A/RES/1350(XIII) GA

RESOLUTIONS ADOPTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY FROM 20 FEBRUARY TO 13 MARCH 1959 1 1349 (XIII). The future of the Trust Territory of the Cameroons under French adminis- tration The General Assembly, Reca/.ling its resolution 1282 (XIII) of 5 December 1958 requesting the Trusteeship Council to examine, as early as possible during the twenty-third session, the reports of the United Nations Visiting Mission to Trust Territories in West Africa, 1958, on the Came- roons under French administration and the Cameroons under united Kingdom administration, and to transmit them, with its observations and recommendations, to the General Assembly not later than 20 February 1959, to enable the Assembly, in consultation with the Administer- ing Authorities, to take the necessary measures in con- nexion with the full attainment of the objectives of the Trusteeship System, Having examined the special report of the Trusteeship Council,2 as well as the report of the Visiting Mission on the Cameroons under French administration3 and the observations of the Administering Authority on it,• Taking into account the statements made in the Fourth Committee by the representatives of the Administering Authority and by the Prime Minister of the Cameroons under French administration,11 Noting with satisfaction the adoption by the Legislative Assembly of the Cameroons under French administra- tion of the amnesty law of 14 February 1959 and the assurances given by the Prime Minister of the Came- roons that this law is being put into effect on the widest possible basis and with the least possible delay, Noting the statements of the representatives of the Cameroons Government that it welcomes the return of all Cameroonians who in recent years have left the country and invites them to re-enter normal life without fear of reprisal, Having been assured by the representatives of the Administering Authority and the Government of the Cameroons that there exist in the Territory freedom of the Press, of assembly and of political association, and othe.r fundamental freedoms, Having been informed by the Prime Minister of the Cameroons under French administration that his Gov- ernment has issued a decree fixing 12 April 1959 as the date for elections to be held to fill the four seats in the Legislative Assembly allocated to the Sanaga- Maritime area, as well as two vacant seats in the Mbouda subdivision, Noting wi,th satisfaction the statement of the Prime Minister of the Cameroons under French administration 1 Resolutions adopted on the report of the Fourth Committee. For the text of the report, see Official Records of the General Assembly, Thirteenth Session, Annexes, agenda item 13, docu- ment A/4095. 2 Official Records of the General Assembly, Thirteenth Ses- sio,i, Annexes, agenda item 13, document A/4094. 1 that there will be general elections after independence since such elections will then be necessary and useful in order to settle various constitutional and other questions, Na ting the resolution adopted by the Legislative As- sembly of the Cameroons on 24 October 1958, the con- clusions of the Visiting Mission and the declarations of the Administering Authority and the representatives of the Cameroons Government concerning the desire and readiness of the people of the Cameroons for inde- pendence, Taking into account the declarations of the Adminis- tering Authority and the Government of the Cameroons under French administration that the Territory will become completely independent on 1 January 1960, and the assurances given by the representative of France that his Government will sponsor the application that will thereupon be made by the Government of the Cameroons to be admitted to membership of the United Nations, Having heard the views of the petitioners, l. Resolves, in agreement with the Administering Authority, that, on 1 January 1960, when the Came- roans under French administration becomes independent, the Trusteeship Agreement approved by the General Assembly on 13 December 1946 shall cease to be in force in accordance ½;th Article 76 b of the Charter of the United Nations; . 2. Expresses its confidence that, at the earliest pos- sible date after the attainment of independence on 1 January 1960, elections will be held for the formation of a new assembly which should take decisions regarding the establishment, in their final form, of the institutions of the free and independent Cameroons; 3. Recommends that, upon the attainment of inde- pendence on I January 1960, the Cameroons under French administration shall be admitted to membership of the United :-J ations according to Article 4 of the Charter. 794th plenary meeting, 13 March 1959. 1350 (XIII). The future of the Trust Territory of the Cameroons under United Kingdom administration The General Assembly, Recalling its resolution 1282 (XIII) of 5 December 1958 requesting the Trusteeship Council to examine, as 3 C!fficial Records of the Trusteeship Council, Twenty-third Se.man, Supplement No. 3 (T/1441) documents T/1427 and T /1434. ' . 4 Official Records of _the General Assembly, Thirteenth Ses- sion, Annexes, agenda item 13, document A/4094, annex III. 5 See Official Records of the General Assembly Thirteenth Session, Fourth Committee, 845th, 846th 849th' 860th and 871st meetings. ' ' z General Asaembly-Thirt-nth Sea.I- early as possible during the twenty-third session, the reports of the United Nations Visiting Mission to Trust Territories in West Africa, 1958, on the Came- roons under French administration and the Cameroons under United Kingdom administration, and to transmit them, with its observations and recommendations, to the General Assembly not later than 20 February 1959, to enable the Assembly, in consultation with the Admin- istering Authorities, to take the necessary measures in connexion with the full attainment of the objectives of the Trusteeship System, Havi,,.g examined, in consultation with the Admin- istering Authority, the special report of the Trusteeship Council,2 as well as the report of the Visiting Mission •on the Cameroons under United Kingdom admin- istration, 6 Noting the statements made in the Fourth Committee by the representatives of the Administering Authority, by the Premier of the Southern Cameroons, by the Leader of the Opposition in the Southern Cameroons House of Assembly, and by the Minister for Northern Cameroons Affairs in the Government of the Northern Region of Nigeria,7 1. Recommends that the Administering Authority, in pursuance of Article 76 b of the Charter of the United Nations, take steps, in consultation with a United Nations Plebiscite Commissioner, to organize, under the supervision of the United Nations, separate plebiscites in the northern and southern parts of the Cameroons under United Kingdom administration, in order to ascertain the wishes of the inhabitants of the Territory concerning their future ; 2. Recommends further that in the northern part of the Territory the plebiscite should take place about the middle of November 1959, that the people of the northern part of the Territory should be asked : " (a) Do you wish the Northern Cameroons to be part of the Northern Region of Nigeria when the Federation of Nigeria becomes independent? or " ( b) Are you in favour of deciding the future of the Northern Cameroons at a later date?" 41 Official Records of the Trusteeship Council, Twrnt:y-third Session, Supplement No. 2 (T /1440), documents T /1426 and Add.I. and that the plebiscite should be conducted on the basis of the electoral register at present being compiled for the elections to the Federal House of Representatives; 3. Recommends further that the plebiscite in the southern part of the Territory should be conducted during the next dry season between the beginning of December 1959 and the end of April 1960; 4. Decides that the two alternatives to be put to the people of the southern part of the Territory and the qualifications "for voting in the plebiscite there should be considered by the General Assembly at its fourteenth session; 5. Expresses the hope that all concerned in the Ter- ritory will endeavour to reach agreement before the opening of the fourteenth session of the General As- sembly on the alternatives to be put in the plebiscite in the Southern Cameroons and the qualifications for voting in it ; 6. Decides to appoint a United Nations Plebiscite Commissioner who shall exercise, on behalf of the Gen- eral Assembly, all the necessary powers and functions of supervision, and who shall be assisted by observers and staff to be appointed by the Secretary-General in consultation with him ; 7. Requests the United Nations Plebiscite Commis- sioner to submit to the Trusteeship Council a report in two parts on the organization, conduct and results of the plebiscites, the first part of the report, which shall deal with the northern part of the Territory, to be submitted in time for transmission to the General Assembly for consideration before the end of its fourteenth session; 8. Requests the Trusteeship Council to transmit to it the reports of the United Nations Plebiscite Commis- sioner, together with any recommendations and observa- tions it considers necessary. * * * 794th plenary meeting, 13 March 1959. At its 794th ple11arv meeting, on 13 March 1959, the General Assembly, voting by secret ballot, elected Jfr. Djalal Abdoh ( Iran) United Nations Plebiscite Commissioner. 7 See Official Records of the (;eneral Assembly, Thirteenth Session, Fourth Ccnnmitter, 846th, 847th, 849th and 850th meetings.

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