General Assembly Session 53 meeting 78

The Acting President

I 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 and Peoples to introduce the Committee's report.

Mr. Mekdad (Syria)

I have the honour to present to the General Assembly for its consideration the report 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, covering its work during 1998, as contained in document A/53/23, parts I-IX.

The report is being submitted in accordance with paragraph 11 of resolution 52/78, regarding the implementation of the Declaration on the Granting of Independence to Colonial Countries and Peoples. The Assembly requested the Special Committee to continue to seek suitable means for the full implementation of the Declaration and, in particular, to formulate specific proposals for the elimination of the remaining manifestations of colonialism. It also called upon the Committee to continue to examine the implementation of the Declaration by Member States, pay special attention to the small Territories, particularly by dispatching regular visiting missions, to enable them to exercise their right to self-determination and independence, and to enlist worldwide support for the achievement of the objectives of the Declaration. Furthermore, in keeping with General Assembly resolution 46/181, entitled "International Decade for the Eradication of Colonialism", the Special Committee was also mandated to undertake a series of activities, including organizing seminars in the Caribbean and the Pacific regions, alternately, during the Decade.

During the last year, the Special Committee held extensive consultations, keeping in mind the particular and specific requests of the General Assembly just outlined. The Committee reviewed the implementation of the Declaration with a view to formulating a series of recommendations to enhance the pace of decolonization and promote political, economic, social and educational advancement of the peoples in the remaining Territories. To do so, it acceded to the requests of Spain to participate in its proceedings on the question of Gibraltar, of Brazil and Sao Tome and Principe in the consideration of the question of East Timor, and of the delegations of Argentina, Brazil and Paraguay in the proceedings on the question of the Falkland Islands (Malvinas).

With regard to the question of the list of Territories to which the Declaration is applicable, the Committee decided to continue to review this issue at its next session, subject to any directives given by the General Assembly.

Having resolved to rationalize the organization of its work, the Committee kept its formal meetings to a minimum. The members held 17 meetings between February and May and also convened a session from 29 June to 13 July. It maintained the arrangement by which its Subcommittee and its Working Group were replaced by an Open-ended Bureau. In the time-frame agreed to, the Special Committee discharged the responsibilities assigned by the Assembly and submitted its recommendations on all items entrusted to it, which are contained in parts II-IX of the report before the General Assembly contained in document A/53/23.

In particular, I would like to draw the Assembly's attention to document A/53/23, part II, paragraph 12, which contains the draft resolution on the dissemination of information on decolonization, adopted by the Special Committee and recommended to the General Assembly for adoption. The Special Committee also considered carrying out a critical review of its work and may wish to convene a meeting in the near future to do so. The Acting Chairman presented a paper, which is annexed to the report of the Special Committee (A/AC.109/L.1886), to facilitate the consultations on the intended approach for such an assessment.

By adopting the suggestions put forward by the Chairman relating to the organization of its work, the Special Committee decided to take up as appropriate an item entitled "Special Committee decision of 15 August 1991 concerning Puerto Rico", and to consider that issue in its plenary. A number of recommendations were received from organizations that expressed their wish to be heard by the Special Committee on this subject. This request was acceded to by the Committee, and on 10 and 11 August 1998, the Committee heard representatives of 29 organizations, as detailed in the report presented to the Assembly. Following the consideration of this item, the Committee adopted a draft resolution, contained in document A/AC.109/2131, which, inter alia, reaffirms the inalienable right of the people of Puerto Rico to self-determination and independence, and expresses the hope that the Government of the United States will assume its responsibility of expediting this process. It also requests the Rapporteur to present a report to the Special Committee next year on the implementation of this draft resolution.

The Special Committee also decided to consider an item entitled "Matters relating to the small Territories" and took into account the provisions of relevant resolutions -- including resolution 52/78, paragraph 11 (c), which requests the Special Committee to pay special attention to the small Territories, in particular through the dispatch of regular visiting missions. During the period under review, this question was given extensive consideration, as noted in chapters X to XII of the present report.

In regard to its programme of work for 1999, the Special Committee considered the question of holding a series of meetings away from Headquarters, as authorized by the General Assembly. It decided that it would consider accepting invitations as might be received in 1999, and thereafter, request the Secretary-General to seek the necessary budgetary provision in accordance with established procedure. Following the guidelines on the pattern of conferences, in particular resolution 52/214 of 22 December 1997, and taking into account its probable workload for 1999, the Special Committee decided to strive to fulfil its mandate by keeping its meetings to a minimum. This would entail holding its plenary meetings in February/March 1999 and up to 30 meetings in June/July. The Bureau expects to hold some 20 meetings between February and July 1999. This would not preclude any ad hoc meetings that may be warranted and is subject to any directives given by the General Assembly.

I draw the Assembly's attention to the question of cooperation and participation of the administering Powers in the work of the Special Committee. I would like to report that the delegations of New Zealand and Portugal continued to participate in the related aspect of the Committee's work and that the delegation of France participated in the consideration of the question of New Caledonia. Though the delegations of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, and the United States of America, did not participate in the work of the Committee, as a result of informal consultations held during the fifty-first session of the General Assembly and the adoption of resolutions 51/224 and 52/77 on small Territories, both administering Powers expressed their desire to continue an informal dialogue with the Special Committee.

The Special Committee continues to call upon the administering Powers to cooperate or continue to cooperate with the United Nations by receiving visiting missions in the Territories under their administration. The Special Committee recommends that the General Assembly again request the administering Powers to cooperate or continue to cooperate with the Special Committee in the discharge of its mandate.

The Special Committee has also decided that the participation of representatives of Non-Self-Governing Territories in its work should continue. Further, it recommends to the General Assembly that the Committee should continue to be represented at seminars, meetings and conferences organized by United Nations bodies and other intergovernmental and non-governmental organizations active in the field of decolonization.

During the year, the Chairman of the Special Committee held consultations with the President of the Economic and Social Council to consider appropriate measures for coordinating policies and activities of the specialized agencies in implementing the relevant resolutions; this is accounted for in chapter VII of the present report. In its consideration of the Territories concerned, the Special Committee took into account the relevant resolutions adopted by the Commission on Human Rights, including resolutions on the question of Western Sahara and the situation in East Timor. It also continued to follow the work of the Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination and to monitor related developments in the Territories.

The Committee maintained contact with the Organization of African Unity and the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) during the year, and it continues to follow the work of the South Pacific Forum and the activities of non-governmental organizations which have a special interest in decolonization. The Acting Chairman represented the Special Committee at the Ministerial Meeting of the Coordinating Bureau of the Movement of Non-Aligned Countries, held in Cartagena de Indias, Colombia, in May as well as the Ministerial Meeting of the Movement of Non-Aligned Countries, held at Durban in August.

The Special Committee held a regional seminar at Nadi, Fiji, in June 1998 in implementation of the Plan of Action for the International Decade for the Eradication of Colonialism. The outcome is presented in chapter II of the report. The question-and-answer session promoted at that meeting was particularly useful in promoting an open and frank discussion of issues. The Committee has also adopted a resolution which makes recommendations to the General Assembly on the question of the publicity to be given to the work of the United Nations in the field of decolonization, outlined in chapter III of this report.

In accordance with its mandate, the Special Committee intends to continue to pursue the speedy and unconditional end of colonialism in all its forms during 1999. It will endeavour to examine its own work critically and assess the effectiveness of its activities and the areas in which it can improve. In particular, it is gratified that the informal consultations held with the administering Powers -- the United Kingdom and the United States -- and the European Union, concluded in an agreement on the consolidated draft resolution on small Territories and the draft resolution on economic and other activities which affect the peoples of Non-Self-Governing Territories, respectively. The Assembly may wish to renew its appeal to all States, the specialized agencies and other organizations of the United Nations system to comply with the various requests addressed to them by the General Assembly and the Security Council.

The Special Committee has approved a tentative programme of meetings for 1999 and commends it to the Assembly for approval. It also suggests that the Assembly would examine the question of the implementation of the Declaration by taking into account the various recommendations reflected in the present report and would endorse the proposals outlined in order to enable the Special Committee to carry out the tasks it envisages for 1999.

As the International Decade for the Eradication of Colonialism approaches its last two years, much has been achieved, but much remains to be done. The Special Committee will make a renewed and concerted effort to meet its goals by working closely with the Territories, the administering Powers, the specialized agencies and other organizations of the United Nations system, the non-governmental organizations and the wider international community.

We call upon each of them to cooperate fully with the Special Committee to formulate concrete mechanisms, appropriate procedures and legislation to complete the processes required for the implementation of the Declaration by the populations of the remaining Non-Self-Governing Territories by the end of this decade and achieve our ultimate goal of ushering in, in the twenty-first century, a world free from colonialism.

Before concluding, allow me to express to all the members of the Special Committee and in particular Acting Chairman Ambassador Bruno Rodríguez Parrilla of Cuba, as well as Vice-Chairman Ambassador Moctar Ouane of Mali, my appreciation for their assistance, support and cooperation.

Finally, may I extend the Committee's appreciation and gratitude also to the Secretary-General, Mr. Kofi Annan, for giving priority to and establishing a stand-alone Decolonization Unit in the Department of Political Affairs and giving it substantive responsibilities for the programme on decolonization. I also thank Ms. Maria Maldonado, Chief of the Decolonization Unit, as well as Mr. Mohammad Sattar, Secretary of the Special Committee, along with their respective substantive and technical secretariats, in both the departments of Political Affairs and General Assembly Affairs, for their professional advice and assistance in facilitating my task as Rapporteur.

On behalf of the Committee, I commend the report to the attention of the General Assembly.

The Acting President

I now call on the representative of Cuba to introduce draft resolution A/53/L.58.

Mr. Rodríguez Parrilla (Cuba)

It is a great honour for me to address the General Assembly as it begins its consideration of the question of the implementation of the Declaration on the Granting of Independence to Colonial Countries and Peoples. In my capacity as Acting Chairman 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 during the current year, I have been privileged to serve the Special Committee and conduct its deliberations, the results of which are duly reflected in the report contained in document A/53/23, parts I-IX.

The General Assembly has just heard a statement by 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 and Peoples, introducing the report of the Special Committee. In its report, the Special Committee has made a number of recommendations to the Assembly for its consideration and action. These recommendations represent the considered contribution of the Committee to the efforts of the United Nations to eradicate the last remnants of colonialism from the face of the earth.

Today I am speaking, on behalf of the sponsors, to introduce draft resolution A/53/L.58 for consideration by the General Assembly. This draft resolution addresses the issue of the implementation of the Declaration adopted by the Assembly 38 years ago and refers specifically to the responsibility entrusted by the Assembly to the Special Committee for monitoring the fulfilment of the letter and the spirit of the Declaration by the parties concerned.

When the Special Committee was established by General Assembly resolution 1654 (XVI), the Assembly requested it to examine the application of the Declaration, to make suggestions and recommendations on the progress and extent of the implementation and to report thereon to the Assembly. The Assembly also directed the Special Committee to carry out its task by using all the means at its disposal within the framework of the procedures and modalities that it adopted for the proper discharge of its functions. The Assembly invited the authorities concerned to afford the Special Committee their fullest cooperation in carrying out its tasks and requested the specialized agencies concerned to assist the Special Committee in its work within their respective fields.

Thirty-eight years later, the Special Committee continues to carry out conscientiously the mandate it received from the Assembly in 1961. Despite the significant progress achieved, the decolonization process has not been concluded.

By the terms of the draft resolution, the General Assembly would recall and reaffirm previous resolutions on decolonization, including resolution 43/47, which declared the decade that began in 1990 as the International Decade for the Eradication of Colonialism in all Territories that have not yet exercised their right to self-determination, including independence. The Assembly would also reaffirm its determination to continue to take all steps necessary to bring about the complete, speedy and unconditional eradication of colonialism and the faithful observance by all States of the relevant provisions of the Charter of the United Nations, the Declaration on the Granting of Independence to Colonial Countries and Peoples and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

By adopting this draft resolution, the Assembly would approve the report of the Special Committee covering its work during 1998 and the programme of work envisaged for 1999. In this connection, the Special Committee would continue to seek suitable means of ensuring the immediate and full implementation of the Declaration and also carry out actions approved by the Assembly in connection with the International Decade for the Eradication of Colonialism. The Special Committee would continue to formulate proposals for the elimination of the remaining manifestations of colonialism and would report to the General Assembly at its fifty-fourth session.

The Special Committee has indicated that it will endeavour to look at its own work critically, carrying out an assessment of the effectiveness of its activities and the areas in which it can make improvements. Such a review is made all the more necessary as we approach the end of the International Decade for the Eradication of Colonialism. The commitment of the Special Committee and the United Nations to fulfilling the aims of the Decade so as to achieve a world free of colonial domination must be expressed in concrete, purposeful efforts. The principles of the Charter regarding Non-Self-Governing Territories are as relevant today as they were at the inception of the United Nations, and great strides have already been made in the implementation of the 1960 Declaration. Nevertheless, more can be done in the future to accelerate the process of decolonization. The goals of the 1960 Declaration are achievable, and they require the cooperation of the administering Powers with the Special Committee. We hope that in 1999 such cooperation will take us a long way towards achieving those goals.

By the terms of the draft resolution, the Special Committee would also continue to pay special attention to the small Territories, in particular by dispatching visiting missions to secure first-hand information and to ascertain the wishes and aspirations of these Territories' inhabitants. It would also take steps to enlist worldwide support from Governments and from national and international organizations for the achievement of the objectives of the 1960 Declaration and other relevant resolutions of the United Nations.

By the terms of the draft resolution, the Assembly would call upon the administering Powers to continue to cooperate with the Special Committee in the discharge of its mandate and continue to receive visiting missions to the Territories. The Assembly would also call upon the administering Powers that have not participated in the work of the Special Committee to do so at its 1999 session. I should like to point out that during 1998 New Zealand and Portugal continued their cooperation with the Special Committee. Furthermore, for the first time, France attended meetings of the Special Committee and provided valuable information regarding the historic signing of the Nouméa Accord and its implications for New Caledonia. As Acting Chairman of the Special Committee, I carried out consultations with the administering Powers regarding sending future visiting missions to the Territories, and I remain hopeful that our future dialogue with the administering Powers will include an agreement on this point.

On many occasions the Special Committee has expressed its readiness to engage in constructive dialogue with the administering Powers, as it considers that their cooperation is indispensable for progress towards the full implementation of the 1960 Declaration. During 1998 members of the Special Committee had the opportunity to hold informal consultations that proved useful in reaching significant agreed recommendations that were submitted to the General Assembly, including recommendations regarding New Caledonia, Tokelau and Guam.

Draft resolution A/53/L.58 also requests the Secretary-General, the specialized agencies and other organizations of the United Nations system to provide economic, social and other assistance to the Non-Self-Governing Territories. Such assistance is necessary above all for the small island Territories, which are affected by their small size, small populations, geographic remoteness, limited natural resources and vulnerability to natural disasters.

Lastly, the draft resolution requests the Secretary-General to provide the Special Committee with the facilities and services required to carry out its mandate in implementing the resolutions and decisions on decolonization adopted by the General Assembly and the Special Committee.

The States members of the European Union have informally presented to the sponsors various amendments to draft resolution A/53/L.58, and although we have begun consultations in that regard, the lack of adequate time made it impossible to consider those amendments in depth. Given the scope of the amendments for a text that has existed for more than five years, some of which have direct implications for the programme of work of the Special Committee of 24, the recommendations would have to be duly discussed within the Special Committee itself in order for it to take the appropriate decisions.

The draft resolution that we are presenting this year is therefore substantively similar to the texts that the General Assembly has adopted by broad majority over the last few years.

The sponsoring delegations welcome the European Union's initiative with a view to moving towards greater concertation on these issues, and we hope that this will mark the beginning of a constructive and transparent process in that direction. The General Assembly can rely on the greatest possible willingness and constructive spirit on the part of the Special Committee.

I would like to point out that during 1998 the Special Committee received appropriate substantive and technical support from the Secretariat and has had at its disposal adequate resources to carry out its activities. In this respect, I would like to express to the Secretary-General, on behalf of the Special Committee, our appreciation and our satisfaction with the arrangements made to assist the Special Committee in the fulfilment of its mandate. In order for the Special Committee to continue to work smoothly, it is essential for such services and facilities to continue to be provided.

In conclusion, I would like to ask all Member States to consider positively the recommendations contained in the draft resolution before them on the implementation of the Declaration on the Granting of Independence to Colonial Countries and Peoples. This would be an expression of support for the principled efforts of the United Nations to put an effective, speedy and unconditional end to colonialism in all its forms and manifestations.

Mr. Ayewoh (Nigeria)

The consideration by the General Assembly at its fifty-third session of agenda item 18, "Implementation of the Declaration on the Granting of Independence to Colonial Countries and Peoples", could not have come at a better time. The historic Declaration on the Granting of Independence to Colonial Countries and Peoples, which was adopted in 1960, has tremendously changed the membership and composition of the United Nations, as well as the conduct of relations among States.

My delegation attaches great importance to this agenda item, partly out of its historical experience as a former colonial territory and also out of a principled position regarding the rights of peoples to control their own destiny. My delegation commends the Committee of 24. Its success in the task assigned to it is universally recognized and appreciated by all.

Despite this success, however, we still have many Non-Self-Governing Territories today under one form of colonial administration or another. Indeed, precisely because of the nature of most of these Territories, which are basically small in size and population, as well as less endowed with natural resources, the role of the United Nations in ensuring that they attain their independence by the end of this decade has become more critical.

My delegation believes that these factors notwithstanding, it is only fair and just that the administering Powers give the indigenous peoples of these Territories the opportunity to decide whether or not they wish to be independent. This should be done under internationally recognized due process with the close supervision of the United Nations.

The declaration of this decade as the International Decade for the Eradication of Colonialism underscores the fervent desire of the General Assembly to put the issue of colonialism behind it within a reasonable time-frame.

In this regard, my delegation wishes to reiterate its support for the work of the Special Committee on Decolonization. We will continue to cooperate with it in its endeavour to implement its objective of bringing an end to the era of colonialism by the year 2000. We welcome the measures adopted for the dissemination of information on decolonization in the Non-Self-Governing Territories and commend the efforts of the United Nations in the coordination of development assistance to these Territories by the specialized agencies. We deplore the activities of some foreign economic and other interests which are impeding the full implementation of the Declaration on the Granting of Independence in these Territories.

Experience has taught all of us, especially those of us from formerly colonized countries, that for decolonization and self-government to be of any value to colonial peoples, it must be pursued simultaneously with concrete social, economic and political development measures. Assistance should be given to the colonial Territories to help establish the sound economic foundations and good political education necessary to carry the responsibilities of self-government. The United Nations specialized agencies should therefore increase development assistance programmes to these Territories, especially in human resource development.

As we approach the new millennium, let all the peoples of the world rededicate themselves to the complete eradication of colonialism. The Nigeria delegation has worked and will continue to work with the United Nations and its agencies to ensure the full implementation of General Assembly resolution 46/181 on the International Decade for the Eradication of Colonialism. We will continue to cooperate closely with other delegations to ensure the attainment of this noble goal.

Mr. Ovia (Papua New Guinea)

I thank you, Sir, for giving me the opportunity to make some general comments regarding all the items before the General Assembly for consideration today, and especially those under the mandate of the Special Political Committee on Decolonization, the Committee of 24.

Papua New Guinea's position and views regarding all these issues are well known to the members of the General Assembly and therefore I do not intend to repeat them again at this time.

I would, however, like to take this opportunity to pay tribute to and congratulate the Chairman of the Special Political and Decolonization Committee (the Fourth Committee), Mr. Pablo Macedo, and his Bureau for the exceptional efforts they have made in completing the work of that Committee in record time. I stand to be corrected here, but to the best of my knowledge, this year is the one of the few times, if not the first -- at least in the short time I have been at the United Nations -- in which that Committee has completed its work expeditiously.

I must also pay tribute to the diplomatic skills and leadership of Mr. Opertti in ensuring that the work of the Committee was on schedule. I am now thinking aloud here in wondering whether the fact that he and Mr. Macedo come from the same region of the world has anything to do with this speed. May I also add here that the Acting Chairman of the Committee of 24, Ambassador Bruno Rodríguez Parrilla, also comes from that region.

Secondly, I would like to also take the opportunity to thank all the members of the Fourth Committee for their efforts and cooperation in working through the issues of mutual interest to all our countries. In this regard, I would like to make special mention of the good cooperation shown by all the administering Powers, and especially the Governments of New Zealand on Tokelau; the Government of Portugal; the Republic of France on New Caledonia; and, although informally, the Government of the United States on the question Guam; as well as the Acting Chairman and members of the Special Political Committee for all their efforts. My delegation would like place on record our great appreciation and further express the hope that we will continue to work together in the same spirit in the future towards a positive and eventual resolution of the status of the remaining Non-Self-Governing Territories, of course taking into full account and consideration the expressed and legitimate will of the peoples of the Territories concern.

As is clearly shown by all the draft resolutions to be adopted by consensus today, including the omnibus draft resolution before the Committee today, my delegation is of the view that we, the Members of the United Nations, the administering Powers and members of the Committee of 24 alike, must allow and include in any negotiations and dialogue on the future of those Territories the affected peoples concerned. We will make much progress towards ending the last vestiges of colonialism, as clearly demonstrated by some of the consensus draft resolutions before us today, if we continue in this trend. Alternatively, as many of us would agree today, our Organization must allow for the greater engagement of the peoples of these Territories by sending periodic, if not regular United Nations visiting missions to each of these Territories to ascertain the full wishes of the peoples concerned.

Also in the same vein, my delegation would like to pay high tribute to the Secretary-General and his Special Rapporteurs for their positive efforts with regards to a number of the Non-Self-Governing Territories under their focus. From our delegation's assessment, there is good and positive progress being made on these fronts as well.

I am sure this is our common objective and the ultimate goal of our Organization and we must all persevere with those final efforts, which sometimes are the most difficult, to bring to fruition our desired goals.

May I also add here that, as "reform" is the buzz word in the corridors of this Assembly, it makes good economic, if not common sense for us to work together in resolving the outstanding issues in the shortest possible time in order that we may save money and time for our Organization.

In conclusion, my delegation pays tribute to all the members of this Assembly and makes a further call on all interested parties to devote those last efforts, including the political will to cooperate fully with the Committee of 24 and the General Assembly, to achieving our mandated objectives.

The Acting President

We have heard the last speaker in the debate on this item.

I should like to inform members that the General Assembly will take action on the two draft resolutions on agenda item 18 after all the reports of the Special Political and Decolonization Committee (Fourth Committee) have been considered.

I should also like to draw members' attention to a typographic error in the text of draft resolution A/53/L.58.

At the end of the third line of the second preambular paragraph, the resolution number should read 52/78, instead of 57/78.