A/40/PV.96 General Assembly

If there is no proposal under rule 66 of the rules of procedure, I shall consider that the General Assembly decides not to discuss the reports of the Third Committee. It was so decided.

Statements will therefore be l~ited to explanations of vote. The positions of delegations regarding the various recommendations of the Third Committee have been made clear in the Committee and are reflected in the relevant official records. May I remind members that, in paragraph 7 of its decision 34/401, the General Assembly decided that, when the same draft resolution is considered in a Main Committee and in plenary meeting, a delegation should, as far as possible, explain its vote only once, that is, either in the Committee or in plenary meeting, unless that delegation's vote in plenary meeting is different from its vote in the Committee. May I further remind members that, also in accordance with decision 34/401, explanations of vote are limited to 10 minutes and should be made by delegations from their seats. I now invite members to turn their attention to the nine reports of the Third committee. The Assembly will first consider the report of the Third Committee on agenda item 88, "Implementation of the Programme of Action for the Second Decade to Combat Racism and Racial Discrimination" (A/40/86l). The Assembly will now take a decision on the draft resolution recommended by the Third Committee in paragraph 8 of its report (A/4D/861). The report of the Fifth Committee on the programme budget implications of that draft resolution is contained.in document A/40/953. The draft resolution was adopted by the Third Committee without a vote. May I take it that the General Assembly wishes to do the same? The draft resolution was adopted (resolution 4D/22).

I call on the representative of the United States, who wishes to explain her delegation's position. Miss BYRNE (Uniteg States of America): My delegation wishes the record to reflect that the United States did not participate in the adoption of the draft resolution in document A/40/86l, entitled "Second Decade to Combat Racism and Racial Discrimination". The United States does not participate in the Second Decade and has not participated in the consideration of agenda item 88, for reasons uell known to this body, and most recently explained when the draft resolution was recommended for adoption by the Third Committee.

We have concluded our cons1deration of agenda item 88. The Assembly will now turn to the report of the Third Committee on agenda item 91, RNational experience in achieving far-reaching social and economic. changes for the purpose of social progress (A/4D/879). The Assembly will now take a decision on the draft resolution recommended by the Third Committee in paragraph 7 of its report (A/40/879). A recorded vote has been requested. A recorded vote was taken. In favour: Afghanistan, Albania, Algeria, Angola, Argentina, Austria, Bahamas, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Barbados, Benin, Bhutan, Bolivia, Botswana, Brazil, Brunei Darussalam, BUlgaria, Burkina Pa80, Burma, Burundi, Byelorussian Soviet Socialist Republic, C&meroon, Cape Verde, Central African Republic, Chad, Chile, China, Comoros, Congo, Cuba, Cyprus, Czechoslovakia, Democratic Kampuchea, Democratic Yemen, Denmark, Djibouti, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, Equatorial Guinea, Ethiopia, Fiji, Finland, France, Gabon, German Democratic Republic, Ghana, Greece, Grenada, Guatemala, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Guyana, Honduras, Hungary, Iceland, India, Indonesia, Iran (Islamic Republic of), Iraq, Ireland, Ivory Coast (Cote d'Ivoire), Jamaica, Japan, Jordan, Kenya, Kuwait, Lao People's Democratic RepUblic, Lebanon, Lesotho, Liberia, Libyan Arab Jamahiriya, Madagascar, Malaysia, Maldives, Mali, Malta, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mexico, Mongolia, Morocco, Mozambique, Nepal, Nicaragua, Niger, Nigeria, Norway, oman, Pakistan, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Qatar, Romania, Rwanda, Saint Lucia, Samoa, Sao Tome and Principe, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Somalia, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Suriname, Swaziland, Sweden, Syrian Arab Republic, Thailand, Tbgo, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Turkey, Uganda, Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic, Union of Soviet Socialist Republics, United Arab Emirates, United Republic of .Tanzania, Uruguay, Venezuela, Viet Nam, Yemen, Yugoslavia, Zaire, Zambia, Zimbabwe. Against: United States of America. Abstaining: Australia, Belgium, Canada, Germany, Federal Republic of, Israel, Italy, Luxembourg, Malawi, Netherlands, New Zealand, United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. The draft resolution was adopted by 133 votes to 1, with 11 abstentions (resolution 40/23).* *Subsequently the delegations of Antigua and Barbuda and Colombia advised the S~cretariat that they had intended to vote in favour.

The Assem~ly has concluded its consideration of agenda item 91. The Assembly will now turn to the report of the Third Committee on agenda item 93, entitled "Importance of the universal realization of the right of peoples to self-determination and the speedy granting of independence to colonial countries and peoples for the effective guarantee and observance of human rights" (A/40/863). I call on the representative of Honduras, who wishes to explain his delegation's vote before th~ voting. Mr. PASTOR (Honduras) (interpretation from Spanish): In draft resolution 11 of the report on item 93 (A/40/863), there is a confusion of ideas and subjects which have already been dealt with by the General Assembly in specific resolutions. At that time Honduras expressed its position clearly on each of the aspects that were dealt with more separately and specifically. We reaffirm the positions that we adopted then. OUr delegation will abstain in the voting on draft resolution 11.

The Assembly will now take a decision on the two draft resolutions recommended by the Third Committee in paragraph 12 of its report (A/40/863). The Assembly will first take a decision on draft resolution I, entitled "universal realization of the right of peoples to self-determination". The Third Committee adopted draft resolution I without a vote. May I take it that the General Assembly wishes to do the same? Draft resolution I was adopted (resolution 40/24).

Draft resolution 11 is entitled "Importance of the universal realization of the right of peoples to self-determination and of the speedy granting of independence to colonial countries and peoples for the effective guarantee and observance of human rights". A separate, recorded vote has been requested on operative paragraph 26 of draft resolution 11. I hear no objection. I shall therefore put paragraph 26 to the vote first. A recorded vote was taken. In favoar: Afghanistan, Albania, Algeria, Angola, Argentina, Australia, Austria, Bahamas, Barbados, Benin, Bhutan, Bolivia, Botswana, Brazil, Bulgaria, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Byelorussian Soviet Socialist P~public, Cape Ver.de, Chad, Congo, Cuba, Cyprus, Czechoslovakia, Democratic Yemen, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, Ethiopia, Fiji, German Democratic Republic, Ghana, Grenada, Guinea-Bissau, Guyana, Hungary, India, Iran (Islamic Republic of), Kenya, Lao People's Democratic Republic, Lesotho, Liberia, Madagascar, Malawi, Maldives, Mali, Malta, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mexico, Mongolia, Mpzambique, New Zealand, Nicaragua, Niger, Nigeria, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Peru, Poland, Rwanda, Sao Tome and Principe, Senegal, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Suriname, Swaziland, Sweden, Syrian Arab Republic, Togo, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Uganda, Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic, Union of Soviet SOCialist Republics, United Republic of Tanzania, Uruguay, Venezuela, Viet Nam, Yugoslavia, Zambia, Zimbabwe. Against: Central African Republic, El Salvador, Equatorial Guinea, Morocco, Zaire. Abstaining: Bangladesh, Belgium, Burma, Cameroon, Canada, Chile, Denmark, Finland, France, Gabon, Germany, Federal Republic of, Greece, Guatemala, Honduras, Iceland, Indonesia, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Ivory Coast (Cote d'Ivoire), Jamaica, Japan, Jordan, Lebanon, Luxembourg, Malaysia, Netherlands, Norway, Pakistan, Philippines, Portugal, Samoa, Saudi Arabia, Somalia, Spain, Thailand, Turkey, United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, United States of America.• Operative paragraph 26 of draft resolution 11 was adopted by 84 votes to 5, with 39 abstentions.* *Subsequently the delegation of Colombia advised the Secretariat that it had intended to vote in favour1 the delegations of Antigua and Barbuda and Maldives had intended to abstain. ". (The President)

I now put to the vote draft resolution 11, as a whole. A recorded vote has been requested. A recorded vote was taken. In favour: Afghanistan, Albania, Algeria, Angola, Argentina, Bahamas, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Barbados, Benin, Bhutan, Bolivia, Botswana, Brazil, Brunei Darussalam, BUlgaria, Burkina Faso, Burma, Burundi, Byelorussian Soviet Socialist Republic, Cameroon, Cape Verde, Central African Republic, Chad, China, Comoros, Congo, Cuba, Cyprus, Czechoslovakia, Democratic Kampuchea, Democratic Yemen, Djibouti, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, Equatorial Guinea, Ethiopia, Fiji, Gabon, German Democratic Republic, Ghana, Grenada, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Guyana, Hungary, India, Indonesia, Iran (Islamic Republic of), Iraq, Ivory Coast (Cote d'Ivoire), Jamaica, Jordan, Kenya, Kuwait, Lao people's Democratic Republic, Lebanon, Lesotho, Liberia, Libyan Arab Jamahiriya, Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia, Maldives, Mali, Malta, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mexico, Mongolia, Morocco, Mozambique, Nicaragua, Niger, Nigeria, Oman, Pakistan, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Qatar, Romania, Rwanda, Saint Lucia, Samoa, Sao Tome and Principe, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Singapore, Somalia, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Suriname, Swaziland, Syrian Arab Republic, Thailand, Togo, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Turkey, Uganda, Ukrainian Soviet Socialist RepUblic, Union of Soviet Socialist RepUblics, United A~~b Emirates, United Republic of Tanzania, Uruguay, Venezuela, Vi~t Nam, Yemen, Yugoslavia, Zaire, Zambia, Zimbabwe. Against: Australia, Belgium, Canada, Denrnar~, Finland, France, Germany, Federal Republic of, Iceland, Israel, Italy, Luxembourg, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Sweden, United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, United States of America. Abstaining: Austria, El Salvador, Greece, Guatemala, Honduras, Ireland, ~apan, Portugal, Spain. Draft resolution 11, as a whole, was adopted by 118 votes to 17, with 9 abstentions.* *Subsequently the delegations of Antigua and Barbuda and Colombia advised the Secretariat that they had intended to vote in favour.

I shall now call on those representatives who wish to explain their vote. Mrs. LEGWAILA (Botswana): Although my delegation voted in favour of draft resolution 11, for reasons very well known to this Assembly, we must unfortunately reserve our position on the paragraphs pertaining to economic sanctions. My delegation wishes to stress two points in this connection. First, although we are not in any way opposed to the imposition of economic sanctions against South Africa, we cannot ourselves participate in such sanctionsJ we have neither the capacity nor the ability to do.so. Secondly, we do not wish to be used as an excuse for the failure to impose sanctions ~gainst Aouth Africa by those who clearly and inescapably have the power, and indeed the responsibility, to do so - and to do so effectively. Mrs. NHLABATSI (Swaziland): My delegation voted in favour of draft resolution IIJ but. it did so with reservations concerning the twelfth paragraph of the preamble and operative paragraphs 23, 24 and 26, on sanctions - for reasons well kno~l to this Assembly.

That concludes our consideration of agenda item 93. w~ turn next to the report of the Third Committee on agenda item 94, "Elimination of all forms of racial discrimination". That report is contained in document A/40/914. The Assembly will take decisions on the three draft resolutions recommended by the Third Committee in paragraph 15 of its report. Draft resolution I is entitled "Status of the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination". It was adopted by the Third Committee without a vote. May I take it that the General Assembly also wishes to adopt it? Draft resolution I was adopted (resolution 40/26).

Draft resolution 11 relates to the status of the International Convention on the Suppression and Punishment of the Crime of Apartheid. A separate vote has been requested on the third preambu1ar paragraph of that draft resolution. Is there any objection to that request? There appears to be no objection, and I therefore put to the vote the third preambular paragraph of draft resolution 11. A recorded vote has been requested. A recorded vote was taken. In favour: Afghanistan, Albania, Algeria, Angola, Argentina, Bahamas, Bahr.ain, Bangladesh, Barbados, Benin, Bhutan, Bolivia, Botswana, Brazil, Brunei Darussalam, BUlgaria, Burma, Burundi, Bye10russian Soviet Socialist Republic, Cameroon, Cape Verde, central African Republic, Chad, Chile, China, Comoros, Congo, Cuba, Cyprus, Czechoslovakia, Democratic Kampuchea, Democratic Yemen, Djibouti, Domi~ican Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, Equatorial Guinea, Ethiopia, Fiji, Gabon, German Democratic Republic, Ghana, Guatemala, Guinea-Bissau, Guyana, Honduras, Hungary, India, Indonesia, Iran (Islamic Republic of), Iraq, Israel, Ivory Coast (Cote d'Ivoire), Jamaica, Jordan, Kenya, Kuwait, Lao People's Democratic Republic, Lebanon, Lesotho, Liberia, Libyan Arab Jamahiriya, Madagascar, Malaysia, Maldives, Mali, Malta, Mauritania, Mexico, Mongolia, Morocco, Mozambique, Nepal, Nicaragua, Niger, Nigeria, Papua New Guinea, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Qatar, Romania, Rwanda, Saint Lucia, Samoa, Sao Tome and Principe, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Singapore, Somalia, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Suriname, Syrian Arab Republic, Thailand, Togo, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Uganda, Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic, Union of Soviet Socialist Republics, United Arab Emirates, United Republic of Tanzania, Uruguay, Venezuela, Viet Nam, Yemen, Yugoslavia, Zaire, Zambia, Zimbabwe. Against: Belgium, France, Germany, Federal Republic of, Italy, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Portugal, United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, United States of America. Abstaining: Australia, Austria, Burkina Faso, Canada, Denmark, Finland, Greece, Guinea, Iceland, Ireland, Japan, New Zealand, Norway, Pakistan, Spain, Sweden. The third preambular paragraph of draft resolution 11 was adopted by 114 votes to 9, with 16 abstentions.* *Subsequently the delegations of Antigua and Barbuda, Burkina Faso and Colombia advised the Secretariat that they had intended to vote in favour; the delegation of Israel had intended to vote against.

A separate vote has been requested also on operative paragtapb 5 of draft resolution 11. Is there any objection to that request? As there appears to be no objection, 1 shall put operative paragraph 5 of draft resolution 11 to the vote. A recorded vote has been requested. A recorded vo~ was taken. In favour: Afghanistan, Albania, Algeria, Angola, Argentina, Bahamas, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Barbados, Benio, Uhutan, Bolivia, Bqtswana, Brazil, Brunei Darussalam, Bulgaria, Burkina Faso, Buraa, Burondi, Byeloru~sian SOviet Socialist Republic, cameroon, Cape Verde, Central African Republic, Chad, Chile, China, Comoros, Congu, Cuba, Cyprus, Czechoslovakia, Democratic Kampuchea, DeJlOCratic Yeaen, Djibouti, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, Equatorial Guinea, Ethiopia, Fiji, Gabon, German DellOCratic Republic, Ghana, Guatemala, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Guyana, Honduras, Bungary, India, Indonesia, Iran (Islamic Republic of), Iraq, Jamaica, Jordan, Kenya, Kuwait, Lao People's DeJllOCratic Republic, Lebanon, Lesotho, Liberia, Libyan Arab Jamahiriya, Madagascar, Malaysia, Maldives, Mali, Malta, Maudtania, Mexico, Mongolia, Morocco, MoZambique, Nepal, Nicaragua, Niger, Nigeria, oman, Pakistan, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Qatar, Romania, Rwanda, Saint Lucia, Samoa, Sao Tome and Principe, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, . Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Singapore, Somalia, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Suriname, Syrian Arab Republic, Thailand, Togo, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Turkey, Uganda, Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic, Union of SOviet Socialist Republics, united Arab EIIirates, United Republic of Tanzania, Urugu~y, Venezuela, Viet Nam, Yemen, Yugoslavia, Zaire, Zambia, Zimbabwe. Against: BelgiWl, Prance, Gerlll8ny, Federal Republic of, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Luxeabourg, Netherlands, Portugal, United Kingdom of Great Britain and NOrthern Ireland, United States of America. Abstaining: Australia, Austria, canada, Denmark, Finland, Greece, Iceland, Ivory Coast (COte· d'Ivoire), Japan, New Zealand, Norway, Spain, Swaziland, Sweden. Operative paragraph 5 of draft resolution 11 waa adopted 2Y 118 votes to 11, with 14 abstentions••

A separate vote has been requested also on operative paragraph 8 of draft resolution 11. Is there any objection to that request? ·Subsequently the delegations of Antigua and Barbuda and Colombia advised the Secretariat that they had intended to vote in favour. As there is none, I now put to the vote operative paragraph 8 of draft resolution 11. A recorded vote has been requested. A recorded vote was taken. In favour: Afghanistan, Albania, Algeria, Angola, Argentina, Bahamas, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Barbados, Benin, Bhutan, Bolivia, Botswana, Brazil, Brunei Darussalam, Bulgaria, Burkina Faso, Burma, Burundi, Byelorussian Soviet Socialist Republic, Cameroon, Cape Verde, t ~tral African Republic, Chad, Chile, China, Comoros, COngo, Cuba, Cyprus, Czechoslovakia, Democratic Kampuchea, Democratic Yemen, Djibouti, Dominican Republic c Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, Equatorial Guinea, Ethiopia, Fiji, Gabon, German Democratic Republic, Ghana, Guatemala, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Guyana, Honduras, Hungary, India, Indonesia, Iran (Islamic Republic of), Iraq, Jamaica, Jordan: Kenya, Kuwait, Lao People's Democratic Republic, Lebanon, Lesotho, Liberia, Libyan Arab Jamahiriya, Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia, Ma1dives, Mali, Malta, Mauritania, Mexico, Mongolia, Morocco, Mozambique, Nepal, Nicaragua, Niger, Nigeria, Oman, Pakistan, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Qatar, Romania, Rwanda, Saint Lucia, Samoa, Sao Tome and Principe, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Singapore, Somalia, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Suriname, Syrian Arab Republic, Thailand, Togo, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Turkey, Uganda, Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic, Union of Soviet Socialist Republics, United Arab Emirates, United Republic of Tanzania, uruguay, Venezuela, Viet Nam, Yemen, Yugoslavia, Zaire, Zambia, Zimbabwe. Against: Belgium, France, Germany, Federal Republic of, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Portugal, United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland~ United States of America. Abstaining: Australia, Austria, Canada, Denmark, Finland, Greece, Iceland, Japan, New Zealand, Norway, Spain, Sweden. Operative paragraph 8 of draft resolution 11 was adopted by 119 votes to 11, with 12 abstentions.*

I now put to the vote draft resolution 11 as a whole. A recorded vote has been requested. A recorded vote was taken. *Subsequently the delegations of Antigua and Barbuda and Colombia advised the Secretariat that they had intended to vote in favour. (The President) Against: United States of America. Abstaining: Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Federal Republic of, Greece, Iceland, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, Luxembourg, Malawi, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Portugal, Spain, S~~ziland, Sweden, United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. Draft resolution 11 as a whole was adopted by 120 votes to 1, with 24 abstentions (resolution 40/27).* *Subsequent1y the delegations of Antigua and Barbuda and Colombia advised the Secretariat that they had intended to vote in favour.

Draft resolution III is entitled "Report of the committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination". A separate, recorded vote has been requested on operative paragraph 4 of draft resolution Ill. If I hear no objection 1 shall first put that paragraph to the vote. A recorded vote was taken. In favour: Afghanistan, Albania, Algeria, Angola, Argentina, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Benin, Bhutan, Bolivia, Botswana, Brazil, Bulgaria, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Byelorussian Soviet SOCialist Republic, Cameroon, Cape Verde, Central African Republic, Chad, China, Camoros, Congo, Cuba, Cyprus, Czechoslovakia, Democratic Yemen, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Equatorial Guinea, Ethiopia, Fiji, Gabon, German Democratic Republic, Ghana, Guinea-Bissau, Guyana, Hungary, India, Iran (Islam~c Republic of), Jordan, Kenya, Kuwait, Lao People's Democratic Republic, Lebanon, Lesotho, Liberia, Libyan Arab Jamahiriya, Madagascar, Malawi, Maldives, Malta, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mexico, Mongolia, Mozambique, Nepal, Nicaragua, Niger, Nigeria, Pakistan, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Peru, Philippines, poland, Qatar, Romania, Rwanda, Sao Tome and Principe, Saudi Arabia, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Somalia, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Syrian Arab Republic, Togo, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Uganda, Ukrainian Soviet SOCialist Republic, Union of Soviet Socialist Republics, United Arab Emirates, United Republic of Tanzania, Uruguay, Venezuela, Viet Nam, Yemen, Yugoslavia, Zambia, Zimbabwe. Against: Belgium, France, Germany, Federal Republic of, Italy, Luxembourg, Netherlands, portugal, United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, United States of America. Abstaining: Australia, Austria, Bahamas, Barbados, Burma, Canada, Chile, Denmark, Egypt, El Salvador, Finland, Greece, Grenada, Guatemala, Guinea, Honduras, Iceland, Ireland, Ivory Coast (Cote d'Ivoire), Jamaica, Japan, Malaysia, Morocco, New Zealand, Norway, Saint Lucia, Samoa, Senegal, Spain, Sweden, Turkey, Zaire. Paragraph 4 of draft resolution III was adopted by 93 votes to 9, with 32 abstentions. * *Subsequently the delegation of Colombia advised the Secretariat that it had intended to vote in favour~ the delegation of Antigua and Barbuda had intended to abstain.

.a separate, recorded vote has also been requested on operative paragraph 5 of draft resolution Ill. If there is no objection to that requ~st, I shall put it to the vote now. A recorded vote was taken. In favour: Afghanistan, Albania, Algeria, Angola, Argentina, Bahamas, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Barbados, Senin, Bhutan, Bolivia, Botswana, Brazil, Brunei Darussalam, Bulgaria, Burkina Faso, Burma, Burundi, Byelorussian Soviet Socialist Republic, Cameroon, Cape Verde, Central African Republic, Chad, Chile, China, COlombia, Comoros, Congo, Cuba, Cyprus, Czechoslovakia, Democratic Kampuchea, Democratic Yemen, Djibouti, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, Equatorial Guinea, Ethiopia, Fiji, Gabon, German Democratic Republic, Ghana, Guatemala, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Guyana, Honduras, Hungary, India, Indonesia, Iran (Islamic Republic of), Iraq, Ivory Coast (Cote d'Ivoire), Jamaica, Japan, Jordan, Kenya, Kuwait, Lao people's Democratic Republic, Lebanon, Lesotho, Liberia, Libyan Arab Jamahiriya, Madagascar, Malaysia, Maldives, Mali, Malta, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mexico, Mongolia, Morocco, Mozambique, Nepal, Nicaragua, Niger, Nigeria, oman, Pakistan, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Qatar, Romania, Rwanda, Saint Lucia, Samoa, Sao Tome and principe, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Singapore, SOmalia, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Suriname, syrian Arab Republic, Thailand, Togo, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Turkey, Uganda, Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic, Union of Soviet Socialist Republics, United Arab Emirates, United Republic of Tanzania, Uruguay, Venezuela, Viet Nam, Yemen, Yugoslavia, Zaire, Zambia, Zimbabwe. Against: United S~ates of America. Abstaining: Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Federal Republic of, Greece, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, Malawi, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Portugal, Spain, Swaziland, Sweden, United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. Paragraph 5 of draft resolution III was adopted by 122 votes to 1, with 22 abstentions. * *Subsequently the delegations of Antigua and Barbuda and Colombia advised the Secretariat that they had intended to vote in favour.

A separate, recorded vote has also been requested on a phrase in operative pnragraph 13 of draft resolution Ill. Paragraph 13 as a whole reads: "Reiterates its invitation to the States parties to the Convention to provide the Committee, in accordance with its general guidelines, with information on the implementation of the provisions of the Convention, including information on the demographic composition of their popUlation and on their relations with the racist regime of South Africa". The phrase on which a separate vote is requested is: "including information on the demographic composition of their population and on their relations with the racist regime of South Africa". If there is no objection to that request, I shall put that phrase to the vote now. A recorded vote was taken. In favour: Afghanistan, Albania, Algeria, Angola, Argentina, Australia, Bahamas, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Barcados, Benin, Bhutan, Bolivia, Botswana, Brazil, Brunei Darussa1ilm, Bulgaria, Burkina Faso, Burma, Burundi, Bye10russian Soviet Socialist Republic, Cameroon, Canada, Cape Verde, Central African Republic, Chad, Chile, China, Colombia, Comoros, Congo, Cuba, Cyprus, Czechoslovakia, Democratic Kampuchea, Democratic Yemen, Djibouti, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, Equatorial Guinea, Ethiopia, Fiji, German Democratic Republic, Ghana, Guatemala, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Guyana, Honduras, Hungary, India, Indonesia, Iran (Islamic Republic of), Iraq, Ivory Coast (Cote d'Ivoire), Jamaica, Jordan, Kenya, Kuwait, Lao People's Democratic Republic, Lebanon, Lesotho, Liberia, Libyan Arab 'Jamahiriya, Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia, Ma1dives, Malta, Mauritania, Mexico, Mongolia, Morocco r Mozambique, Nepal, New Zealand, Nicaragua, Niger, Nigeria, Pakistan, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Qatar, Romania, Rwanda, Saint Lucia, Samoa, Sao Tome and principe, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Singapore, Somalia, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Suriname, Swazi1and, Syrian Arab Republic, Thailand, Togo, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Turkey, Uganda, Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic, Union of Soviet Socialist Republics, united Arab Emirates, United Republic of Tanzania, Uruguay, Venezuela, viet Nam, Yemen, Yugoslavia, Zaire, Zambia, Zimbabwe. Against: None. Abst.aining: Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Gabon, Germany, Federal Republic of, Greece, Grenada, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Luxembourg, Mali, Mauritius, Netherlands, Norway, portugal, Spain, Sweden, United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, United States of America. The phrase "including information on the demographic composition of their population and on their relations with the racist regime of South Africa" in paragraph 13 of draft resolution III was adopted by 122 votes to none, with 23 abstentions. *

The Assembly will now vote on draft resolution Ill, as a whole. A recorded vote has been requested. A recorded was taken. In favour: Afghanistan, Albania, Algeria, Angola, Argentina, Australia, Austria, Bahamas, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Barbados, Benin, Bhutan, Bolivia, Botswana, Brazil, Brunei Darussalam, Bulgaria, Burkina Faso, Burma, Burundi, Byelorussian Soviet Socialist Republic, Cameroon, Canada, Cape Verde, Central African Republic, Chad, Chile, China, Colombia, Comoros, Congo, Cuba, Cyprus, Czechoslovakia, Democratic Kampuchea, Democratic Yemen, Denmark, Djibouti, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, Equatorial Guinea, Ethiopia, Fiji, Finland, Gabon, German Democratic Republic, Ghana, Greece, Guatemala, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Guyana, Honduras, Hungary, Iceland, India, Indonesia, Iran (Islamic Republic of), Iraq, Ireland, Ivory Coast (Cote d'Ivoire), Jamaica, Japan, Jordan, Kenya, Kuwait, Lao people's Democratic Republic, Lebanon, Lesotho, Liberia, Libyan Arab Jamahiriya, Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia, Maldives, Mali, Malta, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mexico, Mongolia, Morocco, Mozambique, Nepal, New Zealand, Nicaragua, Niger, Nigeria, Norway, oman, Pakistan, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Qatar, Romania, Rwanda, Saint Lucia, Samoa, Sao Tome and Principe, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Singapore, Somalia, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Suriname, Swazi1and, Sweden, Syrian Arab Republic, Thailand, Togo, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Turkey, Uganda, Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic, Union of Soviet Socialist Republics, United Arab Emirates, United Republic of Tanzania, Uruguay, Venezuela, Viet Nam, Yemen, Yugoslavia, Zaire, Zambia, Zimbabwe. *Subsequently the delegations of Antigua and Barbuda and Colombia advised the Secretariat that they had intended to vote in favour. Againstii United States of America. Abstaining: Belgium, Prance, Germany, Federal Republic of, Grenada, Italy, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Portugal, United Kingdom of Great . Britain and Northern Ireland. Draft resolution IIIe as a whole, was adopted by 136 votes to 1, with 9 ~entions (resolution 40/28).*

We have thus concluded our consideration of agenda item 94. *Subsequently the delegations of Antigua and Barbuda and Colombia advised the Secretariat that they had intended to vote in favour, the delegation of Swaziland had intended to abstain. The Assembly will now consider the report of the Third Committee on agenda item 96, 8Question of aging-, contained in document A/40/928, and proceed to take a decision on the two draft resolutions contained in paragraph 13 of that report. Draft resolution I entitled -Question of aging-, was adopted by the Committee without a vote. May I take it that the General Assembly wishes to do the same? Draft resolution I was adopted (resolution 40/29).

Draft resolution 11 concerning the implementation of the International Plan of Action on Aging was adopted by the Committee without a vote. May I take it that the General Assembly wishes to do the same? Draft resolution 11 was adopted (resolution 40/30).

This concludes our consideration of agenda item 96. The Assembly will now consider the raport of the Third Committee on agenda item 97, -Implementation of the World Programme of Action concerning Disabled Persons and United Nations Decade of Disabled Persons". The report of the Third Committee is contained in document A/40/880. The Assembly will now take a decision on the draft resolution recommended by the Third Committee in paragraph 8 of its report. The draft resolution was adopted by the Third Committee without a vote. May I consider that the General Assembly wishes to do likewise? The draft resolution was adopted (resolution 40/31).

This concludes our consideration of agenda item 97. The Assembly will now turn to the report of the Third committee on agenda item 98, entitled "Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice", document A/40/88l, and take a decision on the six draft resolutions contained in paragraph 12 of that report. Draft resolution I, dealing with the Seventh United Nations Congress on the Prevention of Crime and the Treatment of Offenders, was adopted by the Committee without a vote. May I take it that the General Assembly wishes to do the same? Draft resolution I was adopted (resolution 40/32).

Draft resolution 11, which concerns the united Nations standard minimum rules for the administ~ation of juvenile justice ("the Beijing RUles·), was adopted by the Thi~d Committee without a vote. May I take it that the Assembly wishes to do likewise? Draft resolution 11 was adopted (resolution 40/33).

Draft resolution Ill, entitled "Declaration of basic principles of justice for victims of crime and abuse of power", was adopted by the Third Committee without a vote. May I take it that the Assembly wishes to do the same? Draft resolution III was adopted (resolution 40/34)

Draft resolution IV dealing with the development of standards for the prevention of juvenile delinquency was adopted by the Third Committee without a vote. May I take it that the General Assembly wishes to do the same? Draft resolution IV was adopted (resolution 40/35).

Draft resolution V concerning domestic violence was adopted by the Third Committee without a vote. May I take it that the Assembly wishes to do likewise? Draft resolution V was adopted (resolution 40/36).

Draft resolution VI relating to the Expression of Appreciation to the Government and People of Italy on the Occasion of the Seventh United Nations Congress on the Prevention of Crime and the Treatment of Offenders was adopted by the Third Committee without a vote. May I take it that the General Assembly wishes to do the same? The draft resolution was adopted (resolution 40/37).

This concludes our consideration of agenda item 98. We shall now consider the report of the Third Committee on agenda item 99, entitled Rlnternational Research and Training Institute for the Advancement of womenR, in document A/40/926, and take a decision on the draft resolution recommended by the Third Committee in paragraph 7 of its report. The Third Committee adopted that draft resolution without a vote. May I consider that the General Assembly also wishes to adopt it? The draft resolution was adopted (resolution 40/38).

This concludes our consideration of agenda item 99. The Assembly will now turn its attention to agenda item 100, entitled RElimination of All Forms of Discrimination against WomenR, document A/40/927, and take a decision on the draft resolution recommended by the Third Committee in paragraph 8 of its report. The draft resolution, entitled RConvention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against WOmen-, was adopted by the Third Committee without a vote. May I take it that the Assembly wishes to do the same? The draft resolution was adopted (resolution 40/39).

We have now concluded our consideration of agenda item 100 and of all the reports of the Third Committee for this morning.

The Assembly will now resume its consideration of the question of the implementation of the Declaration on the Granting of Independence to COlonial COuntries and Peoples, as a whole, under agenda item 18. In this connection, ~~ree draft resolutions have been distributed: the first is contained in paragraph 42 of Part 11 of document A/40/23, and the other two in documents A/40/L.21 and A/40/L.22 respectively. We have also before us the report of the Special Committee, document A/40/23, and a number of related documents as listed in the Journal. I should like to propose that ~ list of speakers in the debate on this item be closed at 12.30 p.m. As there is no objection, I shall take it that the Assembly adopts that proposal. It was so decided •

I now call on the Rapporteur of the Special Committee on the Situation with regard to the Implementation of the Declaration on the Granting of Independence to Colonial Countries ~d Peoples, Hr. Arnouss of the Syrian Arab Republic, to present the re~ort of the Committee. Hr. ARNOUSS (Syrian Arab Republic), Rapporteur of the Special Comm;>~tee " the Situation with regard to the Implementation of the Declaration. on the Granting of Independence to Colonial Countries and Peoples (Special Committee of 24) : As th-- Rapporteur of the Special Committee on the Situation with regard to the Implementation of the Declaration on the Granting of Independence to Colonial Countries and Peoples, I have the honour to present to the General Assembly for its consideration the report of the SPecial Committee covering its work during the year 1985 (A/i~/.23). Th~ ?~port, which relates inter alia to item 18 of the agenda, is submitted in accordance with paragraph 12 of General Assembly resolution 39/91 of 14 December 1984 on the implementation of the Declaration, by which the Assembly requested the Special Committee: "to continue to seek suitable means for the Unmediate and full implementation of General Assembly resolution 1514 (XV) in all Territories that have not yet attained independence and, in particular ••• to formulate specific proposals for the elimination of the remaining manifestations of colonialism (resolution 39/91, para. 12) At its thirty-ninth session, the General Assembly, by adopting resolution 39/93 of 14 December 1984, also mand~ted the Special Committee to undertake a series of activities in observance of the twenty-fifth anniversary of the Declaration inclUding, among other activities, the holding of an extraordinary • ... session away from Headquarters and two regional seminars on the theme of decolonization.* Despite its heavy workload, the Special Committee was able to discharge the tasks thus entrusted to it by the Assembly and to submit appropriate recommendations on all the items referred to it for consideration and report by meeting between Februa~y and August and by holding extensive consultations throughout the year among its members. Aware that the commemoration of the twenty-fifth anniversary of the Declaration would be an appropriate occasion to evaluate the progress achieved during the past 25 years, and i~ accordance with resolution 39/93, the Special Committee held two regional seminars, one at Port Moresby in March and the other at Havana in April, and organized an extraordinary plenary session in May in Tunis. At the conclusion of the extraordinary session, the Special Committee adopted a consensus on the question of Namibia - the subject of recent consideration by the Assembly under agenda item 34. The Committee also adopted at the Tunis session a series of conclusions and recommendations emanating from the work of the two regional seminars, which had focused on the small Territories, dissemination of information on decolonization, activities of foreign economic and other interests and military activities and arrangements by colonial Powers. On the basis of the general debate on the twenty-fifth anniversary held during the Tunis session, and following subsequent consultations, the Special Committee unanimously adopted a draft resolution on the twenty-fifth anniversary of the Declaration, which is submitted to the General Assembly for its approval in Chapter 11 of the present report. *Mr. Kilu (Kenya), Vice President, took the Chair • (Mr. Arnouss, Rapporteur, Special Committee of 24) Bearing in mind in particular the specific request addressed to it by the General Assembly in resolution 39/91, the Special Committee reviewed during the year the implementation of the Declaration, as well as f;he various united Nations resolutions relating to the remaining Territories. On the basis of the review and in the light of developments, the Committee formulated recommendations for the application of further measures by States, by the competent United Nations organs and by the specialized agencies and other organizations within the United Nations system, with a view to accelerating the pace of decolonization and facilitating the political, economic, social and educational advancement of the peoples concerned. An account of the Committee's examination of the specific Territories is set out in Chapters IX, X and XII to XXVI of the present report. During the year, in addition to its consideration of the item at its seminar held at Havana, the Special Committee once again reviewed activities of foreign economic and other interests which are impeding the implementation of the Declaration in Namibia and in all other Territories under colonial domination, efforts to eliminate colonialism, apartheid and racial discrimination in southern Africa and military activities and arrangements by colonial Powers in Territories under their domination which might be impeding the implementation of the Declaration. Under the terms of the relevant provisions of resolution 39/43, the Committee further examined the progress achieved in the implementation of the Declaration by the specialized agencies and international institutions associated with the United Nations. On all the items I have just mentioned, the Fourth Committee has endorsed the related recommendations of the Special Committee, as contained in Chapters V to VII of the present report. In that connection, within the cont~xt of its consideration of individual Territories, the Special Committee once again took note with satisfaction of the continuing readiness of administering Powers to receive visiting missions. In partic~lar, the SPecial Committee welcomed the invitation extended to it jointly by the Government of New Zealand and the people of Tbkelau to send in 1986 a visiting mission to that Territory, the sole remaining Non-Self-Governing Territory under the administration of New Zealand. It is the Committee's firm view that visiting missions constitute an invaluable method of s~curing first-hand information on the situation prevailing in the Territories concerned, as well as on the aspirations of the peoples regarding their future. Within the context of the question of the list of Territories to which the Declaration is applicable, the Committee took up separately an item entitled ·Special Committee decision of 24 August 1984 concerning Puerto Rico". In this regard the Committee, following the hearing of representatives of a number of organizations, took a further decision on the item, as set out in Chapter I of the report. As reflected in Chapter III of its report, the Special Committee carried out a number of other tasks entrusted to it by the General Assembly in various resolutions, as well as those arising from its own previous decisions, including specific activities relating to the question of the publicity to be given to the work of the United Nations in the field of decolonization. The two regional seminars organized by the Committee as part of its continuing effort to enlist support for the dissemination of the relevant information and the mobilization of world pUblic opinion in the cause of decolonization, were attended by well over 50 non-governmental organizations and intergovernmental bodies. In a related context, prior to its Tunis session, the Committee organized a media encounter with the assistance of the Department of Public Information. The Committee also held, in late August, with the participation of media representatives, a seminar on dissemination of information on decolonization, preparatory to the commemoration of the twenty-fifth anniversary of the Declaration held by the General Assembly earlier in this session. The Committee also took part in a number of international conferences and meetings convened by those organizations. It is the Committee's intention in keeping with related decisions of the Assembly, to continue to hold consultations with the organizations concerned and to participate in conferences, seminars and other npecial meetings dealing with decolonization arranged by those organizations as well as by the United Nations bodies concerned. With regard .to the general aspe~~s of the process of decolonization, I should like, on behalf of the Special Committee, to express the hope that the proposals outlined in section S of chapter 1, entitled -Future work-, will meet with the Assembly's approval so that the Committee may proceed with the tasks it proposes to undertake. The Special Committee also recommends that the General Assembly renew its appeal to the administering Powers concerned to take immediately all the necessary steps for the implementation of the Declaration and the relevant United Nations resolutions. In that connection, the Special Committee, in the light of the useful results achieved as a consequence of the active participation in its work of all the administering Powers, recommends that the General Assembly again request the administering Powers concerned to participate actively in its work relating to the Territories under their respective administration. • , Special Committee of 24) Further, bearing in mind the affirmation by the General Assembly that the direct association of the Non-Self-Governing Territories with the work of the United Nations and the specialized agencies is an effective means of promoting the progress of the peoples in those Territories towards a position of equality with States Members of the United Nations, the Special Committee recommends that the General Assembly invite the administering Powers to allow representatives of the Territories concerned to participate in the discussion in the FOurth Committee and in the Special Committee on the items relating to their respective countries. The General Assembly may also wish to renew its appeal to all States, the specialized agencies and other organizations within the United Nations system to comply with the various requests addressed to them by the United Nations in its resolutions on the question of decolonization. As members will have noted, the Special Committee followed the procedure adopted in 1982 in connection with the formulation of its recommendations to the General Assembly at its current session, in pursuance of paragraph 31 of General Assembly decision 34/401 of 29 November 1979, in which the Assembly recommended that ·subsidiary organs reporting to the General Assembly should make every effort to submit draft resolutions in order to facilitate the consideration of the items." Taking into account the achievements of the FOurth Committee in that connection during the past three sessions as well as at the current session, I can state with confidence that this practice has worked very well in facilitating the work of the Assembly and of the Fourth Committee in particular. On benalf of the Special Committee, I commend the report to the serious attention of the General Assembly. Before concluding, I should like to take this opportunity to express my personal appreciation to Ambassador Koroma, who has ably guided the work of the Special committee as its Chairman for the past three year.s. That Ambassador Koroaa has served the Committee with his well-known dedication and commitment to the cause of decolonization is a matter of record. Although he has now assumed new responsibilities on behalf of his Government, I ~~w that we can continue to count on him for his support of and co-operation in the work of the Organization relating to the process of decolonization. I wish him well in his new assignment.

I call now on the Chairman of the Special Connittee on the Situation with regard to the Implementation of the Declaration on the Granting of Independence to Colonial Countries and Peoples, Ambassador Abdul Koroma of Sierra Leone. Mr. KOROMA (Sierra Leone), Chairman of the Special Committee on the Situation with regard to the Implementation of the Declaration on the Granting of Independence to ~lonial Countries and Peoples, (Special Committee of 24): The General Assembly has just heard a succinct account of the work of the Special Committee for the year, so ably outlined by the Rapporteur of the Committee, Mr. Ahmad Farouk Arnouss of the Syrian Arab Republic. I should like, therefore, to take this opportunity to comment briefly on acme of the principal developments, as well as the remaining tasks before us, in the field of decolonization. As we mark the twenty-fifth anniversary of the Declaration this year, I am deeply conscious that, as a direct consequence of the process of decolonization which has taken place during the period, this virtually universal world Organization has come to be endowed with a growing vitality and maturity and a greater sense of responsibility and responsiveness to many a problem which afflict our planet. A transformation of tremendous magnitude in the map of the world and in international relations has been brought about through collective determination and the acknowledgement of a truly global interest in survival and in concern for the protection of human rights. Special comalttee of 24) Indeed, nowhere else has one of the major functions of the United Nations as an essential and viable agent for peace been more clearly validated and more positively demonstrated than in the field of decolonization. During the period of this revolutionary change, the United Nations has played an important role in a process that has brought independence to hundreds of millions of people throughout the world. Much of the Organization's work in this regard has been accomplished under the auspices of the General Assembly. In embarking upon the tasks arising from the provisions of the Charter relating to Non-Self-Governing Territories, the Assembly quickly established a SUbsidiary body to deal with the information transmitted to the Secretary-General by the administering Powers. The Assembly also examined reports submitted by the Trusteeship Council in relation to those Territories which became the subject of trusteeship agreements and formulated recommendations which enabled the peoples concerned to exercise their right to self-determination in accordance with the Charter of the United Nations. Further, it created a number of ad hoc committees and special commissions to look after specific aspects of the conditions pr.evailing in both Trust and Non-Self-Governing Territories. Those bodies and organs in turn dispatched, with the close co-operation of the administering Member States, periodic fact-finding missions to the Territories concerned to gather information and determine how best and expeditiously the objectives of the Charter could be attained with respect to the inhabitants• The commitment and determination of the world community to the cause of decolonization reached new heights in 1960 when, following the admission of no fewer than 16 newly independent States as its members, the General Assembly adopted the historic Declaration on the Granting of Independence to Colonial Countries and Peoples - an instrument which codified over a decade and a half of the Organization's experience in decolonization in pursuit of the principles embodied in the Charter. By adopting the Declaration without a single dissenting vote, the Assembly made it clear that the continued denial of the fundamental right to self-determination of dependent peoples throughout the world was not only in contravention of the provisions of the Charter but also an impediment to the promotion of world peace and co-operation. Its call for immediate steps which would enable dependent peoples to enjoy complete independence and freedom in accordance with their freely expressed wish reflected the moral obligations assumed by Member States under the relevant provisions of the Charter. Since then, more than BO million people have emerged from dependent status and 59 former colonial Territories have become sovereign Member States of the Organization, while many others have also become active members of the united Nations system of organizations. To facilitate this process and assist them in the most effective way has been a formidable task for the united Nations, as many of the obstacles which had confronted those Territories appeared intractable at the outset. Through the sustained and concerted efforts of this Organization, however, many difficulties have been overcome, and I believe that the international community can be proud of the crucial role it has played in bringing that about. Much of the credit for this is due, of course, to the constant endeavours of the members of the Special Committee of 24. The Special Committee has not only , . kept world attention focused on the problem of decolonization but has also mobilized moral and political support for the dependent peoples in their efforts to realize their right to self-determination. To that end, it has suggested a number of effective measures addressed to specific situations obtaining in the colonial Territories. As we approach the end of an era, the demise of colonialism, the problem of Namibia rightly remains one of our main preoccupations. As the Secretary-General has stated earlier, the failure to bring Namibia to independence through the United Nations plan envisaged in Security Council resolution 435 (1978) is, together with apartheid, a fundamental cause of the tension and suffering in southern Africa. Our special responsi~ility for the international Territory and its people imposes on us an obligation to ensure that the people of Namibia are enabled fully and freely to exercise their true aspirations without futher delay through an act of self-determination. I should like to take this opportunity to reiterate my appeal to those who are in a position to help, to make a renewed effort to expedite the implementation of Security Council resolution 435 (1978). For some of the remaining Territories, the process of decolonization involves resolution of claims and counterclaims over their sovereignty or other equally complex issues whose solution requires full co-operation and mutual accommodation. I cannot emphasize too strongly that in those Territories, as in other Trust and NOn-Self-Governing Territories, the true interests of their inhabitants should be of paramount concern and should at all times be safeguarded. I therefore wish to call for the continuation of dialogue and negotiation on the part of all concerned, guided by the principles of the Charter and the Declaration. As we commemorate the twenty-fifth anniversary of the Declaration, I wish to appeal to the international community to renew its support for the aspirations of peoples still under colonial rule· and to strengthen still further its resolve to assist the newly emerging States in consolidating their freedom and independence. As regards the Special Committee's work for this year, the Assembly will no doubt agree that it has been extremely rewarding, both in substance and in the exemplary manner in which it was accomplished. Indeed, the Committea's work in the year of the dual commemoration - the twenty-fifth anniversary of the Declaration and the fortieth anniversary of the united Nations - has proved most effective and fruitful and has, I trust, laid a firm foundation for the further advancement of the peoples of the remaining colonial Territories towards the attainment of the principles enshrined in the Charter and the Declaration. The fact that we were able to do so was due, in no small measure, to the manifest sense of responsibility on the part of the entire membership of the Committee and to its steadfast commitment to the objectives and purposes of the Organization. First and foremost, within the context of the anniversary activities approved by the Assembly, the Committee held a successful extraordinary plenary session at Tunis, in close co-operation with the Tunisian Government. I should like once again to place on record the Committee's deep appreciation of the most cordial reception and the assistance accorded to the Committee by the Government of Tunisia in that connection. Our meetings in Tunis will be remembered not only in terms of their accomplishments but also in the broader perspective of the co-ordinated efforts of the international community to take action, in unity and solidarity, to further the process of decolonization. That, I believe, was patently visible in the fact that the Special Committee was honoured by the presence of a number of representatives 9£ Member States, intergovernmental bodies and regional organizations at a very high level. Their active participation in our work, in terms of both their (Mr. Koroma, Chairman, Special Committee of 24) important statements to the Committee and in the role they played in the preparation of the consensus decisions of the Committee, clearly signified the complete dedication of a cross-section of the international community to the single purpose of decolonization. Our discussions in Tunis exposed the fast deteriorating situation in southern Africa as a direct consequence of the contemptuous disregard by the racist minority regime of Pretoria of the will of the international community. Today the South African regime continues to wage a war of genocidal proportions and carnage against the majority of its population and persists in its acts of aggression and destabilization against the neighbouring African States. Also, today the South African regime's latest threat to use force against the independent State of Zimbabwe, in violation of the Charter, should be denounced immediately by the Security Council and that body should take measures to prevent premeditate~ acts of aggression against Zimbabwe. That the situation in southern Africa seriously endangers the peace and security of the entire region has been more than amply documented throughout our debate in Tunis, particularly through the decision adopted unanimously by the Committee on the question of Namibia. Recent developments in respect of Namibia and within South Africa underscore the urgent necessity for the international community to intensify its support for the liberation of the peoples concerned. No less successful were the resounding results of the two regional seminars, held at Port Moresby in March and at Havana in April of this year, with the participation of a number of non-governmental organizations in the two regions. As reflected in statements made by representatives of several organizations in the area, through those seminars the Committee was able to increase further the awareness of public opinion in support of the cause of the colonial peoples. While recognizing the active role being played by the United Nations Department of Public Information and its Information Centres in that regard, the Committee has long advocated the wisdom and necessity of enlisting the assistance of non-governmental organizations in effecting the widest possible dissemination of information relating to the process of decolonization. As set out in the conclusions and recommendations on the seminars adopted unanimously at the Tunis session, the SPeCial Committee will continue to intensify its endeavours in that regard. Special Committee of 24) On behalf of the Special Committee, I wish to thank once again the Governments of Papua New Guinea and Cuba for having enabled us to hold these important seminars in their respective capitals and for the co-operation and assistance they rendered to the Committee. I should like to note that, in its consideration of most of ~lr agenda items relating to specific Territories, we have received the continuing co-operation of the administering Powers concerned, for which I thank them most sincerely. As the General Assembly has repeatedly stressed, having regard to the obligations assumed by them under Chapter XI of the Charter, the co-operation of the administering Powers is an essential element in our formulation of appropriate recommendations concerning specific Territories under their administration. Information imparted to us by their representatives and the points of view exchanged with them during our consideration of these questions have served as an effective basis for our deliberations. To that end, I should like to underscore the responsibility of the administering Powers to intensify programmes of political education of the peoples of the Territories under their administration in order to deepen their awareness of the purposes and objectives of the Charter and the Declaration in relation to their future status. In the discharge of the primary responsibility as defined in the Charter, the administering Powers should likewise do their utmost to ensure that the economies of the Territories they administer are placed on a sound basis and, to that end, they should organize effective development programmes, enlisting to the maximum extent the assistance available from specialized agencies and other organizations of the United Nations. That such programmes carefully protect and safeguard the best interests, both present and future, of the peoples of the Territories concerned should be the paramount consideration. As noted in its report to the Assembly, the Special Committee was able to arrive at consensus decisions on practically all the items allocated to it by the Assembly. That fact reflects the prevailing deep sense of responsibility, shared by all members of the Special Committee, as regards working out pragmatic approaches to the finding of solutions to the many intractable issues which confront the world community. I wish to thank all the members for their co-operation, understanding and assistance in making it possible for us to arrive at these unanimous decisions, which will no doubt carry us further towards the attainment of our common objectives. Some of these and other important recommendations of the Special Committee, as endorsed by the Fourth Committee earlier this session will shortly be considered by the Assembly and I wish to express my confident hope that these recommendations will receive the Assembly's positive endorsement. As pointed out by our Rapporteur, the Committee received from the Government of New Zealand an invitation to send a further visiting mission to Tokelau in 1986, which it accepted with appreciation. The co-operation extended to the Committee by that Government, as administering Power, has been exemplary, as is seen from the fact that it will be the third visit of the Committee to this Territory. Records will also indicate that the Committee was invited, and dispatched Missions, to al.l the Territories which were formerly under the administration of New Zealand. It is the considered view of the Special Committee that there is no viable substitute for the direct and first-hand information which these Missions can secure in colonial Territories. I should like to express the hope that the Committee will be able to count on the contin~ed co-operation of the administering Powers in receiving further visiting missions to Territories under their administration. (Mr. Koroma, Chairman, Special Committee of 24) The Special Committee's report now before the Assembly contains a n~ber of concrete recommendations concerning the various problems existing in the remaining colonial Territories. It is my firm belief and hope that the General Assembly, while discussing the item, will give its most serious attention to the recommendations made by the Special Committee. I am confident that approval by the ~neral Assembly of those and other important recommendations will further enhance the capacity of our Organization to deal more effectively with the remaining colonial issues. I should like to take this opportunity to pay a particular tribute to Ambassador Chamorro Mora, the Chairman of the FOurth Committee, for his singularly outstanding leadership and statesmanship in enabling the Fourth Committe~ to conclude its work in an exemplary manner. His personal dedication to the cause of the peoples concer.:.~·d is well known and his contribution to the process of decolonization has been amply demonstrated throughout the session. I should like to add a few personal comments at this s~~ge. This year, as in the past two years, I have enjoyed the fullest co-operation of my colleagues in both the Committee and the Secretariat and I wish to express my sincere appreciation to all of them. My particular thanks go to my friends and colleagues, the other officers of the Committee: Ambassador OScar Oramas Oliva of Cuba, Mr. Jan Lundvik of Sweden, and Mr. Jiri Pulz of Czechoslovakia, our three Vice-Chairmen, Mr. Abroad Farouk Arnouss of the Syrian Arab Republic, our Rapporteur, and Mr. Ammar Amari of Tunisia, Chairman of the Sub-Committee on Small Territories. For me, as Chairman of the Special Committee, it has been an honour and a privilege to work with such dedicated colleagues. To each of them, I owe a personal debt of gratitude for their devoted service in the cause of decolonization. Special Committee of 24) Our Secretary-General, Mr. Perez de Cuellar, has shown consistent interest in the matter of decolonization. We are grateful to him for hia interazt, co-operation and assistance in our work. I should also like to pay a tribute to all the members of the Secre~riat concerned for the assistance and support which the Committee enjoyed throughout the year. I have benefited immensely from the advice and experience of the Under-Secretary-General of the Department of Political Affairs, Trusteeship and Decolonization, Mr. Rafeeuddin Ahmed, and I thank him most sincerely for his support. Mr. Thomas Tanaka, the Secretary of the Special Committee, has been a model in the execution of his duties and in his commitment to the cause of decolonization. I thank him and his able staff for their dedication and for their unstinted support. It is fitting that in this year of the commemoration of the twenty-fifth anniversary of the Declaration the Committee has been able to agree to put forward for consideration by the General Assembly the draft resolution in paragraph 42 of document A/40/23 (Part 11), chapter 11, which encompasses all the fundamentals in the unceasing process of decolonization. By adopting this draft resolution the Assembly would uphold the validity of the objectives of the Declaration and reiterate the collateral responsibility of Member States and the United Nations and its system of organizations in respect of, among other issues, the assistance to be extended to the peoples of the remaining colonial Territories, particularly Namibia, foreign economic and other interests operating in those TerritoriesJ and military activities and arrangements therein by colonial Powers, as well as particular problems relating to specific Territories. (Mr. Koroma, Chairman, Special Committee of M> I am confident that the draft resolution, when adopted, wil1 serve as yet another mi1estone in the history of our Organization's endeavour in the field of dec~lonization and will assist in articulating further the course of action to be taken towards the fulfilment of our objectives. Having briefly reviewed some of the principal developments in the field of . d~01onization and in keeping with long-established practice, I should like, on behalf of the co-sponsors, to introduce the two draft resolutions submitted under this item, A/40/L.2l and A/40/L.22. As these two draft resolutions reflect both the developments and the problems tbat I have just outlined, I need not, I am sure, elaborate on their substance. Draft resolution A/40/L.2l deals with general aspects of decolonization, and by it, among other things, the Assembly would renew the mandate of the Special Committee. Specia1 Committee of 24) The draft resolution contained in doclunent A/40/L.22 deals with dissemination of information on decolonization, by which the ~~sembly ~uld once again underscore the importance of pUblicity as an instrument for furthering the aims and purposes of the Declaration. Speaking on behalf of the sponsors, I wish to commend those draft proposals to the members of the Assembly for their serious attention and unanimous approval. Mr. OTT (German Democratic Republic): In this year of significant anniversaries, representatives of many States rightly attached particular importance to the twenty-fifth anniversary of the historic Declaration on the Granting of Independence to Colonial Countries and Peoples. We have all witnessed the Declaration's effectiveness, and thereby we have also witnessed what the United Nations is able to accomplish, if and when the majority of its Member States is united to reach a noble aim, such as the termination of anachronistic condition, namely, the existence of colonialism. In the Charter of the United Nations, the principles of sovereign equality of States and the right of all peoples to self-determination have already been declared fundamentals of international relations. In dedicating all its work to the implementation of those principles, the Organization has become the most important international forum to encourage colonially oppressed PeOples in their struggle for freedom. In this connection 14 December 1960 is a date of special significance. With resolution 1514 (XV), which is, so to speak, the Magna Carta of decQlonization, the United Nations, with all its international authority, took sides with the fully legitimate liberation struggle of the colonially oppressed peoples. The very number of States that have become Members of the Organization since the adoption of that document which was initiated by the Soviet Union, is convincing proof of this fact. (Mr. Koroma, Chairman Special Committee of 24) In his message to the Secretary-General of the United Nations on the occasion of the twenty-fifth anniversary of the adoption of the Declaration on the Granting of Independence to COlonial Countries and Peoples, Head of State of the German Democratic 'Republic, Erich Honecker, stated in that context: "This truly historic Declaration manifests the will and resolve of the United Nations, which emerged from the anti-Fascist struggle of the anti-Hitler coalition, to help implement the right of all peoples to independence and self-determination. It marks a highlight in the struggle for the elimination of the imperialist colonial system. Many peoples have set out on the road to a new world. The liberated States of Asia, Africa and Latin Ame~ica have joined the broad front of forces devoted to peace, disarmament, social progress and equitable international co-operation." (A/40/757/Add.l, p. 4) Within a short time the liberated States of Africa, Asia and Latin America became a weighty and active factor in world politics. As early as 1955, at the Bandung COnference, those States pledged to fight with all their strength against colonialism and to stand up for peace, national independence and understanding among peoples. That common concern led to the founding of the Movement of Non-Aligned Countries and forms, still today, the basis for the successful co-operation of all those forces inside and outside the united Nations which are committed to progress and peace. The considerably increased engagement of those States for peace, disarmament and development, is reflected, not least, at,this anniversary session of the General Assembly, and also by important initiatives such as the Delhi Declaration signed by six Heads of State or Government and by the struggle for the new international economic order, as well as by a number of other activities. The German Democratic Republic pays high tribute to those activities. ~ A few days ago the 11th plenary meeting of the central Committee of the Socialist Unity Party of Germany took place in Berlin. There, the leading party of my State explicitly reaffirmed the friendly co-operation and solidarity of the German Democratic Republic with the Asian, African and Latin American States. While appreciating the contribution made by the United Nations to implementing the Declaration on the Granting of Independence to Colonial Countries and Peoples, we cannot overlook the fact that the struggle for the final liquidation of colonialism has not yet ended. In addition, certain imperialist Powers replace colonialism by neo-colonialist methods of oppression. The immense indebtedness to imperialist States has become an ever-greater political and economic burden for the countries of Latin America, Asia and Africa. The creditor countries increasingly use that situation as a means of neo-colonialist exploitation. Dangerous hotbeds of conflict and tension continue to exist. Their elimination in the interest of securing world peace is more imperative than ever before. Southern Africa is an alarming example of this. What we witness is that Namibia is still illegally occupied by South Africa, that the Namibian people is brutally oppressed and that the human and natural resources of the Territory are plundered by Western corporations in a typical colonialist style. The efforts made by the United Nations and the majority of its Member States have so far not brought independence to the country, because South Africa, which is encouraged and backed by so-called constructive engagement or other forms of collaboration, is still not willing to fulfil United Nations decisions. Jointly with the overwhelming majority of States, the German Democratic RepUblic reiterates the demand to end the policy of apartheid and to stop the support for the racist regime of Pretoria. We call for the immediate granting of (Mr. Ott, German Democratic Republic) independence to Namibia on the basis of relevant United Nations resolutions in their entirety, inoluding Security Council resolution 435 (1978). The German DemOcratic Republic sides in solidarity with the struggle of the Namibian people under the leadership of its sole and authentio representative, the South West Africa People' s Organization (SWAPO). Republio) Also, the continuing explosive situation in the Middle East gives us reason to underline that it is absolutely imperative to make collective efforts to settle tOe conflict, including its core, the question of Palestine. Today, on the occasion of the International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People, my delegation wishes to state that it is high time to enable the Palestinian people to exercise its inalienable rights, in particular its righ,~ to self-deterllination and to establish a State of its own. The German Democratic Republic reaffirms its support for convening an international Middle East peace conference with the participation of all interested parties, including the Palestine Liberation Organization, the sole legitimate representative of the Palestinian people. The Declaration on the Granting of Independence to Colonial COUntries and Peoples is indivisible. It clearly stipUlates that all peoples have the right to self-determinatian. However, time and again we are faced with attempts to negate that plain truth. Using transparent arguments, certain forces want to perpetuate the colonial status for a number of countries and peoples or to replace it by neo-colonialist forms. This becomes manifest in the policy pursued by colonial Powers in the so-called small Territories. What are the reasons for that? They lie to an increasing extent in the military and strategic ambitions of imperialist States and - closely linked with that - in the arbitrary division of the world into zones of so-called vital interests. This is nothing else but a return to methods used in the darkest times of colonialism. We resolutely reject such activities, because they not only are opposed to the granting of independence to the peoples and Territories concerned, but also constitute a serious threat to peace beyond the region. (Hr. Ott, German De1IOCratic RepUblic) Please allow Be to quote once IIOre frOll the llessage of the Head of State of the German DemoCratic Republic to the United Nations Secre~ry-Gener~l: -As long as peoples are still SUffering from colonial oppression and exploitation it re_ins the task of the United Nations and its Mellber States to translate the letter and spirit of that Declaration into reality. Therefore, the anniversary session of the General Assembly is rightly expected to provide fresh impetus to collective efforts in finally eliMinating colonialism, racism and apartheid and in protecting the hard-won inde~ndence and State sovereignty of the nationally liberated countries. -The German Democrat~c Republic opposes t.perialist attempts to obstruct or reverse the process of national and social liberation and to aisuse the still-dependent Territories for aggressive military purposes.- (A/40/757, Add.l, P. 4) Continuing its consistent policy, the German Democratic Republic will do everything in its power to help bring to fruition the just cause of the colonially oppressed peoples. The unswerving solidarity of my country goes to all th~se who on our earth fight for a better future on the road to national and social liberation, sovereignty and independence. ~. McDOWELL (New Zealand): The process of decolonization is one of the great devf!lopments of our times. It has transformed the political aap of the globe. It has resulted in the greatest single devolution of political power in history. So it is fitting that we should take a moment to consider the part that this Organization and its instruments have played in fostering that process. It is particularly timely that we should do so on the fortieth anniversary of the signing of the Charter and on the twenty-fifth anniversary of the adoption of the Declaration on the Granting of Independence to Colonial COUntries and Peoples• (Mr. ott, Gerllan Deaoeratic RepUblic) For those are the two momentous landmarks in the evolution of what could be called the doctrine of decolonization. The genesis of that doctrine lay in the idealism which had helped create the old League of Nations Mandates System. But the evolutionary development of the doctrine did not just happen: it had to be sparked by a grouping of small countries. When the founders of the United Nations met in San Francisco in 1945.they had before them the proposals prepared by the allied Powers at Dumbarton Oaks the previous year. In 1945 the majority of the world's people were still under colonial administration. But the allied proposals made no reference to Non-Self-Governing Territories or to the principles that might guide their administration or political development. So one of the major achievements of the San Francisco Conference grew from the deliberations of the Trusteeship Committee, a body whose Chairman was the then Prime Minister of New Zealand, the Right Honourable Peter Fraser, and which was largely inspired by its work by the representatives of small countries. That Committee first proclaimed the principle of self-determination as one of the basic tenets on which the post-war world was to be organized. In its time, that was a revolutionary thought. The rights of colonial peoples were to be recognized, even at the expense of the rights the major colonial Powers had enjoyed without interference - virtually without question - before that time. So built into the Trusteeship System set up in Chapters XII and XIII of the Charter were two new procedures of fundamental importance: first, the right of the colonized people themselves to petition the Trusteeship Council - that is, the right to be heard by the world community directly - and, secondly, the right of the Trusteeship Council to dispatch visiting missions to see for itself what was going on in the Territories. The putting into effect of these two new procedures put a spotlight on colonial situations1 they helped create an irresistible pressure towards self-determination for all. (Hr. McDowell, New Zealand) Initially tbese rights were spelt out in greatest detail for the people of the Trust Territories. But, as Peter Fraser said at san Francisco: -In our view the Charter should include the application of the principle of trusteeship to the Government of dependent PeOples· - that is to say, all dependent peoples. Gradually what had been established as the proper political, economic and social objectives for Trust Territories and their PeOple became accepted as objectives for all dependent Territories and peoples. This process was speeded by the calls of the colonized people themselves and by the growing voice in this Organization of the newly independent nations. T"ne Ch.uter had recognized the right to self-government and the responsibilities of administering Powers to develop this. In the meant~e countries coming to independence in the 1940s and 1950s had taken their place in this Organization. They fed a sense of urgency and dissatisfaction about those who wanted their independence but were being denied it or being forced to wait. The progressive development of the free political institutions to which Article 73 of the Charter refers was too Sl~~1. At San Francisco independence had been a goal for the future. It had been proclaimed as a goal by an Assembly in which most of the world had not been directly represented. By the end of the 1950s, howeveT.~ this Assembly had taken on a much more representative character. A groundswell of opinion had built up on the question of decolonization. The mere progressive development of political institutions was not enough. The call was for independence, and for independence now. That call was answered in resolution 1514 (XV). The Declaration contained in that resolution, voted for and supported since by New Zealand, spelled out in unequivocal terms that the freely expressed will and desire of the colonized peoples was what should determine their future. The right to self-determination is nowhere more clearly expressed. New Zealand voted for resolution 1514 (XV) because we believed in its basic themes. Twenty-five years on it still represents the most complete expression of the doctrine of decolonization, gradually - sometimes painfully - worked out in the committee rooms of this building. The day after resolution 1514 (XV) was adopted the General Assembly adopted a second resolution laying down the principles which are tu determine whether or not a Non-Self-Governing Territory has fully exercised its right to self-determination. That ~s no coincidence - the texts of the two resolutions were developed in parallel. (Mr. McDowell, New Zealand) There is no doubt in our view'which is the more important text of the two - the Declaration clearly is more fundamental, more far-reaching in its implications and has much wider application than resolution 1514 (~. But the latter represented an attempt to help to meet the circumstances which may sometimes face the people of small and vulnerable Territories. It offers some options which have been of occasional relevance in the South Pacific. But even these options have been modified in practice to ~ncorporate more completely the concept of self-determination. When the people of the former New Zealand dependencies - the Cook Islands and Niue - exercised their right to self-determination and opted for self-government in free association with New Zealand, they did so.under the~watchful eye of United Nations visiting missions. This was a new development for Non-Self-Governing Territories. Furthermore, their constitutions make it clear that the people of these two countries can move without hindrance to assume a fully independent status - or for that matter any other status that may become practicable - by unilateral act. That is to say, these two peoples have a continuing right to self-determination. That is not spelled out as a requirement in any United Nations resolution but it represents a pragmatic development of the doctrine of self-determination as it applies to very small countries. As the General Assembly acknowledged when it endorsed the acts of self-determination by the Cook Islanders and Niueans, these provisions ensure that the objectives of resolution 1514 (XV) have been realized. It is the very small Territories that occupy most of the time of the Committee of 24 - the decolonization Committee - today. When he spoke to the Committee earlier this year the Secretary-General reminded us of the special circumstanc~s of the very small Territories. He said: (Hr. McDowell, New Zealand) RI trust ~~at the Committee will devote particular attention to the problems of the small Territories ••• it is essential to bear in mind that, without some degree of flexibilit1 on the part of all concerned, viable solutions may remain elusive and hard to attain. Irrespective of the size and population of these Territories, however, their inhabitants have the same inalienable rights as peoples elsewhere and it is the duty of the United Nations to assist them towards the exercise of those rights.- (A/AC.109/PV.127l, pp. 3-5) And so, as the Secretary-General said q we must be flexible in allowing the SO-odd people of Pitcairn, the 1,627 people of TOkelau, or the 7,000 people of Anguilla, the Turks or Caicos to work out for themselves what form of government gives the best expression to their unquestioned right to self-determination. We are now left with a situation where the remaining Non-Self-G~verningTerritories are, almost without exception, small island groups in the Caribbean and the SOuth Pacific. One of these is still the responsibility of New Zealand. The 1,600 people who live on the three coral atolls of TOkelau are moving - in their own time - to exercise their right to self-determination. New Zealand has worked closely with the United Nations in ensuring that the rights and interests of the TOkelauans are being observed, and to ensure that this Organization has the information it requires properly to carry out its responsibilities towards them. We look forward to a continuing close relationship with the decolonization Committee, with the FOurth Committee and with this Assembly. Mr. Abdul Koroma, Chairman of the Special ~~ittee, referrad a ::~ moments ago from this rostrum to the co-operation between the Committee and my country. I assure him at this time that we shall continue to co-operate as we have done in the past. In particular, we look forward, with the people of Tokelau, to a visit next year by a mission from the Special Committee of (Hr. McDowell, New Zealand) 24 to see the situation on the ground in Tokelau and to hear for themselves directly the freely expressed views of the Tokelauans on their future. The progress to the full exercise of self-determination throughout the SOuth Pacific region continues. It will continue to have our support. We have welcomed the efforts by the peoples of the Trust Territory of the Pacific' Islands to work out for themselves a new relationship with the United States and, as the leaders of all the self-governing States in the South Pacific noted at the Forum meeting in Rarobonga in August this year, we look forward to welcoming the Federated States of Micronesia, the Marshall Islands, and Palau into full membership of our regional organizations. The Forum has alsp welcomed the fact that the Government of France has now publicly agreed to an early act of self-determination with the objective of bringing New Caledonia to independence. FOrum leaders reaffirmed their support for self-determination and for the early transition to an independent New Caledonia: "in accordance with the innate, active rights and aspirations of the indigenous people and in a manner which guarantees the rights and interests of all inhabitants of this multi-racial society". The FOrum will continue to review this situation and is seeking information from the appropriate organs of the United Nations on the applicability of the United Nations Charter and the 1960 Declaration to New Caledonia. As to the ~w Zealand Government view, the Prime Minister has said: "There is a clear and irreversible movement towards decolonization in New caledonia. The Plan defined and put into effect by the French Government is supported by New Zealand. We understand well the difficulties France is facing". (Mr. McDowell« New Zealand) I conclude with an expression of regret and with expressions of hope and trust. OUr regrets relate to the continued and outrageous denial of self-determination to the only remaining large Territory to which the Declaration on colonialism applies - I refer to Namibia. We have spoken on this subject earlier in a separate debate. Our hope - indeed our confident expectation - is that the vote on the Falkland Islands in this General Assembly two days ago does not imply any lessening of a commitment ~ tiie overwhelming majority of Member States to the right of the people of Non-Self-Governing Territories to self-determination. We trust finally t~at the development of the principles and practice of self-determination vhich ! have been tracing will continue in this Organization in the pragmatic and evolutionary way in which it has for these past M years. In the Trusteeship Council Chamber there is a s~ulpture by a Danish artist of a young woman setti~ a bird free to fly. It symbolizes very aptly the historical role of this Organizat~on in helping to foster the process of decolonization. Mr. LE RIM CHONG (Viet Nam) (interpretation from French): The awakening of the oppressed and dependent peoples over the past 40 years is a historical happening which has radically reshaped the international order. In their determination no longer to live in a state of underdevelopment and poverty, dominated and exploited by colonialism and imperialism, the peoples rose up to take charge of their own destiny. The revolutionary storm of the national liberation movement has swept through Asiae Africa and Latin America, encompassing virtually all colonies and semi-COlonie~. As a result, a number of States acceded to independence and freedom in South-East Asia, the Middle East and elsewhere. In 1960 alone, in the victorious upsurge of people struggling against colonialism, 16 new independent African countries entered the international arena, making that historical year the After the total victory of the Vietnamese people over the leader of the imperialists, more than 20 other countries threw off the colonial yoke, increasing the number of independent cOw,tries to a total of almost 100. It was ~n this way that the emancipation of the vast majority of colonial and semi-colonial peoples was achieved. The shattering of the world colonialist system, whose yoke had weighed on peoples for more than three centuries, and the emergence of a series of independent State~, is one of the most striking phenomena in international affairs since the end of the Second World War and the result of a dauntless struggle waged in various forms by peoples for their independence aild freedom. It was in the impetuous onward rush of this struggle that the General Assembly adopted by an overwhelming majority the historic Declaration on the Granting of Independence to Colonial Countries ~nd peoples. An outcome of the victorious struggle of peoples against colonialism~ this Declaration, in its turn, D2came a universally recognized legal basis and a sound political point of departure for the powerful impetus given to the process of national liberation directed at the total elimination of colonialism in all its forms and manifestations. Decolonization is not simply a matter of abolishing colonial regimes and even less of giving oppressed peoples a sham independence. It involves the total eradication of colonialism, the process of building an independent and sovereign economy, and social progress for the peoples concerned. The realities of the past 25 years reveal that the imperialist and reactionary forces never give up their selfish interests of their own accord. Quite the contrary, they have raised and continue to raise all sorts of obstacles to the implementation of resolution 1514 (XV). On the one hand, they counter-attack peoples who had recently been oppressed both by acts of direct armed aggression and sometimes by proxy wars and, on the other, they practise neocolonialism in order to maintain the newly independent peoples under their sway. In the light of this situation, independent countries are duty-bound resolutely to continue the struggle against imperialism, colonialism and neocolonialism in order to consolidate their political independence, to reconquer and strengthen their right.to be masters of their own natu~al wealth, to build and develop a national economy free from foreign control. And what is particularly important is t~at they can derive full benefit from an outstanding characteristic feature of this day and age, a feature which not only provides colonial peoples with unprecedented power in their struggle for independence and freedom, but also opens up new possibilities for them, namely, of building up their societies according to their own wishes and choices in the direction of social progress. It is also noteworthy that, despite the fact that Europe was the theatre of two world wars and is, at the present time, the most redoubtable arsenal in the world, the l40-odd cases of intervention and armed aggression for which the imperialists have been responsible over the past four decades have been aimed at the independent countries of Asia, Africa and Latin America. That is why independence, a prill.~ c~ncern for many peoples, ig closely lin!ced to the maintenance of peace. This reality is confirmed day by day, namely, that peace depends no~ only on a democratic movement against war, but essentially on the concerted efforts of forces that are fighting for peace and national independence. In their turn, peace, detente and peaceful coexistence among countries with different social systems, will create favourable conditions that will enable the developing countries to build up and develop their independent and sovereign economies, thus contributing to the establishment of a new, just and equitable international economic order •. As we commemorate the twenty-fifth anniversary of the Declaration on the Granting of Independence to Colonial COuntries and Peoples, we are most gratified by the remarkable success and achievements of the process of national liberation, a process reflected in the arrival in this Organization of some 100 new States Members since it was founQ~. But we cannot conceal our indignation at the persistence of some vestiges of colonialism, despite numerous resolutions adopted by the United Nations and the fact that that colonialism has been universally condemned. This persistence demonstrates once again that the forces of imperialism are obstinately opposed to the process of decolonization in the world, and tijat complete success iri the implementation of resolution 1514 (XV1 can be achieved only as a result of a hard and bitter struggle in international forums and, above all, in the actual colonial territories where the people can play their decisive part" as is clearly emphasized in the text of the resolution itself. The international community must provide the struggling peoples with incr.eased assistance in all areas: political, diplomatic, material and military. Having itself for many decades waged a struggle against colonialism, imperialism and hegemonism in order to win and defend its national independence and unity~ the attitude of the Vietnamese people is one of militant solidarity with national liberation movements and is consistently and fully behind the peoples of Asia, Aftica and Latin America in b~eir just struggle for independence and freedom, a struggle which eventually will undoubtedly be victorious. By demanding the immediate granting of independence to Namibia in accordance with Security COuncil resolution 435 (1978) the people and Government of the Socialist Republic of Viet Nam seek to convey to the Namibian people and to the South West Africa People's Organization (Sl~PO), its sole legitimate representative, their deep admiration and unflagging support. We are firmly opposed to imperialist attempts to establish a link between the noble internationalist action of Cuba in Angola and the process of gaining i.ndependence for Namibia. we are convinced that, enjoying as they do the sympathy and support oi all peoples throughout the world who love peace and justice, the heroic people of Namibia will win final victory in the very near future. We condemn the imperialist policy of interference, aggression and division designed to sap the unity of the Palestinian people and the solidarity of the Arab peoples. We reiterate our total support for the just struggle of the Palestinian people, under the leadership of the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO), their sole legitimate representative, to win back their sacred and inalienable national rights, inclUding the right to establish an independent Palestinian State on the soil of their beloved homeland. Our sympathy and support likewise go to the struggles being waged by the peoples of ~~e Sahraoui Ara~ D=uccratic Republic, under the di~ection of the POLISARIO Front, and the peoples of Puerto Rico, Micronesia and the various territories scattered throughout the world's oceans - Guam, New Caledonia, East Timor and others - all struggling to enjoy their right to self-determination and genuine independence in accordance with the Declaration on the Granting of Independence to Colonial Countries and Peoples and other relevant resolutions of the United Nations and the Non-Aligned Movement. Feeling'a sense of profound fellowship with all peoples fighting for the sacred cause of their independence and freedom, and highly commending the positive work and laudable efforts of the Special Committee in studying the situation regarding the implementation of the Declaration, my delegation will vote in favour of the draft resolutions before the Assembly. We shall continue to lend the Special Committee our full co-operation in order to contribute to that noble cause. The meeting rose ~t 1.25 pom.