In The resolution was approved on November 24 by a recorded vote of 91 to 0, with 2 abstentions (U.S.). The U.S. Representative, Mr. Katzen, explained that the United States had abstained because it was opposed to the growing politicization of the specialized agencies, a trend that threatened to undermine their important work in technical and humanitarian fields. particular, the United States had reservations about the wording of the resolution that called upon the specialized agencies to grant all moral and material assistance to liberation movements. While the United States gave its unqualified support to peaceful evolution in the colonial territories and to the granting of humanitarian assistance to those territories, it believed that extension of material assistance to liberation movements went beyond the scope and functions of the specialized agencies. The General Assembly in plenary session adopted the resolution on December 8 by a recorded vote of 124 to 0, with 4 abstentions (U.S.). The United States supported two resolutions concerning educational and training programs for indigenous inhabitants of non-self-governing territories. The first, sponsored by 31 states, appealed to all states, organizations, and individuals to make generous contributions to the UN Educational and Training Program for Southern Africa. The resolution was adopted without objection by the Fourth Committee on November 19 and by the plenary Assembly on December 8. The second resolution, sponsored by 19 states, invited all states to make generous offers of study and training facilities to the inhabitants of non-self-governing territories, particularly those in southern Africa. It was adopted without objection by the Fourth Committee on November 20 and by the plenary Assembly on December 8. Under an agenda item on "Information from non-selfgoverning territories transmitted under Article 73(e) of the Charter of the United Nations," the Fourth Committee on November 21, by a recorded vote of 108 to 0, with 3 abstentions (U.S.), approved a resolution sponsored by 19 states. The resolution, inter alia, (1) reaffirmed that in the absence of a decision by the General Assembly itself that a non-self-governing territory had attained a full measure of self-government in terms of Chapter XI of the Charter, the administering power concerned should continue to transmit information under Article 73(e); and (2) requested the administering powers concerned to transmit to the Secretary General the information prescribed in Article 73(e), as well as the fullest possible information on political and constitutional developments in the territories concerned within 6 months following the expiration of the administrative year in those territories. The plenary Assembly adopted the resolution on December 8 by a recorded vote of 124 to 0, with 3 abstentions (France, U.K., U.S.). The United States abstained, as it had on a similar resolution the previous year, because it disagreed with the affirmation that the General Assembly was the definitive judge of whether territories had achieved selfgovernment. Plenary Resolutions On December 11, 1975, by a recorded vote of 108 to 3 (U.S.), with 15 abstentions, the General Assembly adopted an omnibus resolution on decolonization under its agenda item, "Implementation of the Declaration on the Granting of Independence to Colonial Countries and Peoples." The resolution, sponsored by 60 states, inter alia, (1) affirmed the determination of the General Assembly to continue to take all necessary steps to effect the complete and speedy eradication of colonialism; (2) approved the 1975 report of the Committee of 24; (3) called upon all states, in particular the administering powers, and the specialized agencies and other organizations within the UN system to give effect to the recommendations contained in the report; (4) reaffirmed the legitimacy of the struggle of the people under colonial and alien domination to exercise their right to self-determination and independence by all the necessary means at their disposal; (5) requested all states to withhold assistance of any kind from the Government of South Africa and from the illegal regime in Southern Rhodesia until they restore to the peoples of Namibia and Zimbabwe their inalienable right to selfdetermination and independence; (6) called upon the colonial powers to withdraw immediately and unconditionally their military bases and installations from colonial territories and to refrain from establishing new ones; and (7) urged all states, directly and through their action in the specialized agencies and other organizations within the UN system, to provide all moral and material assistance to the oppressed peoples of Namibia and Zimbabwe. The United States strongly opposed this resolution and called on all UN members to oppose it. In a statement before the vote, Ambassador Moynihan pointed out that the resolution suffered from the fatal defect of endorsing in its totality the annual report of the Committee of 24. Ambassador Moynihan then examined in some detail U.S. opposition to the conclusions and recommendations of Chapters V and VI of that report in particular. In Chapter VI14/the Committee recommended that the General Assembly strongly condemn the military and naval activities of the United States on Guam as detrimental to the inherent rights of the people of the territory to self-determination. In the same Chapter the Committee concluded that U.S. military installations in the Caribbean were a threat to the sovereignty, independence, and territorial integrity of the states in the Latin American region. In Chapter v15/ of the report the Committee stated that NATO countries were strengthening the minority governments of southern Africa through financial and technological cooperation within the framework of NATO. Ambassador Moynihan denied all of these allegations and pointed out the falsity of the Committee's conclusions. He ended his statement with the assertion that "The United Nations has got to the point where responsible and truthful representatives are prepared to accept a report on matters of serious concern to all of us which is riddled with untruth." He called on all members to vote against the resolution. On the same day the Assembly adopted a companion resolution, sponsored by 57 states, entitled "Dissemination of Information on Decolonization." The United States opposed this resolution, which was adopted by a recorded vote of 117 to 2 (U.S.), with 6 abstentions, because, inter alia, it called on the Secretary General to give widespread publicity to the work of the United Nations in the field of decolonization. It would, in effect, have resulted in the publicizing of the erroneous allegations contained in the report of the Committee of 24. Under its agenda item on "Cooperation between the United Nations and the OAU," the General Assembly on November 28 adopted by consensus a resolution sponsored by 46 African states. The resolution, inter alia, (1) reaffirmed the determination of the United Nations, in cooperation with the OAU, to intensify its efforts to find a solution to the present grave situation in southern Africa; (2) requested the Secretary General to continue to take measures to strengthen cooperation 14/ "Military Activities and Arrangements by Colonial Powers in Territories under Their Administration Which Might Be Impeding the Implementation of the Declaration on the Granting of Independence to Colonial Countries and Peoples." 15/ "Activities of Foreign Economic and Other Interests Which Are Impeding the Implementation of the Declaration on the Granting of Independence to Colonial Countries and Peoples in Southern Rhodesia, Namibia, and in All Other Territories under Colonial Domination and Efforts to Eliminate Colonialism, Apartheid, and Racial Discrimination in Southern Africa." between the United Nations and the OAU, particularly with regard to the provision of assistance to the victims of colonialism and apartheid in southern Africa; and (3) decided to invite as observers, on a regular basis and in accordance with earlier practice, representatives of the national liberation movements recognized by the OAU to participate in the relevant work of the main committees of the General Assembly and its subsidiary organs and in conferences, seminars, and other meetings held under UN auspices, and requested the Secretary General in consultation with the OAU to ensure that the necessary arrangements were made for their effective participation, including requisite financial provisions. In a statement after the vote, the U.S. Representative, Pearl Bailey, said that the United States was pleased to participate in the adoption of the resolution by consensus. It participated on the understanding, however, that the reference in a preambular paragraph to the October 1 address to the Assembly by President Idi Amin Dada of Uganda pertained solely and exclusively to that portion of the address delivered in his capacity as Chairman of the OAU and in no way to his remarks as President of his country. This clarification was made because the United States did not agree with a number of the statements by President Amin in that section of his speech made as Ugandan head of state. |