A/38/PV.3 General Assembly

This morning I invite the General Assembly to consider the recommendation by the Security Council for the admission of Saint Christopher and Nevis to membership in the United Nations. 2. May I take it that the General Assembly adopts draft resolutk.: A/38/L.l and Add.l by acclamation? Draft resolution was adopted (resolution 38/1). 3. The PRESIDENT (interpretation from Spanish): I therefore declare Saint Christopher and Nevis admitted to membership in the United Nations. 4. I request the Chief of Protocol to escort the dele- gation of Saint Christopher and Nevis to its place in the General Assembly Hall. The delegation of Saint Christopher and Nevis was escorted to its place in the General Assembly Hall. 5. The PRESIDENT (interpretation from Spanish): In my capacity as President of the thirty-eighth session of the General Assembly, I take great pleasure in extending, as all important official act, a warm welcome to a neigh- bour from our region of the world as the 158th Member ofthe United Nations. The accession of Saint Christopher and Nevis to independence and membership in the United Nations continues the irreversible process towards decol- onization and universality-two objectives that are fun- damental to the Organization. 6. I am confid~nt that the Government of Saint Chris- topher and Nevis will support the work of the United Nations in its endeavour to promote peace, security, co-operation and understanding among natir.ns. 7. On behalf of the General Assembly and en my own behalf I should like to convey congratulations to the new Member State of Saint Christopher and Nevis and extend a warm welcome to its Prime Minister and Minister for External Affairs, Mr. Kennedy Simmonds, its Permanent Representative, Mr. William Herbert and the other mem- bers oftheir delegation. Their r ;esence here today marks a historic occasion both for t••e United Nations and for the Government and people of Saint Christopher and Nevis. 8. I now call on the representative of the United Kingdom. 9. Sir John THOMSON (United Kingdom): It was with great pleasure that my delegation voted yesterday in the Security Council to recommend that Saint Christopher and Nevis be admitted to membership of the United Nations. 10. I am particularly pleased that we are able to do the same in the General Assembly so SOOI1 thereafter. It is gratifying indeed that the General Assembly has Friday, 23 September 1983, at 10.50 a.m. NEW YORK welcomed the membership of Saint Christopher and Nevis by acclamation. 11. Saint Christopher and Nevis is the last of the British Associated States in the Eastern Caribbean to achieve independence. It follows in the footsteps of Grenada in 1974, Dominica in 1978, Saint Lucia in 1979, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines in 1980 and Antigua and Barbuda in 1981. Saint Christopher and Nevis thus becomes the forty-fourth independent member of the Commonwealth to join the United Nations. Before inde- pendence on 19 September Saint Christopher and Nevis already had complete control of its internal affairs. Britain remained responsible only for external relations and defence and retained the necessary legislative and executive authority in these fields. The British Govern- ment, however, undeltook to disc"arge these responsi- bilities in close consultation with the Government of Saint Christopher and Nevis and delegated executive authority to Saint Christopher and Nevis in a wide field of external relations. 12. The status of association with Britain enjoyed by Saint Christopher and Nevis and other territories in the Eastern Caribbean was from the outset completely vol- untary and terminable at any time at the wish of the Associated State party. The British Government made it perfectly clear that it would be prepared to grant inde- pendence provided it was satisfied that the majority of the people agreed that the status of association should be terminated and that the proposed independence con- stitution made proper provision for the preservation of fundamental rights and the rule of law. The British Government. satisfied that these conditions were met, agreed to the request of the Government of Saint Chris- topher and Nevis that the status of association should be terminated, and orders to this effect were approved by Parliament in May this year and signed by Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth 11 in June. 13. Many distinguished visitors attended the indepen- dence celebrations in Saint Christopher and Nevis at the beginning of this week, including Mr. Koroma of Sierra Leone, in his capacity as Chairman of the Special Com- mittee on the Situation with regard to the Implementa- tion of the Declaration on the Granting of Independence to Colonial Countries and Peoples. It was a joyful occa- sion, reflecting all the pride associated with a newly emerging country on the threshold of independence. l have no doubt that Saint Christopher and Nevis will play its full part in international affairs generally and in particular at the United Nations, which itself will benefit from the wisdom and maturity which I am sure our newest Member will bring to bear on our deliberations. 14. I am confident, too, that the links, both cultural and commercial, that have developed between Saint Christopher and Nevis and ourselves over the past 350 years will continue to develop. The bonds of friendship and affection that have characterized our relationship will naturally continue to endure and indeed be enhanced by the new status of Saint Christopher and Nevis in the international community. Both within the Commonwealth and in the international community ~~i:;~~~~'~~ ~I~yde~~g~~~:kh~~dt~~t~y~:::~~ i::~~~:~~~e~~?~r:ationhood, nor is it a novice in session of the General Assembly with a keen sense of 63. International recognition of Saint Kitts goes back re:lponsibility, with efficiency and with ability. as far as 162: or it was then that both the French and 55. We ftrmly believe in the United Nations and believe the Llglish Caribbean empires began. Indeed, for a while that it should be effective and positive, able to find the two metropolitan Powers co-existed peacefully in effective practical solutions to the many international Saint Kitts. And tiny Nevis was among the first to make problems and crises facing the world. The international a great contribution to the mighty United States of community is aware that the General Assembly has America, for it sent one of its native-born sons, Alexander adol?too positive resolutions in the past, the respect for Hamilton, to become a revolutionary hero, a Founding and Implementation of which will serve the principles and Father and the first Secretary of the Treasury. purposes of the United Nations. A,nong those resolutions 64. Butif early international recognition of Saint Kitts are many concerning the legitimate inclknable rights and of NeVis rested in their importance to outside Powers, of the Palestinian people, including the right of self- continuing recognition resides in their contribution to the determination and to the establishment of an independent development of the Caribbean people. deve~oped nations to be subject to a long, drawn-out piecemeal operation totally devoid of any sense of urgency. 126. Yet no extensive fea.,. ' ';ty studies seem to be needed for the disbursement of funds for military hard- ware; no bureaucracy appears to delay the delivery I)f guns anywhere in the world; no battery of consultants AG};NDA ITEM 8 Adoption of the agenda Ilnd organization of work: reports of the General Committee

The Assembly will now take up the first-report of the General Committee, document 'A-/3'81250. We shall examine first section 11, which deals with the organiza- tion of the session. Members are aware that by it~ dec\- sion 34/401, which has been reproduced as annexVI to the rules of procedure, the General Assembly adopted a number of provisions aimed at rationalizing its proce- dures and oranization. Many of these provisions have already been implemented at the thirty-fourth to thirty- seventh sessions, but some have not yet been or have been only partially implemented. It is hoped that at the present session the Assembly will endeavour to advance this process of rationalization. 140. The provisions of General Assembly decision 341 401, to which I have just referred, that directly affect the organization of the work of the General Committee are reproduced in paragraph 2 of document A/381250. 141. May I consider that the General Assembly takes note of the action taken by the Generai Committee in that paragraph? It was so decided. 142. The PRESIDENT (interprf!tal'ion/rom Spanish): Regarding the schedule of meetings referred to in para- graph 3, the General Committee draws the General Assembly's attention to paragraph 3 of its decision 341 401. In this connection I should like to remind the Assembly that rules 67 and 108 of the rules of procedure provide that the President may declare a meeting open and permit the debate to proceed when at least one third of the Assembly's members are present, and the Chair- man of a Main Committee may declare a meeting open and permit the debate to proceed when at least one quarter of the members are present. 143. I should like to assure the A~semblythat, as I have already indicated in the General Committee, I shall be in the Chair punctually at the scheduled time, and I urge the Chairmen of the Main Committees to do the same. It is essential that at least one member of each delega- tion be present at the scheduled time in order to avoid the problem of a quorum. I am sure that all delegations will make a special effort to co-operate in this regard, and I congratulate the delegations that were present at the scheduled time this morning. 144: We turn now to paragraphs 4 and 5 of ti'e report concerning the general debate. May I consider that the NOTES I Handbook ofMeasures in Fllrtherance ofthe Principles and Objec- tives of the Antarctic Treaty, Third Edition (Department of Foreign Affairs. Canberra, April 1983).