Assembly calls for cessation of "armed intervention" in Grenada.

Assembly Calls for Cessation of "Armed Intervention' in Grenada

ON 2 November, the Assembly called for an immediate cessation of the armed intervention in Grenada and the immediate withdrawal of foreign troops from that country. The Secretary-General was asked to assess the situation and report back to the Assembly within 72 hours. He did so on 6 November (see below).

The Assembly acted by adopting resolution 38/7, by a recorded vote of 108 in favour to 9 against (Antigua and Barbuda, Barbados, Dominica, El Salvador, Israel, Jamaica, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines and the United States), with 27 abstentions. Grenada voted for the text.

The Assembly, in a separate recorded vote of 71 in favour to 23 against, with 41 abstentions approved a Belgian amendment which added a provision requesting the organization of free elections in Greanda "as rapidly as possible to enable the people of Grenada to choose its government democratically'. A motion by Democratic Yemen not to consider the Belgian draft amendment was rejected by a recorded vote of 43 in favour to 63 against, with 34 abstentions.

Before voting on the resolution as a whole, the Assembly voted on each operative paragraph, at the request of the United States.

By the text, the Assembly deeply deplored the armed intervention in Grenada as constituting a "flagrant violation of international law and of the independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity of that State' and deplored the death of innocent civilians resulting from the armed intervention. It also called on all States to show the strictest respect for thesovereignty, independence and territorial integrity of Grenada.

Also on 2 November, the Assembly postponed consideration of a second draft resolution (document A/38/L.10), sponsored by Bahamas and Trinidad and Tobago. The text would, among other things, urge an early restoration of normalcy on Grenada based on: the immediate establishment of a broad-based interim civilian administration, whose primary function would be to hold early "free and fair' elections under international supervision; the immediate deployment of a "security presence' including elements from as many States members of the Caribbean Community and Commonwealth States as possible; and the establishment of a fact-finding mission, made up of "eminent nationals' from the Caribbean Community and Commonwealth States, which would report to the Secretary-General.

New Item

On 31 October, the General Committee without a vote requested the inclusion of an item on "the situation in Grenada' on the Assembly's agenda. On 1 November, the Assembly approved the item's inclusion, also without a vote.

Nicaragua, in a letter to the Assembly President (document A/38/245) said the United States, with the aid of "token forces' from six Caribbean countries, had invaded Grenada in an act of "naked armed aggression'. Those countries, it stated, had tried to justify that action by invoking the treaty establishing the Organization of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS).

The majority of Member States rejected the military invasion and demanded the unconditional withdrawal of all foreign troops from the territory of the island nation, Nicaragua said. It also asked that the draft resolution--which the Security Council had failed to adopt on 28 October because of the negative vote of a permanent member, the United States--be approved by the Assembly. That text was appended to Nicaragua's letter. Nicaragua asked that the item be considered with priority in the Assembly.

The United States and the United Kingdom, in the General Committee, referred to rule 15 of the Assembly's provisional rules of procedure, which stipulates additional items should not be considered until seven days after their inclusion, unless the Assembly decides otherwise.

The United States said those calling for a debate were being hypocritical in stating an urgent situation existed in Grenada. Why had not the situation been considered urgent when revolutionary thugs had murdered the Prime Minister, other Government leaders, and women and children? The OECS had opposed the seizure of the Government and felt urgent steps had been required. The United Kingdom asked for clarification as to what "with priority' meant.

On 1 November, the Assembly decided, without a...