A/PV.2402 General Assembly

22.  Admission of new Members to the United Nations : (b) Other reports of the Security Council 1. The PRESIUENT (interprrtation from French): This morning we shall consider ~endaitem 22, entitled "Admission of new Members to the United Nations". In document A/10302, the Security Council has recom- mended the admission of the Comoros to membership in the United Nations. A draft resolution, which appears in document A/L.772 and Add.l, has been distributed. 2. Mr. DE GUIRINGAUD (France) (interpretation from French): The Assembly will recall that France, having on 15 June 1973 affirmed the aspirations of the ComoltOs to independence, on 22 December 1974, organized a plebiscite among the populatio~ of that archipelago. The results indicated an over· whelming majority of voters in favour of indepen- dence. However, two thirds of the inhabitants of the island of Mayotte decided otherwise. France had hoped, in accordance with tradition, to sponsor the candidature of a new f&iendly State for accession to internatiolllal life. To its great regret, it had to adopt a different position. 3. Speaking in the Security Council on 17 October last, t the representative of France pointed out that the request for admission submitted by the National Executive Council gave rse to a serious problem, as far as we were concerned, inasmuch as we had to reconcile our concern to facilitate the emergence of a State having a1! the necessary attributes of statehood with the procedure laid down by French constitutional law. 4. But, having set the new State on the road to inde- pendence, the French Government obviously did not want to oppose its admission to the United Nations. That is why, not being able to associate itself with it, but not wishing by abstaining from voting to give the impression that it could itesitate between "Yes" NEW YORK and "No", the French delegation in the Security Council decided not to participate in the voting. 5. As was indicated by its Ministerfor Foreign Affairs to the Assembly on 26 Septemberlast [2364th meeting], the French Government still hopes that an agreement among the Comorians will make possible: the establish- ment of a framework within which the new State will begin its future, and has endeavoured in recent months to reconcile the points of view of the parties. A bill offering the population ef Mayotte the option of choosing or refusing to belong to the Comorian entity has therefore been prepared and should shortly be submitted to Parliament. Those in favour of unity, of course, can prepare a campaign, and it is not impossible that the consultation could take place in the presence of international o!)servers. 6. Needless to say, France seeks no advantage for itself in this matter. It is always willing to grant inde- pendence to peoples that desire it, but it cannot oppose the self-determination of peoples. 7. These considerations explain why the French delegation, to its great regret, cannot participate in a consensus on the text by which the Comoros will be admitted to the Organization. 8. The PRESIDENT (interpretation from French): May I take it that the General Assembly accepts the recommendation of the Security Council and adopts draft resolution AIL.772 and Add.1? The draft resolution was adopted (resolution 3385 (XXX». 9. The PRESIDENT (interpretation from French): I dedare the Comoros admitted to membership in the United Nations. The delegation ofthe Comoro~ was escorted to its place in the General Assembly Hall. 10. The PRESIDENT (interpretation from French): On behalfofthe General Assembly, it is an honour and a pleasure for me to offer sincere congratulations to the delegation of the Comoros and to w~lcome it warmly to the United Nations. 11. I now call on th:~ Chairman of the Special Com- mittee on the Situation with regard to the Implementa- tion ofthe Declaration on the GrantingofIndependence to Colonial Countries and Peoples, Mr. Salim. 12. Mr. SALIM (United Republic; of Tanzani~), Chairman of the Special Committee on the Situatic.n with regard to th~ Implementation of the Declaration on the Granting or' Independ~nce to Colonial Countries and Peoples: A little more than a month ago I had the pleasure of coming to this rostrum to welcome, on behalf of the Special Committee, the admission of Papua New Guinea to the United Nations. Today, in the same capacity of Chairman of that Committee, it is my honour and privilege to welcome warmly the newest Member of our Organization, the Comoros. 14. Therefore, as we welcome the Comoros as the newest Member of the United Nations, we salute, first and foremost, the determination and persistence of the people of those beautiful islands in regaining their human dignity and freedom, and to its eminent repre- sentatives here-and I single out with particular satisfaction the presence of the head of State and President ofthe Govemment ofthe Comoros, Mr. Said Mohamed Jafar-and through them to the people ofthe Comoros we convey our warm and heartfelt con- gratulations on this auspicious occasion. 15. Even at the risk of being guilty of immodesty, I should like to say that on occasicns like this the United Nations also is to be congratulated on the important supportive role that it has played in making this day possible for the people of the Comoros. The Special Committee is particularly conscious of the significance of this occasion. Having actively sup- ported the struggle of the people of the archipelago for self-determination and independence, the Com- mittee unequivocally welcomed the proclamation of independence by the Comoros on 6 July this year and extended its warm congratulations and support to its people on the achievement of the goals set forth in the Declaration on the Granting of Independence to Colonial Countries and Peoples and the Charter of the United Nations. The position of the Special Com- mittee was made public in a statement on 22 August of this year2 and it is only logical that, as Chairman of the Committee, I should express the Committee's sentiments on this important day in the history of the Comoros. 16. This is a solemn occasion, a happy occasion, and in normal circumstances, following the estab- lished practice anG convention, all our remarks on a day like this should be confined to compliments and con- gratulations. Regrettably, however, the circumstances are not entirely normal. The statement made by the representative of France before this Assembly took its decision today is indicative of that. The adminis- tering Power, whose responsibility it was to fulfil its obligations under the Charter in accordance with General Assembly decisions, has in this cas'e main- tained a position which not only leaves much to be desired but also, I must say in all honesty, causes That was the statement of the President of France. 21. Against that background, the United Nations followed with enthusiasm and anticipation the popular referendum conducted in the Comoros on 22 December 1974. I use the word "anticipation" advisedly, because we had every reason to believe that, in the light of the clear-cut position of the administering Power, there would be no further obstacles to the process of decolonization. 22. The referendum held in the Comoros showed an overwhelming majority of the people of the archi- pelago preferring independence; that majority was as great as 94.56 per cent, a high percentage by any standards. Out of the majority, only 8,853 people in Mayotte did not favour independence: in other words, out of a total population of 286,762 people only 8,853 opposed independence. Is it really logical or legal that the opinion of that relatively tiny minority should frustrate the wishes of the majority of the people there? Is it lawful that the result in one area should dictate the destiny of the country, regardless of the wishes of the overwhelming majority? Yet that is exactly what France, by its recent statements, policies, and measures, has been seeking to do. 23. In brief, the French Government appears to have embarked on a course of action designed to disrupt the unity and territorial integrity of the Comoros under a smoke-screen of respect for the principle of self- determination. This position of France is wholly unjustified. It negates the undertakings and commit- ments of France, both to the people of the Comoros and to the international community. It also vainly and hopelessly attempts to give a new meaning to the principle of self-determination. 24. As I have already stated, the United Nations and the world clearly understood that the results of the referendum would be evaluated globally and not on an island-to-island basis. And indeed, if anyone was in doubt as to the meaning and significance of the global character of the referendum, such doubts were clearly put to rest by an official of no less emi- nence and authority than the current Minister of the so-called French Overseas Territories. In the publica- tion EUl'lIfrique of October 1974, he is reported to have commented: "Why a global referendum and not a separate plebiscite for each island? It is because the intention of France is not to divide countries which attain independence. This is the case of the Comoros, whose inhabitants all practise the same religion, have the same language, the same economic and political interests. Far from being one of dismem- bering the territorial entity, our role is to help the efforts of the Comorian people themselves towards a rapprochement." 25.. Clearly, this interpretation does not correspond with the current manoeuvres designed to ignore the overwhelming verdict of the Comorian people or to the recourse to moves which not only are unfortunate but will have dangerous consequences for the stability 30. In a special session of the Special Committee on IS October this year, I voiced our regrets at the con- tinued moves by France threatening the unity and territorial integrity of the Comoros. In my appeal to the Government of France, I had the following to say: "It is therefore our hope that France, whose relations and interests in Africa are extensive, will pay heed to the demands of Africa and the inter- national community and desist forthwith from any such policy. I am making use of this solemn occasion to launch an earnest appeal to the Government of France to respect the independence, unity and 41. Today the achievement of the Comoros has been welcomed by all countries which love peace, justice and liberty. In this context, the Conference of Min- isters for Foreign Affairs of Non-Aligned Countries, meeting at Lima from 25 to 30 August 1975, not only welcomed the pr<~clamation of independence by the peopre of the Comoros, but at the same time con- demned any attempt to disrupt the national unity and territorial integrity of the Comoros, reaffirming their support in this respect [A/10217 and Corr.I, annex, para. 4/]. 42. As I have already said, today the General As- sembly has just admitted the Comorian State as a Member of the United Nations. On behalf of my delegation, and on behalf of the African group in the United Nations, over which I have the honour to preside during this month of November, I wish to express our sincere gratitude to all del~gations here for their support and recognition of the Comoros, and to extend to the delegation of the Comoros, presided over by the President, Mr. Said Mohamed Jafar, our sincere good wishes for the prosperity 'of the people and Government of their country.