Secretary General in Afghanistan and Pakistan (OSGAP), tasked with continuing the search for a political settlement under the direction of the Secretary General's personal representative, Benon Sevan. Headquartered in Islamabad and Kabul, OSGAP's expenses are paid from the regular budget of the United Nations with local support from the Governments of Afghanistan and Pakistan. UN costs totaling $7,500,000 in 1990 were scaled back to approximately $6,150,000 for 1991. In October 1990 the Secretary General reported to the Security Council on his efforts in Afghanistan. His personal representative maintained regular contacts with the Kabul regime, senior Pakistani and Iranian government officials, and Afghan opposition leaders based in Peshawar and Tehran. In those contacts the need for all segments of the Afghan people to agree on arrangements for establishing a broad-based government through free and fair elections taking into account Afghan traditions were emphasized. The personal representative characterized the Secretary General as encouraged by discussions between the United States and the Soviet Union and hopeful that, instead of imposing a settlement, agreement between them will remove external constraints limiting the Afghan people's unhindered exercise of their right to self-determination. Cambodia Cambodian credentials have been an issue in the General Assembly since the Vietnamese invasion of 1978 placed in power an alternate regime in Phnom Penh. In recent years, Cambodia's UN seat was occupied by what had become a coalition of Cambodian resistance groups. In the face of diminished support and in deference to progress toward a comprehensive political settlement, including the adoption of Security Council resolution 668 which identified the Supreme National Council (SNC) as the "sole repository of Cambodian sovereignty." The Cambodian resistance announced in September a decision to leave its seat temporarily unoccupied. This decision followed acceptance by all four Cambodian factions, including the regime in Phnom Penh, of a framework for peace adopted in August by the five Permanent Members of the Security Council. The Cambodian seat at the General Assembly was left empty for the duration of the 1990 session pending creation of a functioning Supreme National Council to exercise sovereignty. On October 15 the General Assembly adopted by consensus resolution 45/3 on Cambodia without debate. Unlike earlier iterations of this 11-year ASEAN initiative, the resolution adopted in 1990 noted significant progress in the search for a comprehensive political solution in Cambodia. It endorsed the framework agreement adopted by the Permanent Five and welcomed its acceptance by all the Khmer factions as a basis for settling the Cambodian conflict. In particular, the resolution commended creation of a Supreme National Council as the unique legitimate body and source of authority in which sovereignty would be vested during a contemplated transition to democratic government. The resolution urged Cambodian parties to exercise "maximum self-restraint" while the cochairmen of the Paris International Conference on Cambodia (France and Indonesia) worked to draft an overall settlement agreement. This would be accomplished in close consultation with the Secretary General, who was separately charged with assessing resource implications, timing and other considerations relevant to the UN role. The Secretary General's personal representative, Rafeeuddin Ahmed, worked closely with representatives of the Permanent Five as they crafted a framework agreement during six rounds of delicate negotiation. Anticipating demands on the United Nations, the Secretary General established a task force in February with responsibility for developing ideas, on a contingency basis, concerning all aspects of a possible UN role in Cambodia. The Secretary General dispatched a series of fact-finding missions to Cambodia five times between March and October, gathering information and data relevant to eventual deployment of a UN peacekeeping force. By year's end, the Secretary General called on the Supreme National Council to effect a voluntary ceasefire and moratorium on arms supplies, to facilitate further negotiation and rapid deployment of a UN operation after conclusion of a peace accord. South African Policies of Apartheid A reconvened 44th General Assembly session on September 12-14 considered the Secretary General's July 1 report entitled "Progress Made in the Implementation of the Declaration on Apartheid and its Destructive Consequences in Southern Africa." This report and the reconvened General Assembly review session was mandated in the Declaration on Apartheid passed by consensus at the conclusion of the 44th General Assembly's Special Session on Apartheid in December 1989. At the reconvened 44th General Assembly a draft resolution entitled "Policies of Apartheid of the Government of South Africa" was adopted by consensus. Resolution 44/244 noted progress in efforts by the African National Congress (ANC) and the South African Government to establish a climate conducive to negotiations on ending apartheid, but urged the South African Government to "proceed without delay" to establish a climate "free of violence" so negotiations could begin. The resolution also noted that further steps were needed by the South African Government to implement "profound and irreversible changes" called for in the Declaration on Apartheid of December 1989. The United States joined consensus on this resolution, not because it considered the resolution optimally balanced, but because the United States believed it important to demonstrate continuing international solidarity in support of the internal negotiating process taking shape in South Africa. Explaining the U.S. position, the U.S. Representative reviewed recent progress in South Africa identifying obstacles to the commencement of fullfledged negotiations between the ANC and the South African Government, and said the United States considered it important for the international community to do everything possible to encourage the internal negotiating process in South Africa, to support leaders already engaged in that process, and to urge others to commit themselves to peaceful negotiations as well. The regular 45th General Assembly considered the question of the "Policies of Apartheid of the Government of South Africa" in a series of meetings in December and adopted eight resolutions. Discussion in plenary focused almost entirely on the first resolution, "International Efforts to Eradicate Apartheid," known as the "omnibus" resolution. (Resolution 45/176 A.) It was based on the spirit of consensus begun with the 1989 Declaration, and therefore more comprehensive and moderate in tone than most of the other apartheid-related resolutions. The U.S. Representative made clear in a plenary speech during the discussion on apartheid that the United States would not join consensus on any resolution which did not give constructive support to the process of change under way in South Africa. Noting many political prisoners had been released, long-banned political organizations had been legalized, restraints on the media had been removed, the state of emergency had been lifted throughout South Africa and, most importantly, "a pattern of productive dialogue between the ANC (African National Congress) and the government" had begun, he concluded the way had been cleared "toward commencement of negotiations to bring about a constitutional system based on regular and free elections, universal suffrage, equal rights and equal opportunities" in South Africa. He also stressed that President Bush had affirmed, following his meeting September 24 with South African President de Klerk, that the move away from apartheid toward a new political reality in South Africa was "irreversible." The final draft of resolution 45/176 A, adopted by consensus, expressed full support for "efforts of the South African people to arrive at a peaceful settlement of the problems in their country through genuine negotiations," and welcomed agreements between the South African government and the ANC "aimed at facilitating the commencement of substantive negotiations." In the U.S. explanation of vote, the U.S. Delegate said "We believe the resolution just approved is adequate to meet the concerns we had set forth" regarding the need to encourage the process of change in South Africa. Resolution 45/176 B, entitled "Concerted and effective measures aimed at eradicating apartheid," reaffirmed that "apartheid is a crime against the conscience and dignity of humankind," and called for the maintenance of various commercial and financial measures aimed at "applying pressure on apartheid South Africa." The United States opposed the resolution because of its explicit calls for continued sanctions. The resolution was adopted by a vote of 115 to 11 (U.S.), with 19 abstentions. Resolution 45/176 C on "Military collaboration with South Africa" deplored actions of those states which violate the arms embargo and "collaborate" with South Africa in the military, nuclear, intelligence and technology fields, and urged all states to consider immediate steps to ensure full implementation of the arms embargo. It was adopted 116 to 2 (U.S.), with 29 abstentions. Resolution 45/176 D, "Relations between South Africa and Israel," condemned the "collaboration of Israel with the South African regime in the military and nuclear fields." The resolution was adopted 99 to 28 (U.S.), with 19 abstentions. Four other apartheid resolutions were also adopted. Resolution 45/176 E on the "Program of work of the Special Committee Against Apartheid" was adopted 113 to 0, with 14 (U.S.) abstentions. Resolution 45/176 F, "Oil embargo against South Africa," urged the Security Council to impose a mandatory oil embargo against South Africa and requested states to adopt effective measures to broaden the scope of the embargo. It was adopted by a vote of 125 to 2 (U.S.), with 19 abstentions. Resolution 45/176 G, entitled "Support for the work of the Commission Against Apartheid in Sports," was adopted by a vote of 113 to 1 (U.S.), with 26 abstentions. Resolution 45/176 H on "UN Trust Fund for South Africa" was adopted by consensus. Other African Questions COMORIAN ISLAND OF MAYOTTE The question of the Comorian island of Mayotte has been on the General Assembly's agenda since 1976. The dispute between France and the Federal Islamic Republic of the Comoros hinges on the status of the island of Mayotte. In November the 45th General Assembly adopted resolution 45/11, which reaffirmed the sovereignty of the Comoros over Mayotte and called on France to seek a just and accelerated solution to the question of Mayotte. The resolution was adopted 118 to 1, with 30 (U.S.) abstentions. COOPERATION BETWEEN THE UNITED NATIONS AND This year's resolution calling for cooperation between the United Nations and the Organization of African Unity (OAU) was adopted by consensus at the 45th General Assembly. In an explanation of vote on resolution 45/13, the United States noted that while it stood behind the OAU in its cooperation with the United Nations, the current resolution contained language which the United States felt was "not indicative of the changes taking place in Southern Africa. References to acts of aggression and destabilization by the Government of South Africa are dated examples of rhetoric which we hope will cease to appear in UN resolutions." The U.S. statement also reiterated the hope that the United Nations and the OAU would continue to cooperate in "achieving the important aims that we all share for that continent." Electoral Assistance to Haiti The United Nations made a significant contribution to Haiti's first free and fair elections on December 16. UN participation in the electoral process was requested by the Provisional Government of Haiti in June. Security Council concurrence with the electoral assistance program for Haiti was reflected in a letter dated October 5 from the Council President to the Secretary General. The program was subsequently ratified by the General Assembly in resolution 45/2, adopted by consensus in early October. The United Nations electoral program for Haiti, ONUVEH (UN Observer Group in Haiti), was two-fold. UN technical assistance included preparation and distribution of election materials and verification of results. Technical assistance personnel, numbering more than 300, worked closely with observers from the Organization of American States and other observer missions, including a U.S. presidential delegation, the National Democratic Institute and the National Republican Institute. The United Nations also provided security assistance 64 unarmed military advisers drawn from UN peacekeeping forces, who accompanied local security forces in all parts of Haiti throughout the electoral process as advisers on public safety and crowd control. No major incidents of violence were reported. Central America SECURITY COUNCIL CONSIDERATION UN efforts to achieve peace in Central America intensified significantly in 1990. Although the Council continued to play an important role, most UN actions during the year were carried out by the Secretary General and his Special Representative for Central America pursuant to a good offices mandate provided by the Council. Underlying all UN actions in support of peace in Central America was the Esquipulas (Guatemala) II Accord signed by the presidents of Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras and Nicaragua on August 7, 1987, which provided a framework for establishing a stable and lasting peace in Central America. |