Decolonization Committee acts on southern Africa, small territories at August session.

Decolonization Committee acts on Southern Africa, small Territories at August session

The 24-member Special Committee on decolonization has recommended that the General Assembly strongly condemn South Africa's continued illegal occupation of Namibia and brutal repression of the namibian people, its defiance of United Nations resolutions, its aggressive activities against neighbouring States, and its acquisition of nuclear-weapon capability, which was a threat to world peace.

The draft resolution, (A/AC.109/L.1573), approved without a vote at the conclusion of its resumed session (1-15 August, New York), was considered under the itekm on the twenty-fifth anniversary of the Declaration on decolonization. By it, the General Assembly would call upon colonial Powers to speedily eradicate colonialism in all its forms. Member States would also be asked to end the illegal operation of all enterprises, including transnational Territory of Namibia.

The Special Committee also adopted six other resolutions and one decision and approved 13 reports on Non-Self-Governing Territories and five on other subjects.

The Committee had its first organizational meeting of 1985 in February. Its Sub-Committee on Petitions, Information and Assistance had its meeting from 25 February to 2 August, while the Sub-Committee on Small Territories was in session from 20 March to 25 June.

Also, this year the Special Committee held a week-long extraordinary session in Tunis, from 13 to 16 May, at which it adopted a consensus decision on Namibia. (For details, see UN Chronicle, 1985, No. 5.)

In plenary, the Committee took up the questions of East Timor, Western Sahara, Falkland Islands (Malvinas) and Gibraltar.

Some other items considered related to Puerto Rico; activities of foreign economic and other interests impeding the implementation of the decolonization Declaration; military activities and arrangements by colonial Powers in Territories under their administration which might be impeding the Declaration's implementation; visiting missions; implementation of the Declaration on decolonization by the specializd agencies and the international institutions associated with the United Nations; and dissemination of information on decolonization.

The Special Committee requested administering Powers to continue to provide the Secretary-General with the fullest possible information on social, economic and political developments in Territories under their administration.

During...