.•
With the compliments
of the
PERMANENT MISSION
OF PORTUGAL TO
THE UNITED NATIONS PRESS
INFORMATION PERMANENT MISSION OF PORTUGAL TO THE UNITED NATIONS 630 FIFTH AVE., SUITE 2170 NEW YORK 21, N.Y. Cl 7-6736
Press ReJ.ease 10 April 19l3 No. 6/63
With reference to the communique issued qy the Gdvernment . of Senegal in Dakar on .A.prll 9 • 1963, and publ.i.Dhed. in the inter..
national press. allezing that in the morning of the 9th instant. four
Portuguese military planes had overflown Sengalese territ&7 and bombed
the Sengalese village of Domack, the Permanent Mission of Portugal to
the United Nations is instructed ~ its Government to issue the follow-
ing statement:
"Following a most careful imrestigation which--was ordered, the Portuguese Government can state categorica~ that the report is hrithout the slightest foundation. On the day in question, no Portutruese militar7 aircraf~ overflew t.hat area or anv other UNITED NATIONS Press Services Office of Public Information United Nations, N.Y. (For use of information media -- not an official record)
Press Release SC/2473/ Corr.l 18 April 196'
C 0 R R E C T I 0 N
In the Summary of Press Release SC/2473, the third paragraph should read, "Amadou Cisse Dia, a member of the Senegalese delegation, later displayed before the Council metal fragments ••• ", rather than "He displayed before the Council ••• " In Take 11 of the same press release, the fourth and tenth paragraphs should read, "Mr. CISSE DIA (Senegal)", rather than "Mr. DIOP".
* *** * UNITED );y!NATIONS
Press Services Office of Public Information United Nations, N.Y.
(For use of information media -- not an official record) Security Council Press Release SC/2474 1028th Meeting 18 April 1963 PM SUMMARY
GHANA SUGGESTS 0~-T~SPOT INVESTIGATION OF SENEGAL'S CO~NT AGAINST· PORTUGAL Security Council Members Ex-oress Sympathy on Death
of U~der-Secretary Eugeny D. Kiselev
Ghana suggested today, as the Security Council continued debate on Senegal's complaint of violations of its airspace and territory by Portugal, that the Council might appoint a small corrmission to make an on-the-spot investigation to find out the facts and ease tension in the area. Such a commission, said the representative of Ghana, Alex Quaison-Sackey, could then report back to the Council with recommendations to avoid a recurrence of similar incidents. This action, he added, would have a salutary effect in other areas of Africa, where similar problems existed. Other speru(ers in the debate this afternoon were Amadou Cisse Dia, Senegal's Minister for the Armed Forces, and Nil>.olai T. Fedorenko (USSR). At the start of the meeting, Secretary-General U Thant informed the Council of the death last night of Eugeny D. Kiselev, Under-Secretary for Political and Security
Council Affairs. He paid tribute to ¥~. Kiselev, and asked the Soviet representativ.e to convey to the Soviet Government his condolences and those of the United Nations Secretariat. The President of the Council, Liu Chieh (China), expressed to the Secretary General the regret of Council members at Mr. Kiselev's death. Mr. Fedorenko (USSR) also spoke in tribute to Mr. Kiselev, and later thanked members of the Council for their expressions of sympathy, which he said he would transmit to his Government. Turning to the matter on the agenda, the Council agreed after some discussion to invite representatives of Congo (Brazzaville) and Gabon to participate in the consi deration.ofthis item, as they had requested, and to give them the floor at an appropriate stage,
(more)
-··------2 - Press Release SC/2474 18 April 19()3
Mr. Cisse Dia (Senegal), the first speaker this afternoon; declared that Portugal had violated his country's a.trspace and terri tory, indeed 1 ts very sovereignty. Senegal trusted that the world community would support its cause. The Security . .:, Council could do Portugal no greater favour than to "wake it up to the world 9f the Twentieth Century", he asserted. Mr. Quaison-Sackey (Ghana), in his statement to the Council, served notice that
Ghana, in concert with other African states, planned1in due course,to bring the whole question of Portugal's "presence" in Africa before the Council in line with the resolution adopted by the Special Committee of.24 on 4 ~pril. Mr. Fedorenko (USSR), the final speaker this afternoon, declared that the Council was face.d with a case of "ope.n aggression by Portugal against ~ young African State -- Senegal". He said that the Soviet delegation would support "drastic" measures to "punish the aggressor" and prevent the ~epetition of such acts. In view of the hour, the consecutive interpretations of Mr. Fedorenko's 'state ment were deferred until 11 a.m. tomorrow, 19 April. The Council will resume the debate at 4:15 p.m. tomorrow, after the memorial services for Mr. Kiselev.
Duri~ the meeting, a. report by Senegal's Chief of General Staff was circulated, containing statements by nine witnesses to the effect that Portuguese planes had bombed the village of Bougniack (Doc. S/5287). The document also stated that in the debris had been found four bullets, probably fired from a machine-gun, and rocket tragments from an anti-personnel rocket launcher.
{A MORE DETAILED ACCOUNT OF THE MEETING APPEARS IN TAKES 1-ll OF THIS RELEASE. ) URI TED NATIONS Press Services Office of Public Information United Nat1ons1 N.Y. (For use of information media -- not an official record) Security Council Press Release SC/2474 ~028tb. Meeting (PM) J.8 April 1963 SEOJRITY COUNCIL -- TAKE l.
Tbe Security Ccunci~ met this·afternoon to continue debate on Senegal's complaint of "repeated violations of Senegalese airspace and territory" by Portu88l (Doc.S/5279 and Corr.J.). 1 Yesterday1 at the Council s first meeting on this question1 representatives of Senegal asked the Co~cil. to condemn Portuguese incursions and "aggression", and dis p1ayed before the Council metal. fragments which were said to have come from a rocket fired by a Portuguese pl.ane over Senegalese territory on 8 April.
The representative of Portugal denied the Senegal.ese chargcs1 end asked what proof there was that the Uletal. fragments had been dropped by a Portuguese plane. (For detail.s of meeting, see Press Release SC/2473 and Corr.J..)
Tbis afternoon's meeting was cal.l.ed to order by the President of the Council.1
LIU CBIEH (China) 1 at 3:18 p.m. SRC'.K&T.ARY-0~ U TEA"!!: said it was his sad duty to inform the Council. of the sudden death last night of Evgeny D. Kisel.ev 1 Under-Secretary for Political and Security Council. Aff~~a.
He paid tribute to Mr. Kiael.ev1 and asked the Soviet representative on the Council to convey to the Soviet Government his condolences and those of all his colleagues in the Unit9d lmtions Secretariat.
(For t~ of statement1 see Press Release SG/1464.) The FR!l:SDENT said be believed he was speaking for all members of the Council in expressing +.o the Secretary-General their "great regl:et" at the death of Mr. Kisel.ev. He a'..lked t~e Sec:r.et&-y-Gene.ral to convey to Mr. K!selev 1 s famil.y the condolences of membez·s of t.he C'Jur.cil. !T.r.!C::.LAI T. FEDO.~O (USSR) also spoke in tribute to Mr. K:l.selev.
( EriD OF TAKE 1) UNITED NATIONS Press Services Office of Public Info~ation United Nations, N.Y. (For use of information media -- not an official record)
Security Council Press Release SC/247~ l028th Meeting (PM} 18 April 1963
SECURITY CO~"CIL -- TAI invited tr~ representatives of Senegal and of Portugal to take seats at the Council table. Amadou Cisse Dia, Senegal's Minister for the Armed Forces, and Ousmane Soce Diop, Permanent Representative of Senegal to the Ubited Nations, took their seats at the table. VascoVieiraGarin (Portugal) also took a seat at the Council table, The PRESIDENT said that requests to participate had also been received from Congo (Brazzaville} and from Gabon. He suggested that perhaps the Council might defer its decision so that they could be heard at an appropriate stage. Mr. FEDORENKO (USSR) said that if Congo (Brazzaville) and Gabon asked to be heard, their requests should be granted. The PRESIDENT said this was a matter for the Council to decide. He had suggested that they be heard after Council members had spoken. However, if the Council decided otherwise, he would call on them to make their statements at the appropriate time. ALEX QUAISON-5ACI However 1 he added1 if the Council decided otherwise, he would not press his objections, as a matter of courtesy to thetwo states making the request. AMELITO MUTUC (Philippines) said he was inclined to support the views of the United states and the lTni ted Kingdom. Rule 37 was only an imp.:)..ementa.tion of Article 31 of the Charter 1 he added. The wording of that Article was very similar to Rule 37. Article 31 state!3: Any member of the United Nations which is not a member of the Security Council may participate, without vote, in the discussion of any question brongb.t bef ore the Security Council whenever the latter considers that the interests of that member are specially affected. He said that until the Council knew the exact case before it1 it did not know which country 1 s interests w~e affected. It must have the full views of the two parties before taking a decision. ROGER SEYDO~A (France) said that, as he understood it1 the United States representative had taken the position that1 as only two delegations had asked to participate, the Council could authorize them to do so in spite of the provisions of Rule 37. This position seemed to him a reasonable one, and he said his delegation would go along with it. AHMED TAIBI BEN'.dll-IA (Morocco) said he believed the requests of Gabon and Congo ( ErazzaviJ~e) ·ware in ·accord with Rule 37. Some of the statemcut s made in the Council seemed to prejudge the quest~on of the interests of the two countries. He hoped the Council would not now, for the firs t time1 take a restrictive view of Rule 37. The two count-ries were friends and allies of Senegal. and were affected. The PRESIDE..l'ir said that thjs discussion had clarified the implications of Rule 37. In view of the statements made, he assumed t..here was no objection to inviting the representatives of Congo (Brazzaville) and Gabon to participate in the Council meetings on this question. They would be given the floor at an appropriate stage. There was no objection, and it was so decided. (END OF TAKE 3) UNITED NATIONS Press Services Office of Public Information United Nations, N.Y. (For use of information media -- not an official record) Security Council Press Release SC/2474 1028th Meeting (PM) 18 April 1963 SECURITY COUNCIL -- TAKE 4 VASCO VIEIRA GARIN (Portugal) asked for I:ermission to make a statement on the decision just made. Mr. QUAISON-SACKEY (Ghana) said this was a procedural matter, and he wondered whether Portugal could comment on this matter. The PRESIDENT asked whether the representative of Portugal could defer his statement. Mr. VIEIRA GA.lUN (Portugal) said it was obviously up to the Council to make its own decisions. He would defer his statement. The debate then resumed. AMADOU CISSE DIA (Senegal) then associated his delegation with the tributes paid to Mr. Kiselev. Turning to the matter under discussion, he said the representative of Portugal seemed to be showing an agility of mind gained through "his unenviable habit of finding himself in the dock, defending causes to which international public opinion was opposed". The representative of Portugal had quoted the Charter in an attempt to show that Sene~al had not carried out the provisions of the Charter regarding peaceful settlement. It could be said that "at last Portugal has discovered the Charter". How~ver, it was only a maneuver, he went on. Portugal referred to the Charter only when it wanted to defend its own interests, and had shown a consistent attitude of "defiance and contempt" for the United Nations, "strengthened by impunity". The fuct was, he continued, that Senegal had not opposed a settlement of its differe~ce s with Portugal. However, Portugal always denied everything. On what basis could a dialogue be set up? he asked. Portugal sought to"intimidate" Senegal. Members of the Council knew well the policy of Portugal and could see readily that there was no basis for any dialogue, he stated. Senegal had no choice but to bring its complaint before the Security Council. '~y mistake", he went on, the original telegram sent to the President of the Council had been dated incorrectly and had contained other "typographical errors~' of which the Portuguese delegation had naturally tried to take advantage. (END OF TAKE 4) UNITED NATIONS Press Services Office of Public Information United Nations, N.Y. (For use of information media -- not an official record) Security Council Press Release SC/2474 l028th Meeting (PM) 18 April 196.3 SECURITY COUNCIL -- TAKE 5 The representative of Portugal sought to minimize the incidents as "trivial" or "obsolete", but the facts were otherwise, continued Mr. CISSE DIA (Senegal). Senegal's airspace and territory, its very sovereignty, had been violated, be declared. Senegal, he went on, did not share Portugal's point of view. These incidents were significant and important. The representative of Portugal himself had referred to the tension in the frontier region. This tension, said Mr. CISSE DIA, was a result of Portugal's "campaign of intimidation", of which the incident of 8 April was the latest example. This incident, which had claimed one victim and in which houses had been destroyed and panic had been sown among the population, could hardly be described as trivial. He had already placed the evidence before the Council (Doc. S/5287). Mr. CISSE DIA then charged Portugal with following a "barbaric" policy in its African territories. Portugal, he said, was "stubbornly opposing the march of history and trying to maintain the horror of colonialism". All of independent, liberated Africa rejected Portugal's policy. It was not Senegal's fault, he remarked, if refugees from "so-called Portuguese Guinea" came to Senegal as "a land of peace". The United Nations had repeatedly condemned Portugal's policy "against which all of independent Africa has risen", said the representative of Senegal. The Security Council could do Portugal no greater favor than to "wake it up to the world of the Twentieth Century" and make it aware of all these resolutions, he asserted. Portugal was clinging to its "dangerous errors" and thought that it had such powerful friends that it could withstand "the sacred anger" of the United Nations. However, Senegal trusted that the world community would support its cause and that peace and tranquility could be re-established on its border with "so-called Portuguese Guinea'.'. Mr. CISSE DIA concluded by urging the Council to "disapprove':' Portugal's action. (END OF TAKE 5) UNITED NATIONS Press Services Office of Public Information United Nations, N.Y. (For use of information media -- not an official record) Security Council Press Release SC/2474 1028th Meeting (PM) 18 April 1963 SECURITY COUNCIL -- TAKE 6 Mr. QUAISON-SACKEY (Ghailla) 1 after offering his condolences over Mr. Kiselev' s death, and welcoming the new members to the Council, s&id his delegation viewed the charges made by Senegal with serious concern. The Portuguese colonial al'IDY 1 ''true to their record in our Africa", had been fighting African nationalists with modem weapons and such conflict was bound to have repercussions in the neighbouring countries of Senegal and Guinea. There was no doubt, he sta.tad, that the Portuguese were suppressing the nationalist front, using every means available, including espionage. The Council should take note of Senegal's em~sis on the threat to international peace and security. Mr. QUAISON-SACKEY said that the representative of Portugal had presented a "quibble about the date 8 or 9 April". As for Portugal's argument that the Council's meeting was irregular, he said: "OUr meeting is very regular and very important." Article 35 of the Charter stated that any ldember could bring before the Council a situation that might give rise to a. dispute, he observed. Ghana supported the contention that there was a threat to international peace and security, as a result of the incidents complained of by Senegal, he continued. Senegal had already tried to settle, bilaterally, the problems with Portugal. Guinea also could testify that provocative acts and violations by Portugal were many. He said it was when Portugal abused the good faith of Senegal by fighting against African nationalists in "so-called" Portuguese Gu:!.neo. and "by committing atrocities in African villages" that Senegal. refused to "have truck with Portugal". Mr. QUAISON-SACIGY said Ghanaians did not hate the Portuguese, but they hated intensely colonial domination and the Portuguese colonial system. "The complaint of Senegal is the complaint of all Africa" 1 he declared. The incidents must have real significance to the Council because they were not trivial, he asserted. To the African States, "these provocative and arrogant displays of force" by Portugal in "so-called" Portuguese Guinea, Senegal and other parts of Africa were of serious concern. (END OF TAKE 6) UNITED NA T IONS Press Services Office of ~lblic Inf ormation United Nations, N.Y. (For use of information media -- not an official record) Secur ity Council Press Release SC/ 2474 1028th Me~ ting (PM) 18 April 1963 ~CURITY COUNCIL -- TAKE 1 Continuing, Mr. QUAISON-SACKEY (Ghana ) sai d no one could deny that "the Portuguese octopus is stretching its clammy tentacles" to menace the peace and securi ty of African States bordering the"so-called'' Portuguese t erritories. The strafing of Bougniack was, he stat ed, just one example of incidents "which may one dey flare up in a general conflagration in Africa, if nothing is done to check them". I n terms of material damage and casualties, he went on, one might be tempted to laugh off the incident as a mere storm in a teacup, as the representative of Portugal hed done. However, atated Mr. QUAISON-SJl.Clffi:!; "a thief is a t hief, whether he stole one dollar or one million dollars". This was not a mere frontier incident, nor a mere question of a territorial claim, he said. There was a state of tension on the frontiers between Senegal, Guinea and "so-called" Portuguese Guinea, and the same could be said of other areas in Africa where Portugal has not yet emerged from the "dark and musty cloisters of the Middle Ages, and still holds down in abject slavery and mi sery t housands of our African brothers and sisters". He did not view the Senegalese compl aint in i solation, as it was a part of "the whole revol-ting question" of Portuguese col.Jnialism. He said the tension which w ~s steadily building up in Africa was fraught with t he gravest consequences to peace. Portugal's "holy wars" were definitely having repercussions on neighbouring States where artificial boundaries cut across peoples of the same ethnic group~he went on. So l ong as "these repressive measures" continued and people were forced t o flee across ill-defined and unguarded frontiers, he said, the threat to peace i n Africa would continue and would definitely spill over into other parts of t he world. (END OF TAKE 7) UNITED NATIONS Press Services Office of Public Information United Nations, N.Y. (For use of information media -- not an official record) Security Council Press Release SC/2474 1028th Meeting (P.M) 18 April 1963 SECURITY COUNCIL -- TAKE 8 Portugal and its friends stubbornly refused to admit that rthese iniquitous measures" constituted a threat to peace and security in Africa, Mr. QUAISON-SACKEY (Ghana) went on. He asked whether they would cling to 'this untenable argument" now that Portugal was using arms supplied by her "big brothers" to menace the peace of African States. Portugal, he added, was vigorously suppressing the five Guinean nationalist groups in Portuguese Guinea and the Cape Verde Islands. He said the African States could not indefinitely remain impassive spectators of the "wanton destructiveness" of the lives and property of their kith and kin. A potential threat to peace was not altered by the fact that a mere mud hut was destroyed, he went on. If these incidents continued, Senegal would naturally expect its allies to come to its aid. He said: 11This will be a source of great embarrass ment to some friends of Portugal, like France. Portugal should take a leaf out of the book of her friends and gradually dis engage itself from its "so-cal d" territories, he declared. Portugal must heed the "cries" for independence. He said Portugal's latest contempt for the United Nations was its refusal to co-operate with the Special Committee of 24, which had now asked for Security Council consideration of the question. Ghana, in concert with other African States, would,in due course,bring the whole question of Portuguese "presence" in Africa before the Council. The Council must take measures to end t.be intermittent provocations ·of Portugal and assure the people of Senegal that they would no longer be subject to threats to their peace and security, he asserted. The Portuguese military build-up in Africa must be liquidated forthwith. (END OF TAKE 8) UNITED NATIONS Press Services Office of Public Information United Nations, N.Y. (For use of information media -- not an officialrrecord) Security Council Press Release SC/2474 1028th Meeting (PM) 18 April 1963 SECURITY COUNCIL -- TAKE 9 Continuing, Mr. ~UAISON-SACKEY (Ghana) said that frontier incursions, violations of airspace and sporadic attacks on villages by Portugal should be deplored and the perpetrators called upon to desist forthwith. In view of Portugal's categorical denial, and of the increasing tension, he said an on-the-spot investigation would be helpful. A small commission should be appointed by the Council to visit the area and report back to the Council with recommendations to avoid the recurrence of similar incidents. He said such action would have a salutary effect in other areas of Africa, where similar problems existed. Today, it was Senegal's complaint. Perhaps tomorrow it would be Guinea, Congo (Leopoldville) or Congo (Brazzaville). Mr. FEDORENKO (USSR) began by stating his thanks to the representatives of Senegal and Ghana for their condolences on the untimely death of Mr. Kiselev. He would transmit to his Government the expressions of sympathy of members of the Council. Turning to the matter Q~der discussion, the Soviet representative declared that the Security Council was faced with a case of "open aggression by Portugal against a young African State -- Senegal". Nor was this the first case of "aggression" by Portugal against Senegal, he asserted. Portugal had been unable to deny the substance of Senegal's complaints, and in fact Senegal had produced before the Council "very grave pieces of evidence" of Portuguese bombing and strafing, said Mr. FEDORENKO. Portugal tried to minimize Senegal's complaints as trivial, but did that mean Portugal would allow violations of it~ own airspace and territory, and bombings and strafings, "in the same trivial way"? he asked. (END OF TAKE 9) • U N I T ED NAT IONS Press Services Office of Publ i c Informati on United Nations, N.Y. (For use of information media -- not an official record) Security Council Press Release SC /2474 1028th MeetJ.ng (PM) 18 April 1963 SECURITY COUNCIL -- TAKE 10 Portugal tried to deny the f acts, but the facts could not be denied, Mr . FEDORENKO (USSR ) went on. The version given out by the Portuguese authorities at Bissau in Portuguese Guinea regarding the incidents on t he border was different from the version given out by t he authorities in Lisbon, remarked Mr. FEDOREW.tiD. It was not easy, "even f or Portugal:~ , to deny the facts. It was "a mockery of the Charter and of common sense", he declared, for Portugal, which had "committed aggresslon", to come here and urge peaceful settl ement. Portugal tried to depict itself as the victim, although Portugal was in fact "being accused here by Senegal, by Africa and by all of peace-loving mankind", he said. Portugal had tried to "i ntimidate" Senegal by shows of force on the border end now by "aggression", continued the Soviet representative. "The spirit of coloni al times is still prevalent in some mi.lids", he said. The "colonialists" wanted to restore "their crumbling position in Africa", as could be seen by their actions in the Congo and elsewhere. Arms had been sent to Moise Tshombe in Katanga by rail through Angola, and that would not have been possible without the support of the Portuguese authorities, he declared. Moreover, even now, some of Tshombe's mercenaries and at l east 10 railroad cars loaded with military equipment for Tshombe were in Angola, he said. Mr. FEOORENKO charged that Portugal's policy was a threat to the peace and Portugal had the support of the members of "the aggressive military bloc of NATO". (END OF TAKE 10) .. UNITED NATIONS Press Services Office of Public Infonnation United Nations, N.Y 1 (For use of information media -- not an official record) Security Council Press Release SC/2474 1028th Meeting (PM) 18 April 1963 SECURITY COUNCTI. .... TAKE 11 Mr. FEDORENKO (USSR) added that "those in the Council who are thinking more of a new base in the Azores than the incident before the Council cannot be e~ected to evaluate the matter correctly". Portugal itself had "forced" the Council to consider this case by its "open aggression" against Senegal, he asserted. The "aggressors" should be punished and effect! ve measures taken to prevent the repetition of these incidents, continued the Soviet representative. The Security Council, he said, should take "immediate and decisive" action against Portugal. His delegation would support any "radical" measures to ''punish the aggressors" and prevent a repetitlcnof these acts, he concluded. The PRESIDENT said he understood that the USSR representative had no objection to deferring the consecutive interpretations of his statement until tomorrow. He proposed that the Council hear the interpretations at 11 a.m. The Council would meet at 4:15p.m. tomorrow to continue the debate,so that members could first attend the funeral of Mr. Kiselev. The Council adjourned at 5:54p.m. until 11 a.m. tomorrow, 19 April. (END OF TAKE 11 AND PRESS RELEASE SC/2474) ArP•O·ATTENTION NATIONS UNIES LIS~ONNE , 30 •CArP> ~'D AMS UN NOUVEAU ~ESTE DE COOPERATI ON POS ITIVE, LE GOUVERNEMENT PORTUGAIS VIENT D1 ADRESSER UNE INVITAT I ON O~'ICIELLE AU SECRETAIRE GENERAL DES NATIONS UM IES U T~ANT A VISITER LIS~ONNE'' ANNONC! UN COMMUN IQUE O'riCIEL PUqLIE PAR LE MINISTRE PORTUGAIS DES AF,AIRES ETRANGERES INSCRIVANT LA NOUVELLE DIMARC~ PORTU~AISE DANS LE CADRE DE LA POLITIIUE NATI ONAL! POUW L'OUTRE MER. CETTE MESURE, IMDIQUE LE COMMUNIQUE EST DESTINE£ A ''ETA~LIR UN CONTACT DIRECT AtltC LE GOUVERNEMENT PORTUGAIS EN CI QUI CONCERNE DES PROqLEMES SOULEVES AU COORS DE LA SESSION DU CONSE IL DE SECURITE DU 22 AU 31 JUILLET DERNIER''• LE COMMUNIQUE RAPPELLE QUI LE GO~TERNEMENT PORTUGAIS A CKERC~E A PLUSIEURS !EPRISES A APPORTER SA CONTRI~UTION POUR ''ECLAIRER DES ASPECTS, UNIVERSILLEMEMT INCOMPR IS OU TEND ANC IEUSI· MENT INTERPRETES, SE RAPPORTANT A LA POLITIQUE PORTUGAIS! OUTRE MER''• ''LE GOUVERNEMENT REGRETTE QUE SES INITIATI\~S AlENT ETE REJETEES '', POURSUIT LE COMMUNIIUE QUI CONCLUTI ''LE GOUVERNEMENT PORTUGAIS ME DOUTE PAS QUE L!S CONVERSATIONS QUI AURONT LIEU A LA SUITE ~E L'INVITATION ADRESSEE AU T~ANT POURRONT LUI 10URNIR DES ELEMENTS UTILIS A L'ACCOMPLISSEMENT DE SES rONCTIONS''• RIER, Me VASCO GARIN, REPRESENTANT PERMANENT DU PORTUGAL AUX NATIONS UNitS A~TAIT ETE RECU SUR SA DEMAND£ PAR Me T~ANT. A1P U.NlTED NATIONS Press Services Office of Public Information United Notions, NuY. (FOR lEE OF INFORMATION lv:EDIA -- NO!' AN OFFIC JJ\L RECORD) Press Release S0/1575 2 September 1963 EXCHANGE OF LETTERS BETWEEN TBE GOVERNMENr OF PORTUGAL AND ~ NATIONS SECRETARY-GENERAL U THAt~ On 29 August, the following letter addressed to the Secretary-General was received from the Government of Portugal through the Permanent Representatlve of Portugal to the United Nations: "I haYe the honour to inform Your Excellency that I have been 1nf.tr~cted by my Government to convey to Yoar ExcelJ.a.ccy tha following: "In connexion with Note TR 300 PORT, dated 19 August 1963, and without prejudice to the position of principle which is generally well known, and which has been reiterated by the Portuguese delegation at the meetings of the Security Council held from 22 July 1963 to 31 July 1963, the Portuguese Government bas the honour to state that it is pre pared to give to the Secretary-Gene:t•al all its co-operation tor the clarification of some problems which we~ raised during tbe said sessions of the Security Council, and which in terms of the Charter may be legitimately considered to be matter within the specific competence ot that Organ. "For this purpose, and in the conviction that conversations within that context could be advantageous to the objective in View, the Portuguese Government, acting in the constructive spirit by which it is animated, inVites the Secretary-General to Visit Lisbon, as soon as possible, on a date which His Excellency may find convenient, for direct contacts with the Portuguese Government. "I take this opportunity to renew to Your Excellency the assurances ot my highest consideration." On 31 August, the Secretary-General sent the following reply: "I have the honour to refer to Your Excellency r s letter of 29 August 1963, by which you conveyed a communication from your G01 ernment to me, and to request you to convey to your Government the following reply: (more) Press Release SG/1575 2 September 1963 11 1The Portugueee Government, by the above-mentioned COlllllluriie&tion, informed the Secretary-General that in eonnexion with note T.R 300 PORT I I· dated 19 August 19631 and without preJudice to the position of principle which is generally well known, and which has been reiterated by the Portuguese delegation at the meetings of the Se . urity CouncU held trom 22 July 1963 to 31 July 1963, the Portuguese Government bas the honour to state that it was prepared to give to the Secretary-General all its co-operation for the clarification of some problems which ~ere raised during the said sessions of the Security Council, and which in ter.ros of the Charter may be legitimately considered to be matter within the specific competence of that Organ, For this purpose, and in the conviction that conversations within the context could be advantageous to the objective in view, the Port~uese Government, acting in the constructive spirit by which it was animated, invited the Secretary-General to visit Lisbon, as soon as possible, on a date which the Secretary-General may find convenient, for direct contacts with the Portuguese Government. " 1The Secretary-General, in expressing his appreciation of the kind invitation, bas the honour to inform the Portuguese Government that due to heavy pressure of work he is prevented at this stage from leaving the Headquarters of the United Nations. Nevertheless, the Secretary-General, in the wish to meet the spirit by which the Portuguese Government is animated and pursuant to the mandate given to him by the Security Council, will be glad to assign one of the Under-secretaries of the United Nations, Mr. Godfrey K.J. Amachree.., to visit Lisbon and to represent the Secretary-General in direct contacts with the Portuguese Govermnent. Mr. Amachree will arrive in Lisbon on 9 September, shoul.d these arrangements be convenient to the Portuguese Government.' "I take this opportunity to renew, to Your Excellency, the assurances of my highest consideration." The Portuguese Government has today informed the Secretary-General that it would be happy to ~elcome Mr. Alpachree in Lisbon on 9 September. * *** * UNITED NATIONS Press Services Office of Public Information United Nations1 N.Y. (FOR USE OF INFORMATION MEDIA -- NOT AN OFFICIAL RECORD) Press Release SG/1577 6 September 196' REPRESENTATIVE OF SECRETARY-GENERAL LEAVnlG FOB TAlKS WITH PORTUGUESE GOVERNMENT The Secretary-General announced today that Under-Secretary Godfrey K.J. Amachree will depart for Lisbon on SUnday, 8 September, as his Representative for talks with the Portuguese Govermnent. The Portuguese Govermnent had invited the Secretary-General for direct contacts with them, in a letter of 29 August replying to a communication addressed to Portugal regarding the adoption of a resolution by the Security Council on 31 July 196' {Doc.S/5,SO, resolution dealing with the situation in the territories under Portuguese administration). The Secretary-General, due to the heavy pressure of work, was prevented at this stage from leaving Headquarters, but in a wish to meet the spirit by which the Portuguese Govermnent was animated and 1n pursuance of the mandate given him by the Security Council, proposed to assign Mr. ~chree to visit Lisbon and to represent him in direct contacts with the Portuguese Govermnent, to which the Portuguese Govermnent subsequently agreed. Mr. Amachree will be received by the Prime Minister of Portugal, the Foreign Minister and other members of the Govermnent. Mr • .Amachree, who will be accompanied by John A. Miles, is expected te return to United Nations Headquarters in the latter part of next week • ..,. *** * UNIT Et NATIO NS Pree.s Se.t·vices Office of Public Infol~ati on United Natior.s1 N.Y. (FOR lSE OF INFORHATION MIDIA -- NOI' AN CFFICIAL RECORD ) Press Release SG/1601 11 October 1963 MEETING BETWEEN REFRESEIV!'ATIVES OF AFRICAN STATES AND PORIJ.'UGAL TO BE HELD ON 17 CCTOBER The meetint ~Ptween repreGentatives o! African States and Portugal, vrhich had been tentatively arranged by the Secretary-General for Mouday, 14 October, ~ill now be held on Thursday, 17 October, at 11:00 a.m. at Unj.ted Nations Headquarter s*• * *** * *For earlier details see Press.Release SG/1595· . .. .·. 'UNITED NATIONS Press Services Office of Public Info~ion United Nations, N• Y'. . ) (FOR USE OF. INFOW.ATION UEJ)IA • .., ·NOT AN OFFICIAL. RECORD} Press Release GA/C9L/278 2 SO?eriber·1964 · . ; SUB-COl>l'iC~EE CONSID~.S TERRITORIES UND~ iJ.....:.'OIJiJBM !~STRATION Sub-Committee I* of the Special Commi tteb of 24 on the ending Of .. ·-:· : . ·. i : . . co~oni~ism m~t this morning to con~ider foreign economic and other interest~ tm~ing the ~plementation of the Declar&tion ·on the granting of independence . t , . • in the territories under Porix.:.uese e.c:m:t.cl~i.~ration • . .Lin~ resoluti~n adopted by the Spee1dl Committee at . 2~ ~ . 3 Ju1y 1964, the Sub-Committee was requested to study these activities with'the assistance of the Secretary-C-eneral~ Vladimir S. Polyakov, Secretary of the Sub-Cor.mittee, informed the Sub Committee of the Secretariat's contacts with the International Mbneta.r,y Fund, the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development, the International Labour Organisation and the Econanic Commission for Africa, w1 th a view to obtaining their assistance in the preparation of the proposed study .. He said that the International Monetary Fund had replied that the request did not fall within the scope of the Fund's activities; that the International Bank had stated that it had not undertaken any operations in Portuguese territories outside Europe, and that it had no specific .information on the territories in question; that the International LabourOrganisation regretted that no !~ormation Ori the subject was available to it, and that it was not in a position to provide the assistance requested. ECA, he added, had also regretted its inability to assist in the study, as Portugal was no longer a member of ECA, and consequent}¥ the Commission was receiving no information on these territories. However, ECA had referred to the "Africa Trade Statistics, Series B, No. 5", which, it said, included information on the foreign trade of Angola and Mozambique for 1960. It had also ref'erred to a study by ECA entitled "Economic and Social Consequences of Racial Discrimination Practices". (more) * Members of the Bub-Committee are Denmark, Ethiopia, Mali, S,yria, Tunisia, USSR, United Republic of Tanganyika and Zanzibar, Yugoslav:ia. -'.2 - Press Release GA/COL/278 2 November 1964 Sub-Committee ,members then eXpressed the view that the Secretariat should continue its work to collect the information needed for the st~dy • . The Sub-Committee then adopted a report on this subject, in Which it decided that, subject to any decision Which the Special Committee of 24 might make, "it would consider this question as soon as the ne.cessary working papers for the study are reacly" • The Su}J-Co:mmi ttee also decided that its Rapporteur, Milos Melovski . (Yugoslavia), should prepare, in consUltation ~~th the Chairman, Te£faye Gebre-Egzy (Ethiopia), a reply to the statement of" 30 October by Mrs. Marietta P. Tree (United States) in the Special Committee. l~s. Tree had, in that stateme~t, referred to various aspects of the report of Sub-Committee I on the implications of the activ-ities of the mining industry and of other international companies havili-G interests in South West Africa. * *** * UNITED NATIONS • NATIONS UNIES INTEROFFICE MEMORANDUM TO: '!'he Secretary-General (\\. _ ~ · oate : _....!?9~...!!0c~to~b~e~r~l:..z9~6:::!:4__ _ '-1" ~~ FILE NO.:------THROUGH: Godfrey K.J. Aachree, Under-SecretaryJ.....J.-- 1 -~OIPIDEITIAL FROM: Department of Trusteeship and c:;. ~ .r~ ~ Bo~Self-Governing Territories SUBJECT: Criticis.. of the Secretary-General aDd the united Rations by Portuguese Officials aDd the Portuguese Press ...... I attach for your inforation a memorandum on the above subJect. • CRITICISMS OF THE SECRETARY-GENERAL AND THE UNITED NATIONS BY PORTUGUESE OFFICIALS AND THE PORTOOUESE PRESS The Secretary-General and the United Nations were criticized by the Portuguese officials and the Portuguese Press, in particular, for three reasons: 1. Non-acceptance by the Secretary-General of the invitation from the Portuguese Government to visit Angola and Mozambique; 2. The Secretary-General's Report to the Security Council on certain activities of fonner manbers of the Katanga Gendamerie (document S/5428/Add.2); 3. The Secretary-General 1s statement at the opening of the Special Committee on the Situation with regard to the Implementation of the Declaration on the Granting of Independence to Colonial Countries and Peoples on 25 February 1964. Some excerpts from the Portuguese Press and statements of Portuguese officials are quoted here. On 9 December 1963, at the 108lst meeting of the Security Council, the Minister for Foreign Affairs of Portugal invited the Secretary-General of the United Nations to visit Angola and :t-bzambique. This invitation was renewed several times in 1964. The refusal of the Secrete.ry-General to visit Angola and Mozambique ~s not criticized directly b.1 any Portuguese officials, but was the subject of comment. For instance, the Minister for Foreign Affairs of Portugal said: "the Portuguese Government invited the United Nations Secretary General to visit Angola and I-,bzambique and verify in 12£2. the so-called threats to international peace and security. The Secretary General has refused the invitation. Because it is his duty to investigate those threats, we can only conclude that this United Nations high official does not believe there exists any threat to the international peace in Angola and Mozambique. 11 (Diario de Noticias, Lisbon, 9 October 1964) On 5 June 1964, when the Secretary-General's refusal was made known, but the text had not yet been received in Lisbon, the Diario de Noticias wrote: "the attitude of the Secretary-General was not a surprise. The refusal signifies that Mr. U Thant does not judge possible to race the pressures which oppose his acceptance to the invitation. On the other hand, such a refusal leads to the belief that the Secretary General is not convinced of the existence of a threat to world peace and security in the Portuguese provinces in Africa. It i.s under standable that the Secretary-General wants to take the responsibility of avoiding an investigation of a situation which if it were real would :iJnpose him, according to the United Nations Charter, the strict obligation to examine it." The President of the Association of Natives of Angola, speaking in the name of that Association, stated: "now that Mr. U 'Iha.nt was afraid to accept the honest invitation of the Portuguese Government to visit our province, we ask him to come if not officially, privately, upon our invitation- from 1Anangola• ••• Mr. U Thant should come to us, and if he has any financial problem, due to the United Nations debts, we will pay for his tickets and other expenses." (Dia rio de Luanda, Angola , 8 February 1964) X X X - 2- On the other hand, the Portuguese Press in Portugal, Angola and Mozambique criticized directly the United Nations, in general, and the Secretary-Genera~ in particula~ for not accepting the invitation. The Diario de Luanda (18 January 1964) wrote that: "the United Nations is the most sinister Organization that ever existed. It can be compared in its destructive power to yellow fever, Al Capone and the 1Ma.fia 1 • The first thing the Portuguese 'deplore' is the fact that the United Nations was born abnormally. It was created to promote universal peace but its constitution had the germ of anarchy. The causes of this abnormality were Russia and the United States of America; there are strong reasons to believe that the fear born by those two powers originated the United Nations. When signing the Charter, both Russia and the United States of America knew that whenever the first tried to subvert the latter would react. This is what is happening in Asia and Africa. In this competition anything is used as a pretext to interfere and get political and economic control of countries which are socially disorganized. The anti-colonialist wave washing out the European influence in Africa leads towards the disintegration and suicide of the immature nations. The faked independence caused the absolute majori. ty of the Afro-Asian group in the United Nations General Assembly, invalidating any beneficial effort by the Western countries and converting the Organization into a factory of anarchy. Therefore, the moral and economic United Nations bankruptcy. The United Nations is falling down and leading into this fall many countries which could live in peace and security. The United Nations is heading to self destruction. 11 The Noticias (Louren~o Marques, 8 May 1964) wrote that the Secretary- General: nwas by chance elected Secretary-General of the •!lisunited' Nations. ~~ny people were surprised by his nomination to such a high position, the more so as nothing was known about his actions to be of international interest. Mr. U Thant forgot the conditions established in the contract and decided to take sides, favouring the more powerful side, and for that reason rejected Portugal by replying to its invita tion that it was not worthwhile to visit the overseas provinces ••• This decision is very unjust towards a nation which pays its con tributions. U Thant refuses to accept the invitation because others whom he obeys secretly are 110t-e powerful and are not interested in the truth; they want to maintain the lie that the Portuguese policy in Africa is a threat to intemational peace ••• 11 •• - 3- The Noticias (Louren~o Marques, 17 April 1964) quoted the Seattle Post IntelligEilce (no date) as saying that Mr. U Thant: "refused the invitation of the Portuguese Government to visit Angola and }Jiozambique by using the excuse that he saw no usefulness in this visit. That is just a cowardly excuse. On such criteria it will be difficult to distinguish a more useful purpose in the visits projected by him. By observing only one side of the vast African panorama, Mr. U Thant will spend his time, as well as the time of everyone in vain." The reference to "projected visit n referred to the trip of the Secretar.y-General to the Conference of the Organization of African Unity. In this conne.xion, the Diario de Luanda (9 July 1964)wrote: 11 U Thant does not forget that he is Asian and acts accordingly. •. He was invited four times by the Portuguese Government to see with his o~ eyes life in the Portuguese territories and verify whether it is true that Portugal oppresses her people and constitutes a threat to international peace and security. U Thant has always refused to go to Angola and 1'-lozambique; he had no time. But he will attem the O.A.U. Conference. He never attended meetings of NATO that are so important, but he will attend a meeting where Portugal, the United States of America and South Africa will be attacked. That is why he is going there, to applaud at least by his presence those tumultuous manifestations. U Thant •s partiality in his functions as Secretary-General was demonstrated a few days ago by the Portuguese Mission to the United Nations, which commented on the biased report of the Special Committee distributed by U 'lhant. This report is hatefully slanted mainly by its omissions." The Dj_ario de Noticias (Lisbon, 2 July 1964) stated also: "Mr. U Thant finds time once more to visit Africa, but does not have time to accept the Portuguese invitation to visit Angola and Mozambique. '' In a Press Conference recorded in the Diario de Noticias (Lisbon, 8 A11ocrust 1964), the Hinister of Foreign Affairs of Portugal l\G.S reported to have stated.: ... -4- "the United Nations Secretary-General attended the Cairo meeting therefore giving it the prestige of his office. It is the first time that the Secretar,y-General has attended meetings of regional organizations not connected with the United Nations, and where members of the Orgardzation headed by Mr. U 'lbant are attacked. The Secretary-General can therefore have difficulties in defending and maintaining the impartiality dictated by the Charter." .. - 5- \'lith regard to the Report of the Secretary-General to the Security Council on certain activities of former members of the Katanga Gendarmerie (S/5428/Add.2), in which the letter of the Secretar,y-General to the Permanent Representative of Portugal to the United Nations of 4 March 1964 and the reply of the Charg6 d 1Affaires a.i. of Portugal of 13 J.Brch 1964 were reproduced, the Hinister of Foreign Affairs of Portugal in a Press Conference of 9 April 1964 commented: "we appreciate the Secretary-General's interest concerning the existence of bases in foreign territories and we believe this interest cannot be unilateral or restrictive but must be general and applicable to all territories where there are illegal bases to attack neighbouring territories; in the second place, I would like to say to the Secretary-General of the United Nations that if he has any doubts on the position the Portuguese Government has strongly affirmed and defined on this matter he could take advantage of the invitation made to him and visit Angola and Mozambique so as to dissipate those doubts. What does not sean right, is that the Secretary-General, in what I have to call a light ma.mer and moreover based on anonymous information the source of which he does not reveal to us, permits accusations against a Member-country and at the same time refuses the invitation made by that Member to observe locally the real situation. Con sequently, this means that if }~. U Thant has any doubts about the Portuguese statements, he can accept the invitation previously made to him to visit Angola and Mozambique whenever he wants. If he does not accept that invitation, it seems that it would be of elementa:ey cou_~esy for the Secretary-General to accept completely the Portuguese Government's statements ••• " The Diario de Luanda (Angola, 24 March 1964) contained an editorial signed Ulisses entitled ''An incredible employee". In this editorial Ulisses wrote: ·~. U Thant's personality does not recommend him for the difficult functions which were entrusted to him. It confirms the difficulty of Asians to adapt thanselves to their functions which they are incapable to carry out with modesty. When Mr. U 'lhant was elected • . . - 6- Secretary-General of the United Nations, he started to create a false idea of his position and did not realize he was only the number one employee of the Organization and the head of its services. His election was as if he had got a throne and in his mind he imagined himself as the shepherd with discretionary powers over the sheep entrusted to him. Accordingly, U 'lhant believes he can take a personal position on subjects debated by the General Assembly and the Security Council as if he represented a country ••• But the Secretary-General's reactions are serious; he worries about small or nonexistent incidents and is not at all impressed by the events which should really worry those who want to promote good harmony among Nations. This example, as many others, shows an inequality of concepts which is incompatible with the delicate functions entrusted to the Burmese diplomat, not because he is a Bumese and should represent the Afro-Asian group, but because he is the head of the United Nations Organization. But no, Mr. U 'lbant decided he had to become an echo of the grotesque interventions - without having concr.ete data on the subject - on the so-called concentration in Angola of ex-Katangese soldiers and mercenaries who were trading there for an eventual invasion of the ex-Belgian Congo. He referred to 400, 600 and 1, 800 1 gendames 1 and an intensive recruitment of 'mercenaries 1 in Europe. The official denial from our delegation was not sufficient to enlighten him and chase his fears... '!he Secretacy-General has a strange conception about his duty and believes that there are two criteria to follow: one applicable to peaceful people, the other applicable to terrorists and their accomplices who should benefit from the United Nations turning its attention the other way. For how long can such a subversive and ridiculous si tuation continue? When will the United Nations call the attention of its astonishing employee to this situation?" .. - 7- At the opening of the Conmittee of Twenty-Four on 25 February 1964, the Secretary-General stated that in the course of its work in 1964, the Committee would no doubt give special attention to recent developments in the territories which it considered last year, taking into account the resolutions adopted by the General Assembly at its eighteenth session. (A/AC.l09/PV.219, p. 2). This statement was criticized in the Press of Angola. In an editorial in the Diario de Luanda (Angola, 3 March 1964) an article signed by Ulisses, entitled ''Mr. U Thant did not learn", said: "during the reopening of the 'Committee of 24' o:f the United Nations, Mr. U 'lhant decided to emunerate the areas which according to him are yet to become independent ••• It seems that :for him 'countries' are all territorial units with individual administrations, despite their political affiliation. Therefore, he reached the conclusion that 60 countries have still to become independent. In the list prepared by the Secretary-General are included large and small territories, and Angola, Mozambique, Guinea are among them. Experience has not taught him any lessons; after the examples of Tanganyika, Kenya, Uganda and Gabon, he still considers seriously the independence of the African territories, he still believes that it is enough to proclaim a republic to have a country. He believes this even after it has been proven that states created qy those United Nations methods are unable to maintain order on the streets and secure the obedience of their soldiers; at the first alarm the presidents ask :foreign intervention and watch w1 th pleasure the European rifles kill their compatriots so that they remain in power••• Mr. U Thant did not make any progress and did not realize that the function of the Secretary-General - a simple United Nations employee - is not to instigate subversive activities which threaten to destroy the Organization itself." NEW YORK TIMES .. !': Thurs d a Y , 11 ~cember 1969 Friday, 12 December 1969 ~:r to eettle the lebegaf Says Portiigue e situation. old s President L~op 'd his. troops Shelled VIUage, Kflmg 10 hor of Sendg!i ~~· defend the ha~ .move ~~ation. But un DAKAR, Senegal, Dec. ll (AP) dvthan popu ers noted that ~fficlaJs here Said today that official obierv might also dis ortuguese artillery dlrected by their pres~ce •at Guinean a helicopter had killed 10 civil ur'lie Ians and woun4ed about 40 in ,.UOniaJS ree attacks on a Senegalese village on the border With Portuguese Guinea. The village is a storage depot tor an anti-PortUJ.uese movs ment led by Amdcar Cabral. Because ot t.he attacks, Villag ers have fled, the officials said. The shellings occurred Nov. 25 and Dec. 7-8, and Portuguese lplanes cross the border almos daily, ~th~6Y-~~~ UNITED NATIONS Press Section Office of Public Iltformat:l.on United Nations, N.Y. (FOR USE OF IN.FORi-iA't'ION t4EDIA -- NG'i' Ail O.FFICIA:. RECORD) Press Release SC/3225 26 July 1911 SPECIAL HISSION Oi? SECtffiJ:TY C~9IL_gmrvES IN SE~AL ON 25 JULY (The following was received frGm a United Nations Information Officer accompanying the special mission.) The special mission set up by the Security Council under resolution 294 (1971) arrived in Dakar, Senegal, on Sunday, 25 July (for details of mission, see Press Release SC/3224 of 23 July). It was met at the airport by the !1inister for Foreign Affairs of Senegal, A.11adou Karim Gaye; the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, Adama N'Diaye; the Cl1ief of Protocol, Cheikh Leye; other Senegalese officials; and the Resident Representative of the United Nations Development Prog~arnme (UNDP) and Director of the United Nations Information Centre in Dakar, Jacques Leger. At the airport, the Chairman of the mission, Guillermo Sevilla Sacasa (Nicaragua), made the following statement: "It is an honour for all the members of this special mission of the United Nations Security Council to come to Senegal. ''As you know, this mission is being sent by the President of the Security Council and the Secretary-General of the United Nations as a matter or urgency. "Our purpose is to carry out an inquiry into the facts of which the Council has been informed by the Government of Senegal and to examine the situation along the border between Senegal and Guinea (Bi ssau). We also have the very grave responsibility of making r e con~endation s to the Co~mci l, aiming at guara.nteeing peace and security in this ::.·egion of the -vmrld. "'llc are fully a-vrare of the importance of our tasks, and of the necessity of respect for the sovereignty and t erri torial integrity of Senegal. We are sure that, i n carrying out our dut i es , we will have the full co-operation of the e,uthorities concerned. and we intend to discharge our mission in the most thorough and objective manner. (more ) - 2 - Press Release SC/3225 26 July 1971 "I would like to take this opportun:l.ty to exte~1d to His Excellency Mr. Leopold Sedar Sen~~or 1 the President of Senegal, and the pecple of Senegal our warmest greetings and best wishes". The mission will be received on Monday afternoon, 26 July, by the President of Senegal, and will attend a luncheon offered by the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs. * *** * \ UNITED NATIONS Press Section Office of Public Informa ticn United Nations, N.Y. (FOR USE OF INFORMATION MEDIA -- NOT AN OFFICIAL RECORD) Press Release SC/3226 ,, 2 August 1971 · .. S~~JIA.T.. MISSION OF SECURITY COTJNCIL :!ONCLUDES WORK IN SEI'TIDAL ------~~----~----~~-M-- (The foll~Aing was received from a United Nations Information Officer accompanying the Special Mission.) The Special Mission set up under Securit,y Council resolution 294 (1971) concluded its work in Senegal on Sunday, 1 August, after adopting a preliminary report submitted by its military experts. The Chairman, Guillermo Sevilla Sacasa (Nicaragua), issued a statement before departing the same day far New York. Other members of the ~~ssion included the following: Jacques Gerard (Belgium~; Felix Magense (Burundi); Ryoko Ishikawa (Japan); Eugeniusz Kulaga (Poland); and Rafic Jouejati (Syria). They will be returning to New York dul'ing this week. ~ement bf Chairman The Chairman was seen off at the airport in Dakar by the Minister for Foreign Affairs of Senegal, P~dou Karim Gaye, and the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, Adams N'Diaye. He made the following statement prior to his departure.: "The Special Mission of the Security Council of the United Nations, established u~der resolution 294 of 15 July 1971, has concluded its work in Senegal. The 111embers of the Mission are. returning today to New York having completed an inquiry into the facts which the Government of Senegal reported to the Council and after having examined the situation along the border between Senegal end Guinea (Bissau) • . "At United Nations Headquarters, we shall proceed immediately to draft our report to the Council. (more) - 2 - Press Release SC/3226 2 August 1971 "In our work in Senegal, we have been granted all the facilities necessary for our activities. From the very first moment, the Government of Senegal has extended to us its full assistance and co-operation. The members of the Special Mission, our military experts and the members of the Secretariat leave Senegal with feelings of the warmest gratitude for the magni- '' ficent hospitality we were sh~~n. "The six-member Mission had arrived in Dakar, Senegal, on Sunday evening, .. 25 July. The following day, the Mission was received by the President of Senegal, Leopold Sedar Senghor. On Tuesday, 27 July, it met with the Prime Minister, Abdou Diouf; the Minister for Foreign Affairs, Mr. Gaye; arid the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, Mr. N'Diaye. The Prime Minister and the Military Chief of Staff, General Jean Alfred Diallo, replied to questions put to them by the Chairman and members of the Mission. "Also on Tuesday morning, at-the request of the Mission, the military experts flew to the border region of Casamance to gather information relating to an incident reported as having taken place on the previous Sunday, the day of the Mission's arrival in Senegal. The military experts travelled in an aircraft provided by the Government of Senegal and returned to Dakar in the eve~ing. 11 0n Wednesday, 28 July, the Mission travelled in two government airplanes to Ziguinchor, Casamance, where it met with the Governor, Colonel Belally, and other authorities. It then proceeded by car to several areas along the border with Guinea (Bissau)t observing the situation and hearing testimony. On the following day, the Mission flew to Kolda, about 200 kilometres from Ziguinchor, and drove to several frontier areas. It returned to Ziguinchor in the evening. On Friday, 30 July, the military experts drove to other areas along the border. Returning to ZiguinChor that afternoon, they were able to interview men who had been wounded in one of two of the incidents which had taken place a few hwrs before. The Mission also received information on those incidents from the local Senegalese military authorities. "'!'he Mission returned to Dakar on Saturday, 31 July, where it was again received by the Prime Minister, Mr. Diouf, and members of his Cabinet. Later, it heard a statement made by Amilcar Cabral, head of the African Party for the Independence of Guinea and Cape Verde (PAIGC), who then replied to questions put to him by the Chairman and the members. (more) - 3 - Press Release SC/3226 2 August 1971 "The Mission will start drafting its report to the Security Council later this week in New York. I "Under the terms of the Security Council decision of 15 July, the Mission ~ has been sent 'to the spot, as a matter of urgency', instructed to carry out 'an inquiry into the facts of which the Council has been informed, to examine •. the situation along the border between Guinea (Bissau) and Senegal and to report to the Security Council, making any recommendations aimed at guaranteeing peace and security, in this region'"• Background of Mission Members of the Mission were selected by the Council President for July, Jacques Kosciusko-Morizet (France), and the Secretary-General, U Thant. The membership was announced in a report to the Council, dated 21 July (document S/10274). Members are assisted by their military experts. In the resolution to establish the Mission, the Security Council also demanded "that the Government of Portugal should stop immediately any acts of violence and destruction in Senegalese territory, and respect the sovereignty, 11 territorial integrity and security of Senegal • It condemned 11 the acts of violence and destruction perpetrated since 1963 by the Portuguese armed forces of Guinea (Bissau) against the population and villages of Senegal", and condemned "the unlawful laying of anti-tank and anti personnel mines in Senegalese terri tory". * *** *