functions and noted with concern that the United States had not implemented its earlier recommendation that regulations be adopted which would distinguish between the special interests of the Trust Territory and the international obligations of the United States, with a view to restricting, as far as possible, the use of the veto power by the High Commissioner.

In regard to economic development, the Council expressed its concern over the Territory's continued dependence on outside support; welcomed the U.S. statement that efforts would be concentrated in the productive sectors of the economy; and hoped that consideration would be given to reducing substantially the impact of customs tariffs and related measures on the promotion of exports from the Trust Territory. Satisfaction was also expressed that a UNDP project for assistance in economic planning had been approved. The Council stated its belief that attention should be given to the possible environmental impact of a proposed "super-port" at Palau before any decision was made on the project.

Regarding questions related to the law of the sea, the Council noted that Micronesian interests in the matter might not necessarily coincide with U.S. interests; that the United States had sponsored the Micronesian application for observer status at the Law of the Sea Conference; and that the representatives of the Congress of Micronesia had expressed strong views concerning their participation in the Conference.

As in previous years, the Security Council did not discuss the Trusteeship Council's report.

GENERAL ASSEMBLY CONSIDERATION

The General Assembly's Committee of 24 considered the Trust Territory again in 1976, as it has in previous years. The United States maintains that the Committee's jurisdiction does not extend to consideration of the Trust Territory because the Charter provides that all UN functions relating to strategic trust territories shall be exercised by the Security Council. The United States did not, therefore, participate in the Committee's review, which was based largely on the records of the Trusteeship Council. The Committee adopted a series of conclusions and recommendations similar to those put forward by the Trusteeship Council. It incorporated these in its omnibus report to the General Assembly on all the territories and all the issues it had considered during the year.

During the Assembly's consideration in plenary of the Committee's report, the Soviet Union on November 30 departed from previous custom and singled out for criticism the U.S. policy in the Trust Territory, charging that the United States was denying self-determination to the Micronesians and that the presence of American military installations was a threat to the territory and to Asian countries. In a brief reply on December 2 the United States noted that the Trusteeship Agreement, which the U.S.S.R. had joined in approving, specifically entitled the stationing of troops in Micronesia. Further, the

U.S. record on self-determination for the territories under its jurisdiction was good--one had become independent, others had become states, another a commonwealth, and others elected their governors and legislatures in free and regular elections.

On December 17 the Assembly adopted a resolution (see p. 346) that approved the full report of the Committee of 24, but it neither considered nor adopted a resolution specifically on the Trust Territory.

U.S. TERRITORIES

U.S. VIRGIN ISLANDS

The Committee of 24's Subcommittee on Small

Territories 1/considered the U.S. Virgin Islands at five meetings between April 8 and May 27, 1976. U.S. representatives spoke on April 8 and again on April 15. In the first statement, Bruce E. Kressler reviewed developments in the territory during the year since the Subcommittee had last considered the question. He announced that legislation authorizing a Virgin Islands constitutional convention had been introduced into the U.S. Congress on September 5, 1975, and approved by the House of Representatives on October 6. He informed the Subcommittee that there was every indication that the Senate would also act favorably.

Concerning the economy, the U.S. Representative said that the situation was not very good, with a steadily worsening fiscal situation since the sharp decline in the economy which began in 1972. Two problems contributing to the difficulty of the

1/ Afghanistan, Australia, Bulgaria, Chile, Congo, Cuba, Czechoslovakia, Ethiopia, Fiji, India, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Ivory Coast, Norway, Trinidad and Tobago, and Yugoslavia.

local government in dealing with the general economic situation were the presence of a large number of aliens, many of them in the territory illegally, and a decline in tourism resulting from reports of violence. Action had been taken to alleviate both problems and the territorial government had undertaken major economy moves, but despite these efforts it had been necessary to seek a special loan of $76 million from the Federal Government. This request had been approved by the President on April 1, 1976, for submission to the Congress. Despite the territory's economic difficulties, its government was maintaining social services. The largest share of the annual operating budget was for education, and the government was spending $1,441 per pupil annually, in contrast to $1,385 for the United States as a whole. Medical service continued to be extended without cost to all in the territory who needed it.

On April 15, John Kriendler elaborated on the earlier statement with respect to the proposed constitutional convention. He explained that the legislation under consideration in the U.S. Congress was permissive, not mandatory. If approved, the bill would give the convention wide latitude in drafting a constitution, but would require a republican form of government and a bill of rights. The constitution would be put to the voters of the Virgin Islands, and then, if approved, sent to the President for his approval. The U.S. Representative added that the bill did not deal specifically with political status, but was designed to enable the U.S. Virgin Islands to achieve a further increment of self-government. 2/

The full Committee of 24 considered the Subcommittee's report on August 19 and 20, adopting it without objection and endorsing its conclusions and recommendations. The Committee, inter alia, (1) reaffirmed the right of the people of the islands to self-determination and independence in accordance with resolution 1514 (the 1960 Colonialism Declaration); (2) stated that the proposed legislation authorizing the convening of a constitutional convention represented "a lack of significant constitutional progress toward the full implementation of the provisions of resolution 1514"; (3) called on the United States "not to prejudge the status question"; (4) expressed satisfaction that some steps had been taken to resolve the problem of aliens in

2/ Public Law 94-584, providing for the establishment of constitutions for the Virgin Islands and Guam, was signed by the President on Oct. 21, 1976.

the territory; (5) noted that steps had been taken to improve the local economy, including a proposed special federal loan; (6) urged the United States to continue helping the territory to improve conditions in labor, public housing, health care, and education; (7) called on the United States to provide adequate information on conditions in the territory to enable the Committee "to play its proper role in helping to guide the people to the exercise of their right to self-determination and independence"; and (8) strongly urged the United States to invite a UN visiting mission to enable the Committee to obtain first-hand information on conditions in the territory and "to ascertain the true wishes and aspirations of its inhabitants concerning their future."

AMERICAN SAMOA

The Subcommittee on Small Territories considered American Samoa at five meetings between July 6 The U.S. Representative, Mr. Kressler, spoke on July 6 and again on July 13. In his opening statement he averred that the most significant development in American Samoa during the past year related to the question of whether or not American Samoa should have an elected governor and lieutenant governor. The Samoan legislature had passed two resolutions supporting a referendum on the subject, and the U.S. Secretary of the Interior had determined that another special referendum should be held on August 31 to obtain the views of the people. A special election commissioner would supervise a political education program designed to ensure that the voters fully understood the significance of the issue and to encourage maximum voter participation.

The U.S. Representative stated that the economic difficulties experienced by American Samoa as a result of the worldwide recession had been compounded during 1974-75 by the effects of the worst drought in 20 years and a serious fire in one of the two major canneries. The total effect on the local financial situation had been disastrous. Of the anticipated $15 million in local revenues, only $3.5 million was collected. The U.S. Congress responded favorably to a request for a special appropriation to cover the shortfall and also increased appropriations for fiscal year 1977 since it was evident that it would take several years for local revenues to reach their 1974 level. The bright spots in the economy were the exceptionally favorable fishing conditions in the first half of 1976 and the fact that agriculture was back to normal after suffering from the 1974-75 drought. Other favorable developments were the inauguration of regular air

service from Pago Pago to Manu'a, the second largest island in American Samoa, and to Western Samoa, and the decision by a U.S. Civil Aeronautics Board administrative judge to recommend Continental Airways for a route that would link American Samoa with Fiji, Australia, New Zealand, and Hawaii. Institution of this proposed service was expected to benefit the American Samoan tourist trade, as was the decision of Pan American World Airways to institute Jumbo Jet service on its regular schedule to American Samoa.

On July 13 the U.S. Representative told the Subcommittee that the Secretary of the Interior had, on July 7, named Henry Neil Mallon of Dallas, Texas, as plebiscite commissioner to conduct the political education program with regard to the question whether there should be an elected governor and to carry out the plebiscite on the question. He noted that the question had been put to a vote in three earlier referendums and defeated, but that the issue had not been as clearly delineated as it would be in the present vote. Noting statements by the Australian Representative during the Subcommittee's discussion with respect to residence and voting requirements, Mr. Kressler pointed out that these had been established by the Samoan legislature, which was very conservative on the question of residency requirements, apparently in an attempt to protect traditional land-holding patterns. Many thousands of American Samoans living outside Samoa were not eligible to vote because of their non-resident status. While the United States hoped that voting requirements would be reviewed and was urging the legislature to take appropriate action, the question was ultimately one for the Samoan legislature to decide.

On August 20, the Committee of 24 without objection adopted the report of the Subcommittee and endorsed its conclusions and recommendations. The Committee, inter alia, (1) reaffirmed the rights of the people of American Samoa to self-determination and independence in conformity with the Colonialism Declaration; (2) expressed appreciation for U.S. cooperation with the Committee, "thereby enabling the Committee to conduct a more informed and more meaningful examination of American Samoa, with a view to accelerating the process of decolonization towards the full and speedy implementation of the Declaration"; (3) noted that the special referendum on the question of an elected governor would enable the people of the territory to focus exclusively on this question; (4) urged the United States, in consultation with the Government of American Samoa, to consider reviewing absentee voting procedures with a view to enabling American Samoans living outside