prosperity of a country. The independence of a State prosperity of a country. The independence of a State was indivisible and the United Nations must be vigilant against any foreign interference, of any kind. It was in that spirit that the French delegation would vote in favour of the draft resolution. He wished also to express his delegation's concern at the reports that the mercenaries had taken hostages during recent events. That was an odious practice which international public opinion could not tolerate and the Security Council could only condemn. 677. The President of the Council said that he was sure that all the members of the Council shared the preoccupations expressed by the representative of France and which had been brought to their attention by the representative of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. He appealed for the safety of all persons held as hostages and for their speedy release. Decision: At the 1367th meeting, on 10 July 1967, the draft resolution ubmitted by Ethiopia, India, Mali and Nigeria (S/8050) was adopted unanimously (resolution 239 (1967)). 678. The representative of the Democratic Republic of the Congo said that the resolution adopted by the Council did not entirely satisfy his delegation, since it did not mention certain countries whose complicity had been shown. However, if the resolution was respected by those countries, it might be the basis for permanently peaceful relations between them and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. 679. Two communications were received by the Security Council during its consideration of the item. In a letter dated 7 July (S/8039) addressed to the President of the Security Council, the representative of Spain stated that his Government had not approved any activity intended to impair relations with the countries to which it was bound by diplomatic ties; that the Spanish authorities had taken great care to ensure that that principle was complied with, and that the case of a recruit going to the Congo would not be an exception to that principle; that the Spanish people and Government desired the free and peaceful development of the Democratic Republic of the Congo and that no responsibility attached to the Spanish Government for anything relating to the disturbances that had broken out at Kisangani, at Bukavu or in any other part of Congolese territory. 680. In a letter dated 10 July 1967 (S/8051), addressed to the President of the Council, the representative of Belgium stated that the Prime Minister of Belgium had declared that the Belgian Government maintained relations with the Congolese Government and consequently had remained faithful to its policy of non-interference in the domestic affairs of the Congo; that Belgium was not involved either directly or indirectly in the events taking place in the Congo and any accusation or insinuation to that effect was unacceptable to it; that Belgium provided the Congo in good time with all the information which its Government had been able to gather with regard to subversive movements; that no aircraft with a suspicious cargo had left Belgium in recent days and it would have been impossible for that to happen because of the very strict surveillance that was being exercised. 681. On 29 June, the letter continued, the Belgian Government had declared to the Parliament that instructions had been given to its diplomatic and consular representatives in the Congo to ensure that its nationals refrained from any action which might be regarded as interference in the domestic affairs of the Congo. The Belgian Government would therefore regard any accusation brought against it as unfounded and unacceptable. Furthermore, it considered discrimination against Belgian nationals in the Congo to be unacceptable. The Belgian Government would, of course, apply the Security Council resolution condemning the recruitment of mercenaries in the service of a foreign State without any exceptions. Chapter 6 QUESTIONS CONCERNING THE SITUATION IN SOUTHERN RHODESIA: LETTERS DATED 2 AND 30 AUGUST 1963 ADDRESSED TO THE PRESIDENT OF THE SECURITY COUNCIL ON BEHALF OF THE REPRESENTATIVES OF THIRTY.TWO MEMBER STATES A. Communications received from 16 July to 5 December 1966 682. During this period the following communications were received concerning the item: S/7415 of 18 July 1966 from Mexico; S/7420 of 19 July from Japan; S/7436 of 26 July from Thailand; S/7445 of 29 July 1966 from Portugal; S/7463 of 11 August from Turkey; and S/7558 of 14 October from the Sudan. A letter dated 19 September (S/7501) from the United Kingdom dealt with the question of the tanker Joanna V and her departure from Beira. 683. By letter dated 18 November 1966 (S/7595), the Secretary-General transmitted to the President of the Security Council the text of resolution 2151 (XXI) adopted by the General Assembly on 17 November 1966. Operative paragraph of this resolution drew the attention of the Security Council once again to !he grave situation prevailing in Southern Rhodesia, in order that it might decide to apply the necessary enforcement measures envisaged under Chapter VII of the Charter. B. Adoption of resolution 232 (1966) of 16 December 1966 684. In a letter dated 5 December 1966 (S/7610), the representative of the United Kingdom stated that since the rebellion in Rhodesia had not been brought to an end, and following consultation with other Commonwealth Governments, his Government had instructed him to request an early meeting of the Security Council at which his Government would wish to propose certain additional measures to be tak.:n against the illegal r6gime in Rhodesia. 685. In a letter dated 7 December 1966 (S/7614), the Deputy Secretary General of the Organization of African Unity (OAU) transmitted to the SecretaryGeneral, for the information of the Security Council, the text of the resolution on Southern Rhodesia adopted by the Assembly of Heads of State and Government at its third ordinary session, held at Addis Ababa from 5-9 November 1966. Among other things, this resolution condemned the current talks between the British Government and the rebel settler r~gime in Southern Rhodesia as a conspiracy aimed at recognizing the independence seized illegally by the rebel settlers; called upon all member States of OAU and all other States to refuse recognition to any independent regime which those talks might bring about unless such a Government was based on majority rule; strongly condemned the United Kingdom for her refusal to crush the rebel r~gime and repeated its demands to the United Kingdom Government to bring about the immediate downfall of that regime by any means, including the use of force; reiterated its recominendation to the OAU and to all friendly Governments, to give material and financial aid to the Zimbabwe people who were actually fighting inside Zimbabwe; condemned those States, especially Portugal and South Africa, which rendered support to the rebel rdgime; invited member countries, in consultation with each other, to take measures against those persons, companies and institutions in their own countries which, in pursuance of colonial interests, continued to have dealings with or business under the illegal r~gime in Southern Rhodesia; called for support for a programme of mandatory and comprehensive sanctions under Chapter VII of the Charter; and repeated the call upon all member countries to contribute to a fund to enable all Zimbabwe nationalists to intensify the fighting against the rebels. Other provisions concerned assistance to Zambia so as to enable it not only to withstand the effects of the unilateral declaration of independence but also to help all Zimbabwe freedom fighters more effectively; and concerned further efforts by the Foreign Ministers of Algeria, Senegal and Zambia in the Security Council. Finally, the resolution paid tribute to the sons of Zimbabwe who had died in battle with the racist settler regime's usurper forces. 686. At its 1331st meeting, on 8 December, the Security Council included the item in its agenda without objection. In accordance with their respective requests, the representatives of Zambia (S/7613), Senegal (S/ 7615), Algeria (S/7623), Pakistan (S/7624). and India (S/7625), were invited to participate, without vote, in the discussion. 687. On 8 December, the representative of the United Kingdom submitted the following draft resolution (S/7621): "The Security Council, "Reaffirming its resolutions 216 (1965) of 12 November 1965, 217 (1965) of 20 November 1965, and 221 (1966) of 9 April 1966, and in particular its appeal to all States to do their utmost to break off economic relations with Southern Rhodesia, "Deeply concerned that this call has not brought the rebellion in Southern Rhodesia to an end, "Reaffirming that to the extent not superseded in the present resolution, the measures provided for in resolution 217 (1965). as well as those initiated by Member States in implementation of that resolution, shall continue in effect, "Actinl in accordance with Articles 39 and 41 of the United Nations Charter, "1. Decides that all States Members of the United Nations shall prevent: "(a) The import into their territories of asbestos iron ore, chrome, pig-iron, sugar, tobacco copper, meat and meat products and hides, skins and leather originating in Southern Rhodesia and exported therefrom after the date of the present resolution; "(b) Any activities by their nationals or in their territories which promote or are calculated to promote the export of these commodities from Southern Rhodesia and any dealings by their nationals or in their territories in any of these commodities originating in Southern Rhodesia and exported therefrom after the date of the present resolution, including in particular any transfer of funds to Southern Rhodesia for the purposes of such activities or dealings; "(c) Shipment in vessels or aircraft of their registration of any of those commodities origin.