'Decolonization remains high on agenda of international community.'

'Decolonization remains high on agenda of international community'

When the United Nations was founded in 1945, 750 million people -- almost a third of the world's population -- lived in non-self-governing Territories dependent on colonial Powers. Forty-two years later, the population of dependent Territories had dropped to 3 million. The United Nations was deeply involved in the process of moving countries from colonial rule to independence. Its 1960 Declaration on the Granting of Independence to Colonial Countries and Peoples gave new impetus to that process. Some 60 former colonial Territories, inhabited by more than 80 million people, have attained independence and joined the United Nations as sovereign Members since 1960.

However, it was important "not to become complacent about the 3 million people who still await an opportunity" to exercise their right to self-determination and independence, Tesfaye Tadesse of Ethiopia, Chairman of the Special Committee on decolonization, said at the end of the Fourth (Decolonization) Committee's work in November. So long as even a single Territory, a single person remained under colonial rule, the international community was bound under the Charter to give effect to the objectives set out in the Charter and the Declaration on decolonization, he said.

Constantine Moushoutas of Cyprus, Chairman of the Fourth Committee, told the Committee that although no colonial Territory had attained independence during the past year, decolonization of the remaining Non-Self-Governing Territories remains high on the agenda of the international community.

Twenty-five texts on a wide range of decolonization issues were adopted by the General Assembly in 1987 including those on Namibia, Falkland Islands (Malvinas), New Caledonia, Western Sahara, St. Helena and 12 other small Territories; activities of foreign economic and other interests; military activities by colonial Powers; and implementation of the Declaration on decolonization by the specialized agencies.

The Assembly declared that progress towards a long-term political solution in New Caledonia required a free and genuine act of self-determination consistent with United Nations principles and practices, preceded by a comprehensive programme of political education. France, it stated, should resume dialogue with all sections of the population of New Caledonia in order to facilitate rapid progress towards self-determination.

France, which voted against the...