unitex@rubbs.fidonet.org (unitex) (08/14/89)
UNPRESS: DECOLONIZATION COMMMITTEE ON IN NAMIBIA
Other Decolonization Questions Also Addressed
Calls for scrupulous adherence to provisions of the United Nations
independence plan for Namibia were heard in the Special Committee on
decolonization this morning as the Committee began consideration of the
situation in that Territory.
Statements were made by the representatives of Yugoslavia, Indonesia,
India, Cuba and Bulgaria.
Among the issues raised were the integrity of the electoral process and
allegations that the South West Africa Police were intimidating the
Territory's population.
Speakers also referred to the activities of foreign and other economic
interests and military activities and arrangements in dependent Territories,
as well as the decolonization activities of the specialized agencies.
Also this morning, the Committee observed a minute of silence in memory
of Johnny Makhatini, the Foreign Affairs spokesman of the African National
Congress of South Africa (ANC) and the Congress's one-time United Nations
observer.
The Committee will hear more statements on Namibia as well as on the
other issues before it when it meets again at 3 p.m. today.
The Special Committee on decolonization met this morning to take up the
question of Namibia. It also continued consideration of the decolonization
activities of the specialized agencies and other United Nations-affiliated
organizations. Other issues on its agenda are the activities of foreign
economic and other interests impeding decolonization and military activities
and arrangements by colonial Powers in dependent Territories.
The Committee has no documentation before it on the question of Namibia.
At its first meeting last Monday, the Chairman, Tesfaye Tadesse (Ethiopia),
said the Committee was ready to help the Secretary-General in ascertaining
that the November elections in Namibia were "free and fair" and that it might
consider sending a visiting mission to the Territory to observe the elections
and the preparations for it.
Regarding the decolonization activities of the specialized agencies and
United Nations-affiliated organizations, the Committee has a report of its
Sub-Committee on Petitions, Information and Assistance on that subject
(document A/AC/109/L.1686) which contains several recommendations to the
Special Committee, including one which would have the Assembly condemn "the
extensive links and collaboration between the apartheid regime and certain
Western countries, especially the United States and Israel, in the financial,
economic, technical, nuclear, diplomatic and other fields".
By other recommendations in the report, the Assembly would recommend that
the specialized agencies and institutions of the United Nations system render
urgent moral and material assistance to the liberation movements in southern
Africa and that they take all necessary measures to stop all collaboration
with or assistance to the racist regime of South Africa. The Assembly would
urge that the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund (IMF) sever their
continued financial and technical links with South Africa and that they
increase their assistance to the front-line and neighbouring States.
Information on the decolonization activities and programmes of eight
specialized agencies and United Nations-affiliated organizations is contained
in a report of the Secretary-General on that subject (document A/44/297 and
add. 1). Responding to requests from the Secretary-General for information on
the implementation of the Assembly's 1960 Declaration on decolonization were
the International Labour Organisation (ILO), International Civil Aviation
Organization (ICAO), the World Bank, IMF, Universal Postal Union (UPU), World
Food Programme (WFP), World Health Organization (WHO), and the United Nations
High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR).
The report details technical co-operation activities, as well as
fellowships and workshops carried out or proposed by the ILO, ICAO and UPU in
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