the very laudable contribution that has been made and continues to be made by United Nations humanitarian agencies such as UNICEF and UNHCR. The plight of refugees-and there are millions of them in our continent-would be worse than it is now were it not for the tireless efforts of these agencies. The same is true of the plight of African chil- dren and their mothers who are being given tender loving care by UNICEE The United Nations and the OAU co- operated closely in .the preparations for the convening of the Interuational Conference on Assistance to Refugees in Africa. . 61. I can do no more than reiterate the obvious: the two organizations are united by a shared vocation-eo-opera- tion in the maintenance of international peace and security "Our continental institution is inspired by the same high principles in the conduct of human affairs and shares with the United Nations the conviction that the noblest causes of development and human dignity must be founded upon the bastion of peace." 62. To these ideals Africa is irrevocably committed.

The Assembly will now take a decision on the draft resolution in document A/36/L.19. The report of the Fifth Committee on the administrative and financial implications of the draft resolution appear in document A/361793. 64. I take it that the Assembly adopts the draft resolu- tion

I shall now call on those repre- sentatives who wish to explain their votes. Explanations of vote will be limited to 10 minutes. 66. Miss SOLESBY (United Kingdom): The United Kingdom has joined in the consensus on this resolution for the reasons given in my statement delivered on behalf of the ten member States of the European Community in the main det.~~e on the item. We unreservedly support the idea of co-operation between the OAU and the relevant United Nations bodies. 67. However, there are certain provisions in the resolu- tion which pose difficulties for my delegation. In particu- lar, we wish to reaffirm our view that the General Assem- bly should not in principle approve decisions which have been taken in forums other than those of the United Na- tions. 68. . Mr. ADELMAN (United States of America): The United States has been a firm and constant.supporter of the efforts made by the OAU to strengthen regional co- operation. We take pride in the early American encour- agement for the establishment of the OAU and pleasure in our consistent support for that organization and for its guid- ing principles. Those principles-of the sanctity of bor- ders, of non-interference in the internal affairs of others and of peaceful settlement of disputes-are principles which the United States holds particularly dear. 69. The United States especially commends the efforts which the OAU has made over the past year to seek re- gional solutions to regional problems under the wise, pru- dent and active leadership of its Chairman, Daniel Arap MoL The OAU's successful mediation of the border dis- pute between the United Republic of Cameroon and Nigeria, its efforts through its Implementation Committee, to resolve the conflict in the Western Sahara and its ini-: tiative to restore peace and stability in Chad deserve par- ticular praise. We applaud the OAU and its Chairman for their determined pursuit of these efforts despite the enor- mous difficulties that have arisen. 70. The United States also welcomes the continued co- operation between the United Nations and the OAU in fur- therance of the principles upon which both were founded. Consequently, the United States fully supported the deci- 71. It is because of our strong support for the principles of the OAU that the United States has again this year joined in the consensus adoption of the draft resolution. In doing so, however, we are again obliged to call atten- tion to those aspects of the resolution upon which we have important reservations. 72. With regard to the eighth and ninth preambular paragraphs and operative paragraph 11, dealing with the Lagos Plan of Action for the Implementation of the Monrovia Strategy and the International Development Strategy for the Third United Nations Development Dec- ade, the position of the United States on resolutions 3201 (S-VI) and 3202 (S-VI), adopted by the General Assem- bly at its sixth special session, is well known and remains unchanged. With regard to the twelfth preambular para- graph and operative paragraph 21, we again take strong exception. This, too, should come as no surprise, since we have repeatedly made clear our strong view that it is totally inappropriate for the United Nations or for .any of its .specialized agencies to channel United Nations funds through liberation movements. The attempt to identify United Nations specialized agencies with political groups and causes seriously interferes with and undermines the effectiveness of those agencies in performing the noble technical and humanitarian functions for which they were established. These agencies must be allowed to continue their programmes of assistance to people in real need without becoming embroiled in political disputes. To pol- iticize them not only endangers their overall effectiveness, but also seriously jeopardizes American support for the United Nations. The references in the thirteenth pream- bular paragraph and operative paragraph 12 to "acts of aggression" can in no sense override the discretion of the Security Council in exercising its responsibilities under Article 39 of the Charter of the United Nations. 73. Finally, I would reiterate our view that any addi- tional expenses occasioned by the resolution just adopted should be taken from existing resources. 74. I would like to conclude by restating our long- expressed hope that prior consultations will result in a res- olution next year that the United States will be able to support as heartily, without re8ervation or qualification, as we support both the United Nations and the OAU.

The Federal Republic of Germany joined in the consensus on this re~o" ~n for the reascns given in the statement of the member States of the European Community. 76. My delegation welcomes the growing role -'Of the OAU in the international community and unreservedly

The French delegation joined in the consensus on the draft resolution for the reasons set out by the represen- tative of the United Kingdom on behalf of the ten mem- ber States of the European Community. We support the principle of co-operation between the DAU and the perti- nent bodies of the United Nations system wit~out any res- ervations. 79. However, certain elements in the resolution just adopted cause certain difficulties. Also, my delegation wishes to express reservations concerning provisions in paragraphs 6 and 7 of the resolution, which have financial implications which would be difficult to control. 80. Miss de BRUYNE (Belgium) (interpretation from French): Like the other States members of the European Community, Belgium supports any regional initiative that might help the African continent to solve its problems. Co-ordination of the activities of the DAU and those of relevant United Nations agencies can only be beneficial. Therefore, Belgium joined in the consensus on this reso- lution for the reasons set forth in the statement made by the representative of the United Kingdom on behalf of the European Community.

The .,delegation of the German Democratic Republic would like to reiterate its full approval of the resolution on co-opera- tion between the United Nations and the DAU. 82. Co-operation between the two organizations has proved p.articuhirly successful in implementing the Decla- ration on the Granting of Independence to Colonial Coun- tries and Peoples [resolution 1514 (XV)]. In the face of stepped-up aggressive acts by the apartheid regime of South Africa against sovereign African States, the brutal lerror against the black majority, the militarization and the striving for nuclear weapons, implementation of the de- mand contained in paragraph 4 of the resolution for in- creased efforts by both organizattons to eliminate colo- nialism, racism and apartheid is' of particular signifi- cance. 83. It cannot be ignored that those in imperialist circles try anything to prevent the strengthening of African unity on an anticolonialist basis. Those are the elements which, in defiance of United Nations and DAU resolutions, con- tinue their unabated collaboration with the apartheid 84. The appeal contained in paragraph 21 of the resolu- tion to United Nations specialized agencies to continue their assistance to the national liberation movements has the support of all those who sincerely desire the elimina- tion of colonialism, racism and apartheid. The determina- tion of the African peoples ultimately to eliminate the remnants of colonial exploitation and oppression and to determine their own development in peace and security and free from external interference meet with the un- qualified support of my country. 85. The activities of the DAU to strengthen co-operation among African States and solve the urgent problems of the continent are highly appreciated by the German Dem- ocratic Republic. The German Democratic Republic will continue in future also to strengthen and deepen its rela- tions of friendly and fruitful co-operation with the African States. 86.. Mr. KDRDMA (Sierra Leone): I should like to thank the Assembly for adopting the resolution by con- sensus. 87. With reference to paragraph 21, I should like to point out that the co-operation of the specialized agencies with the liberation movements in particular has always been of a humanitarian character. If co-operation with refe ugees through the liberation movements is not considered noble, we for our part fail to see what could be qualified or described as noble. I thought that should be made clear in this instance. 88. Secondly, we should like to say that the definition of aggression by the Security Council should not be ca- pricious, although it is left to the Council's discretion. For us, it has been defined and it should be defined in ac- cordance with the Charter of the United Nations. I wanted to make that position clear on behalf of my delegation. The meeting rose at 12 noon. NarES 2 See The Courier. ACP-EEC, No. 58, November 1979.