<<

Pu II 269 - she questioned how the reconciled the 26. LETTER DATED 12 SEPTEMBER 1983 FROM THE principle of absolute Soviet sovereignty with the REPRESENTATIVE OF ON THE SECU- doctrine of limited sovereignt propounded in a 1968 RITY COUNCIL ADDRESSED TO THE PRESIDENT OF Pravda article, in which t B e Soviet Union had THE SECURITY COUNCIL claimed the ri t to invade any Soviet-bloc country that threatenePto deviate from loyalty to Moscow, as INITIAL PROCEEDINGS well as the right to intervene in the affairs of States By letter’ dated I2 September 1983, the represen- that were not a part of the Soviet bloc. tative of Nicaragua requested the President of the She stated that, ultimately, the question before the Security Council to convene an urgent meeting of the Council was whether a country not at war had the Council to consider what he termed as the situation right to shoot down planes that entered its airspace brought about by a new escalation of acts of aggres- wrthout authonzatron; her delegation did not believe sion against his country. that the protection of its soveret nty gave a State the At its 2477th meeting, on I3 September 1983, the right to shoot down any plane Bying anywhere over Council included the question in its agenda. The its territory in peacetime.” Council considered the item at the same meeting. The representative of stated that his At that meeting, the representative of Nicaragua dele ation had abstained in the vote on the draft charged that his country was once again forced to reso P ution because it was not satisfied that all the alert the Council to the alarming escalation of the circumstances surrounding the incident had been aggression a ainst Nicaragua during the past few made known and fully explained, nor that irrelevant weeks reveaf ing that Untted States assistance to factors had not been brought to bear upon the Somozist and mercena groups was increasin . He Council’s consideration of the matter.” said that the latest attac7 s against his country c Pearly demonstrated that those groups were being supplied The representative of Japan, claiming that the with an increasing amount of sophisticated equip evidence his country had provided through the ment. He charged that the controlled United States delegation on 6 September proved all the counter-revolutionary activities against Nica- conclusively that the Soviet Union had shot down an ragua and had been able to establish co-ordination innocent civilian air liner, stated that the Soviet veto between the Nicaraguan Democratic Front (FDN) of the revised draft resolution was an abuse of the based in and the counter-revoluttonaty veto and that his country would not relent in its and mercenary forces operating along the southern efforts to uncover the facts and force the Soviet border. He accused the United States of attempting Union to accept its responsibility.” not only to destroy the Nicaraguan revolution and to The representative of the Republic of Korea stated its Government but also to terrorize the that the allegations he had made in his first statement Nicaraguan peo le. Referrin to the statements of before the Council had been irrefutably proven senior United i’tates offrcia fs, he stated that war during the ensuing debate and that the Soviet veto of continued to be the centre of the United States policy a revised draft resolution, which called for an toward Nicaragua. He concluded by reiterating Nica- impartial investigation could be interpreted only as ragua’s readiness for dialogue and understanding an admission of guilt. His Government reaflirmed with the United States.2 the demands they had made on that occasion on The President of the Council announced that there behalf of the future safety of all air travellers, were no further s akers and that the Council would whatever their nationality, in order to prevent the use remain seized op”the matter.2 of armed force against international civil aviation.18

N OTES ’ Sll5975, OR, 3&h yr., Suppl. for Jul@epl. 1983. OTES N 1 2477th mtg. t s/15947. OR, 3&h yr.. Suppl. fir July-Sept. 1983. z Y 15948, ibid. ’ s/ 15950, ibid. 27. THE SITUATION IN 1 s/ 15949. ibid. ‘Sl15951, ibid. INITIAL PROCEEDINGS 4 For details, see chap. 111 of the present Supplement. Decision of 27 1983 (2491st meeting): ’ 2470th mtg. See also chapter III of the present Supplement. rejection of a three-Power draft resolution 1 2470th mtg. B a letter’ dated 25 October 1983, addressed to * , Treufy Series, vol. 15, No. 102. p. 295. the t:resident of the Council, the Deputy Minister for lo 247 I st mtg. External Relations of Nicaragua requested an urgent meetin of the Council to consider the invasion of It 2472nd mtg. Grena da by United States troops. IJ2473rd mtg. At its 2487th meeting on 25 October 1983, the ~2474th mtg. Council included the item in its agenda. Following Ia SII 5966, OR. 38th yr.. Suppl. /or July-Sepl. 1983. the adoption of the agenda, the Council invited the I’ 2474th mtg. following at their request, to participate, without a vote, in the discussion of the item: at the 2487th I‘ S/l 5966/Rev. 1, OR, 38fh yr.. Suppl. fir July-Sept. 1983. meeting, the representatives of , Democratic I7 2476th mtg. Yemen, Grenada, the Libyan Arab Jamahiriya, Mex- “For the vote, see 2476th mtg. ico and : at the 2489th meeting, the representatives of Afghanistan, , Angola, An- States Administration in that case, such as the tigua and Barbuda, , , , protection of the United States citizens on the island, , , the Islamic Republic of , the desiie to prevent greater chaos and to help to , the Lao People’s Democratic Republic, restore order, governmental institutions and democ- , , , , the racy, were merely pretexts. The real purpose was to Syrian Arab Republic and Viet Nam; and, at the subject the people to American control and to form a 249 1 st meeting, the representatives of Benin, , Government that met the strategic interests of the Bulgaria, Cape Verde, , , Czechoslo- United States. The United States could have used a vakla, the , , Eg pt., the number of legal instruments, treaties and conven- German Democratic Republic, , & umea- tions. Bissau, Hungary, , Mongolia, , Saint Vin- By intervening militarily in Grenada, the United cent and the , Sao Tome and Principe, States had violated the Treaty of Non-A ression and , , Trinidad and , the Conciliation of Rio de Janeiro of IO %t tober 1933 Umted Republic of , Yugoslavia and Zam- and the Convention for the Maintenance, Preserva- bia.2 At the 2491st meeting, the Council also agreed tion and Restoration of Peace of 23 December 1936. to a request made by the representative of Jordan3 to Furthermore, the United States had violated several extend an invitation to Mr. Clovis Maksoud under provisions of the charter of OAS, namely articles 18, rule 39 of the provisional rules of procedure of the 20 and 21 as well as Article 2, paragraph 4, of the Council. The Council considered the question at the Charter oi the United Nations. The United States 2487th, 2489th and 2491st meetings, from 25 to 27 Administration had violated not only international October 1983. law but also the American Constitution. The speaker The representative of opened the discus- concluded by reading out the communiquC issued by sion by statine that it would have been desirable to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Nicaragua, in hold the meetmg before the events in Grenada. The which it condemned the invasion and called for the Council was not in a position to act as early as would immediate withdrawal of the American troops.’ have been desirable, as it was facing fuits accomplis. A military force of the United States, supported by The representative of the United States suggested , Barbados, Dominica, Jamaica, that it would have been more appropriate to start the and the Grenadines and Samt Lucia, debate in the Council the next day in order to allow had landed on Grenada and had begun hostilities the current , President of OECS, to be against its inhabitants for reasons which were unac- present while the Council considered the issue.4 ceptable. It was a clear violation of international law, The representative of declared that his a flagrant act of aggression against the territorial country was willing to participate in the mobilization integrit of Grenada and obvious interference in its of forces of the community (CARICOM) interna r affairs. to defend the integrity of any CARICOM State He unreservedly condemned the military interven- against an external a essor and no less willing to tion, which was totally un’ustified. He said that the participate in any CA!rICOM peace-keeping force in events were unquestionab iy a violation of the basic certain circumstances and under agreed terms of principles of the Charter, in particular Article 2, reference. With re rd to Grenada, Guyana contin- paragraph 4, as well as article I8 of the charter of the ued to be oppose8 to participation in any military Organization of American States (OAS). No conven- invasion of the island since such action constituted tion, agreement or subregional understanding could interference in the internal affairs of that State. counter to those rules. The Act of the Or niza- Guyana favoured instead the dispatch of a fact- tion of the Eastern Caribbean States (OK s ) pro- finding mission, composed of CARICOM nationals vided for collective defence measures only against and based upon certain clearly defined principles. No external aggression, based explicitly on Article 51 of external elements should be involved in the search the Charter of the United Nations. None of those for a solution; the solution should be regional in instruments authorized the intervention by another character, formulated within the framework of State in the internal affairs of the region. CARICOM. Any solution should be fully in He added that the efforts by various Latin Ameri- accordance with international law and with the can countries to promote a peaceful negotiated provisions of the Charter of the United Nations; and settlement to the disputes in Central America and the the primary purpose of any regional solution would Caribbean should be supported by the cessation of be the restoration of normalcy in Grenada.4 foreign interference and a total prohibition of the The action taken against Grenada was in clear threat or use of force. He urged the Council to take violation of Article 2, para aph 4, of the Charter of the necessary measures to have foreign troops with- the United Nations, as we1 Pas of the Declaration on drawn immediately. He stressed that the people of Principles of International Law concerning Friend1 Grenada alone were allowed to decide freely their Relations and Co-operation among States m actordy- own form of Government without foreign interfer- ante with the Charter of the United Nations,s ence.4 adopted by the General Assembly in 1970; and the The representative of Nicara ua said that the Declaration on the Inadmissibility of Intervention treaty that established OECS cou fd not justify inter- and Interference in the Internal Affairs of States,‘j ventlon in Grenada’s internal affairs. He maintained adopted by the General Assembly in 1981. that to prevent the State of Grenada and its people The speaker then introduced a draft resolution’ from exercisin the rights conferred on them by the sponsored by Guyana and Nicaragua, which ap charter of OAs , in article 3, and to prevent them proached the situation in Grenada strict1 from the from enjoyin the protection of Articles 2 and 51 of perspective of the Charter of the United xations and the Charter ofi the United Nations and the protection the obligations of all States strictly to comply with of other relevant provisions of international law, was those principles. Among other things, in the opera- obviously unjust. The reasons given by the United tive part of the draft resolution the Council would Pul II 271 have condemned the armed intervention in Grenada States if that act of aggression against a Member and called for the immediate withdrawal of the State was left unpunished.’ invading troops; called upon all States to show The representative of the Libyan Arab Jamahiri a strictest respect for Grenada’s sovereignty, indepen- firmly condemned the invasion of Grenada by tiie dence and territorial integrity; and requested the United States. He demanded the immediate and Secretary-General to follow closely the development unconditional withdrawal of the invading forces, and of the situation and to report to the Council within also called upon the Council to establish a fact- 48 hours on the implementation of the resolution. finding committee. The speaker also demanded The representative of Grenada read out the text of indemnity for the victims. Finally, he called upon the a telex dated 24 October 1983 sent from the Revolu- President and members of the Council to shoulder tionary Military Council of Grenada to the Embassy their responsibilities at that crucial moment.’ of the United States in Barbados, in which it was The representative of the Soviet Union said that indicated that Grenada would view any invasion of the massive invasion of the island carried out by the the country, whether based on decisions of the United States Administration was a flagrant viola- CARICOM Governments. or on that of any other tion of the most elementa rules of international law Government, as a gross violation of Grenada’s and the principles of the t!harter. The United States sovereignty and of international law. Grenada had tried to cover up its intervention against Grena- viewed any threat or the use of force by an country da with exactly the same excuses as its intervention or group of countries as unwarranted inter ryerence in a ainst the Dominican Republic in 1965. The actions its domestic affairs. The Military Council also reiter- of the United States Marines and the airborne troops ated that the lives, well-being and property of every were designed to bring about a restoration of Ameri- American and other foreign citizen resident in Gre- can domination over the island and the return to nada were full rotected and guaranteed by the power of an antidemocratic regime that had been Govemmen t o fv renada. rejected by the people. It was an attempt by force of The speaker added that the protection of United arms to repress the will of the people of Grenada to States citizens had been nothing more than a pretext independence and its right to determine its fate for intervening in Grenada. President Reagan had independently. That new act by Washington was one pretended that he had intervened with United States further element in the sharp exacerbation of tension troops under certain clauses of the OECS treaty, in the whole region of Central America and the which the United States had never signed. Under Caribbean. The representative concluded that the article 8, an intervention could take place only if Soviet Union categorically condemned the aggression there were a request from a member Government of United States im rialism against a small, non- and if there were a threat of external intervention aligned country an8”called upon the Council to against that particular Government. The article of- censure the armed intervention against Grenada as g;r; ‘usfification for intervention. by forces of an act of aggression and a violation of international t!aribbean States rn association with the peace and security and to call for the immediate United States. Over 95 per cent of the forces withdrawal of the interventionist forces of the United invading Grenada were from the United States, in States and of their vessels from the island.’ keeping with the polic of the United States towards The representative of the United States stated that the people of Grenacla since the revolution of 13 the United States troops were involved for the . Contrary to the statement of the United purpose of protecting American citizens, to facilitate States President that he had acted at the request of the evacuation of those citizens who wished to leave OECS, an Administration spokesman was quoted on and to provide support for the Eastern Caribbean radio and television as sa ing that actions a inst forces as they assisted the peo le of Grenada in Grenada of both covert ancl overt character ha crbeen restoring order and establishing Functionin govem- stepped up considerably two or three weeks earlier in mental Institutions. Any continued politica f involve- anticipation of what had taken place in Grenada. ment in that co-operative effort would be guided Finally, the speaker ap aled to the Council to call wholly by the views of OECS and the Government for an immediate with 8”rawal of all foreign forces being formed in Grenada. The United States Govem- from his country and to condemn in the strongest ment believed that the support by the United States language possible what had taken place in Grenada.’ of OECS was justified on a number of grounds. Speaking of the American invasion under the OECS had determined that conditions in institu- pretext of helping five members of OECS to restore tions of authority had degenerated, that a of order and democrat in Grenada, the representative fear, anxiety and acute danger to personal safety of Cuba indicated t hat no Grenadian revolutionary existed on the island and that that condition also had appealed for help from the Caribbean countries. posed an unprecedented threat to the ace and He categorically rejected the to article 8 of the security of the entire eastern Caribbean. lTe United OECS treaty and stated that Grenada, an indepen- States Government acce ted that judgement by dent soverei n and non-aligned country and a full OECS as accurate and beP ieved that the action was Member oftRe United Nations, had been the victim consistent with the purposes and principles of the of an act of armed, un rovoked unjustified aggres- Charters of the United Nations and OAS since it sion in violation of the 8harter o/the United Nations aimed only at the restoration of conditions of law and of international law. Condemning the invasion and order fundamental to the en’oyment of basic against Grenada, the speaker stressed that the Coun- human rights, which had been so Aagrantly violated cil could not allow the United States policy of in Grenada.’ aggression to ovem international affairs, whether in At the 2489th meeting, the Prime Minister and the Middle &I st, in southern Africa or in Latin Minister for External Affars of Dominica and Chair- America. The international community should give man of OECS said that the member Governments of serious thought to the risk involved for all Member OECS had met at , Barbados, on 21 272 Cbter VIII. Mdnte- of Lntemrtlonai mux and necurttv October 1983 to consider and evaluate the situation a and had intervened in its internal in Grenada arising from the overthrow and subse- affairs, thereby undermining the peace and stability quent killin of the Prime Minister and of the killin of the Caribbean region and threatening intemation- of some of% is Cabinet colleagues and a number o7 al peace and security. If that outright act of hegemon- other citizens. The OECS members had been deeply ism, in gross violation of the Charter and the norms concerned that the situation would continue to governing international relations, could not be worsen, that there would be further loss of life, checked effectively, the same would happen to other personal injury and a general deterioration of public States. He concluded by saying that the Chinese order as the group in control attempted to secure its Government strongly condemned the invasion of position. Grenada and demanded the immediate and total They had also been greatly concerned that the withdrawal of foreign troops from that country.* extensive military build-up in Grenada over the past The representative of Argentina pointed out that few years had created a situation of disproportionate the invasion constituted a violation of international military strength between Grenada and the OECS law and of the Charter. The policy of intervention in countries. Therefore, they considered it of the utmost the internal affairs of sovereign Latin American urgency that immediate steps should be taken to countries was reaching alarming proportions. Argen- reverse that threatening situation. The speaker added tina supported the restoration of Grenada’s full that in fact the Governor-General of Grenada had sovereignt as well as the withdrawal of the invading requested assistance. forces an B believed that the draft resolution con- Under the provisions of article 8 of the OECS tained the necessary elements for a satisfactory treaty concemm defence and security in the subre- solution.* gion, member 8 ovemments had decided to take The representative of Al eria recalled that non- appropriate action, since the situation endangered interference in the internal a8-airs of States, as well as peace and security in the region as a whole. strict respect for the right of peoples freely to exercise their choice, was an inviolable rule. The overt Lackin adequate military resources, the members invasion of Grenada by foreign armed forces could had sou&t assistance from friendly countries within the regon and subsequently from outside. Three not claim any le alit or legitimacy and should be Governments (Barbados, Jamaica and the United duly condemned % y th e Council as an act of unpro- States) had agreed to form a multinational force and voked armed aggression. With the same firmness, the to conduct a re-emptive defensive strike in order to Council, in accordance with Article 25 of the Char- remove the c?angerous threat to peace and security ter, should re uire the immediate and unconditional and to restore normalcy in Grenada. Once the threat evacuation o F the occupying forces.* had been removed, the OECS members intended to The representative of the Syrian Arab Republic invite the Governor-General of Grenada to assume called upon the Council ur ently to condemn the executive authority under the provisions of the American aggression against 8 renada and to demand Grenada Constitution of 1973 and to appoint a the immediate withdrawal of United States forces broad-based interim Government pending the hold- from the island. Compensation should be paid for the ing of general elections. It was anticipated that losses sustained and a fact-finding mission should be eneral elections could be held within six months. sent to the island. The dele ation u ed the Council burther arrangements were to be made to establish to adopt without an modi ications t e draft resolu- effective police and peace-keeping forces in order to tion sponsored by 0uyana and Nicaragua.”% restore and maintain law and order in the country. The representative of Cuba summarized the com- After normalcy had been restored, the non-Caribbean munications between his Government and the forces would be withdrawn from Grenada. In conclu- United States Administration re arding the position sion, the speaker appealed for the support of all and fate of the Cuban advisers. R e pointed out that friendly countries regarding that initiative.’ prior to the invasion his Government had suggested The representative of Poland demanded the imme- that the two countries should keep in touch on the diate cessation of armed intervention and the with- question, to co-operate and ensure that any difficulty drawal of foreign troo s from Grenada. He said that regarding the security and safety of those persons his delegation would Pike to see the draft resolution might be resolved favourably. The rep1 had arrived three days later on 25 October when 6 nited States on the issue formulated in stronger terms.’ troops were already attacking Cubans on Grenada. It The representative of Jamaica claimed that the said that the civilian re resentatives with the United Jamaican troops were part of a multinational peace- States forces in Grena cra had instructions to keep in kee ing force intended to remove the threat to ace touch with the Cuban Ambassador in Grenada to anBsecurity in the and to restore norma p”cy to guarantee the security of Cuban personnel and to the island of Grenada. The Jamaican troops were provide the necessary means to the Grenadian au- there to assist the people of Grenada to free them- thorities to facilitate their prompt evacuation. While selves from a military dictatorshi and to establish intense fighting was going on, the United States conditions under which the will o! the o le could Government had sent a message saying that the be expressed in free and fair elections. 7rPe amaican Jctions of the United States troops in Grenada were troops would leave Grenada as soon as it was clear not aimed at Cuban personnel residin there, and that such conditions had been established. He urged that the armed clashes between men o % both coun- the Council not to call for the withdrawal of all tries had happened because of the confusion and troops until the safety and territorial integrity of the blunders arising out of the presence of Cubans in people of Grenada had been secured.’ areas close to the operations of the multinational The representative of said that in invading troops. On 26 October,. the Cuban Ministry of Grenada the United States had committed undis- Foreign Relation had a am repeated its readiness to guised a ession against a small island State,, had co-operate so that prob fems could be resolved with- violated Yt e indentndence and territorial integrity of out violence.* Put II 273 The representative of expressed distress The representative of the suggest- and concern at the disturbances affecting Grenada. ed that the common aim should be the emergence of He deeply deplored the armed intervention and said a constitutional Grenadian Government freely that the reasons put forward relating to the internal elected by the people of Grenada. He revealed that situation of Grenada did not meet the conditions his Government had been approached as to what under which an intervention of that nature and action it would be willing to take in conjunction with magnitude could be justified. France had never certain Caribbean countries. His Government had accepted certain interpretations of the Charter urged on all those who consulted it prudence and whereby other or ans could authorize armed inter- caution. But other views had prevailed. He said that vention without tte approval of the Council. Every- his Government could not go along with a draft thing should be done to allow the people of Grenada resolution that did not take adequate account of the without any further delay to regain the right to decide concerns that had motivated OECS, Jamaica, Barba- their fate, independently and in full sovereignty.R dos and the United States.P The representative of Antigua and Barbuda de- The representatives of Yugoslavia, Guinea-Bissau clared that in response to the situation in Grenada, and Afghanistan joined the stance taken by the which constituted a serious threat to the security and majority of the speakers condemnin the United peace of the region, OECS and its CARICOM States military intervention and inter kerence in the partners had met m urgent session and had agreed to internal affairs .of sovereign Grenada. Quoting the assist their black brothers and sisters in Grenada, and relevant provisions of contemporary international had invited the United States, whose citizens had law, they demanded an immediate cessation of the been threatened, to assist in the operation. OECS foreign intervention in and the withdrawal of all wanted to ensure that an interim Government would foreign troops from Grenada.9 be established in Grenada to carry out the people’s The representative of said mandate for free elections. Once that was done and that though his country had been host to an emergen- the constitutional right of the Grenadians had been cy meeting of the heads of 12 States members of restored, the OECS assistance would no longer be CARICOM at on 22 and 23 October in required and would be withdrawn.* order to discuss the Grenada situation, his Govem- At the be inning of the 2491st meeting, on 27 ment considered it most unfortunate that efforts to October 1984 , the representative of the United States resolve the Grenada situation could not have been raised an objection to the credentials of the represen- peaceful and regional in nature. His Government tative of Grenada and questioned whether he was maintained its original position on the matter and entitled to take the place reserved for Grenada.9 continued to hold firmly to the view that it was regrettable that a solution involving the non-use of The President of the Council informed the mem- force, proposed durin the emergency meeting of the bers that he had received a communication from the CARICOM heads of Government, had not been Governor-General of Grenada and it had been pursued and that instead a military intervention of’ directed to the Secretary-General since he was the such a nature had been imported into the common- person concerned with the question of credentials6 wealth Caribbean. At the same meeting Guyana, Nicaragua and Zim- babwe submitted a revised draft resolution.1° He added that in pursuance of its original objec- tives, the Government of Trinidad and Tobago The representative of Ecuador said that his Gov- remained committed to pursuing a course of action ernment condemned the armed action carried out that would result in: (a) the earliest possible with- a inst Grenada, an action that had a ravated the drawal of combat forces from Grenada; (b) the a Pready troubled situation in the CariI% ean. It ap earhest establishment there, through appropriate pealed urgently for an end to the foreign intervention channels, of a CARICOM peace-keepmg presence; (c) and for the establishment of the conditions necessary the establishment of a broad-based civilian Govern- to enable the people of Grenada to exercise their ment to arrange as early as possible for free and fair sovereign right freely to elect their democratic Gov- elections; (d) the establishment of a fact-finding emment.9 mission com~risi~ eminent nationals of States The representative of the United States mentioned members of AR1 OM; (e) the restoration of nor- that some of the speakers had attempted to present malcy in Grenada; and v) the preservation of the the events as a classical invasion of a small count unity of CARICOM.9 by an imperial Power. The Charter prohibited sue x The observer of the League of Arab States drew the intervention. However, the prohibition against the attention of the Council to the thesis advanced by the use of force in the Charter was contextual, not United States representative that the prohibition of absolute. It provided justification for the use of force the use of force was contextual and not absolute. He against force in pursuit of other values also inscribed stressed that under no circumstances could an inva- in the Charter, such as freedom, democracy, peace. sion be an instrument of policing the destiny of any State or any society.9 The representatives of Hungary, Sao Tome and Principe, Bulgaria and the German Democratic The representative of the Netherlands declared Republic found the reference to the security treaty as that although his delegation understood the concerns a legal basis and all the attempts at justification and preoccupations underlying the efforts of OECS, totally unacceptable. There could be no legal, politi- it was of the view that the action taken could not be cal or moral justification for such a premeditated and considered compatible with the basic principles of unprovoked act of aggression. The delegations sup- the Charter. It was for that reason that the Nether- ported the draft resolution because its provisions lands would vote in favour of the resolution in its correctly reflected the reactions and sentiments of the revised form.9 overwhelming majority of the international commu- The President of the Council, speaking as the nity.Y representative of Jordan, characterized the invasion 274 Chapttr VIII. Mdnttnmcr of inttrartional pence and scrorlty of Grenada as a violation of the principles of the vention and constituted the greatest threat to peace Charter and the rules of international law, in articu- and security yet in the region as it was the first time lar in respect of the non-use of or threat oP use of that warplanes had been used to continue the chain force and of non-intervention in the internal affairs of acts of aggression against Nicaragua. He charged of other States. Jordan could not accept the occupa- that at the present time American and Honduran tion of an independent State, a Member of the troops were carrying out a joint military manoeuvre United Nations, under any pretext whatsoever. The with the objective of making war against Nicaragua. milita activities against Grenada constituted a He also charged that the two countries undermined pave 7anger, for that precedent could be invoked to the peace efforts of the Contadora Group while the justify similar occupation operations in the future.p created the impression that they supported them. Y The representative of the Soviet Union said that The representative of Honduras rejected as com- his delegation would vote in favour of a draft pletely unfounded allegations of its complicity in the resolution calling for a hale to the abrupt and events referred to by Nicaragua and charged that unceremonious high-handedness in international af- Nicaragua had once again tried to involve Honduras fairs, a halt to the military intervention by the United in Nicaragua’s internal problems through false infor- States. mation harmful to neighbouring States and aimed at At the end of the 2491st meeting, on 28 October provokin confrontations to divert attention from 1983, the three-Power draft resolution was put to the those prok lems. Refuting the Nicaraguan charge that vote and was not adopted owin to the negative vote his Government obstructed the efforts of the Conta- of a permanent member of the Eouncil. The result of dora Group, he hoped that Nicaragua would not the voting was as follows: 11 votes in favour, 1 continue to foster a climate of distrust which affected against and 3 abstentions.” the Contadora process. He reiterated his Govem- ment’s full support for that process.* Responding to the Nicaraguan accusations, the representative of the United States said that his N OTES Government had not engaged in aggression against 1 S/I 6067, OR. 38th yr., Suppl. for Ocr-Dec. 1983; !ke also Nicaragua. He added that the United States did S/ 16072, ibid. intend to continue to co-operate with its friends in *For details, see chap. II! of the present Supplemenl. Central America in defence of freedom, self-determi- ‘S/16091, incorporated in the record of the 2491~1 meeting. For nation and democratic pluralism. He charged that it details, see chap. 111 of the present Supplemenf. was the Sandinist rkgime’s betrayal of those princi- * 2487th mlg. ples that had caused substantial numbers of Nicara- ‘General Assembly resolulion 2625 (XXV). guans to take up arms against that rbgime. He further *General Assembly resolution 361103. accused Nicaragua of exporting revolutions and of ’ s/16077, OR. 38th yr., Suppi. for Oct.-Dec. 1983. Zimbabwe destabilizing free and democratic Governments joined subsequently as a sponsor of the draR resolution. throughout Central America and said that so long as ’ 2489th mtg. such a situation persisted, so would tension persist in q 249lst mtg. the region.2 ‘O S/l6077IRev.l, OR. 38th yr.. Suppl. for Oct.-Dec. 1983. The President of the Council announced that the II For the vote, see 249lst mtg. next meeting of the Council to continue the consider- ation of the item on the agenda would be fixed in consultation with members of the Council.2

28. LETTER DATED 3 FEBRUARY 1984 FROM THE CHARGE D’AFFAIRES A.1. OF THE PERMANENT MISSION OF NiCAkAGUA TO THE UNITED NA- TIONS ADDRESSED TO THE PRESIDENT OF THE N OTES SECURITY COUNCIL 1 S/16306, OR, 39rh yr., Suppi. for Jan.-March 1981. * 2513th mtg. INITIAL PROCEEDINGS By letter1 dated 3 Februa 1984, the representa- tive of Nicaragua requeste7 the President of the 29. LETTER DATED 18 MARCH 1984 FROM THE PERMA- Council to convene an urgent meeting of the Council NENT REPRESENTATIVE OF THE TO THE to consider the situation created by a new escalation UNITED NATIONS ADDRESSED TO THE PRESIDENT in acts of a ession by Somozan and mercenary OF THE SECURITY COUNCIL counter-rev0 rutionary forces trained and financed by the United States. INITIAL PROCEEDINGS At its 2513th meeting, on 3 February 1984, the By a letter’ dated 18 March 1984 addressed to the Council included the item in its agenda. Following President of the Council, the representative of the the adoption of the agenda, the Council invited the Sudan requested that the Council be convened in representative of Honduras, at his re uest, to partici- order to consider the aggression committed by the pate in the discussion without the ri 9 t to vote.’ The Libyan Arab Jamahiriya against the Sudan on 16 Council considered this item at the same meeting. March 1984, which constituted a blatant attack At that meeting, the representative of Nicaragua against the sovereignt , security and integrity of the stated that he had come to the Council greatly territory and people or a State Member of the United alarmed by the most serious events over the past two Nations and a flagrant violation of the Charter of the years involving attacks a ainst Nicaragua by Hondu- United Nations, regional charters and the principles ran military planes. Ta ose events could be the of international law, and posed a serious threat to the precursors of a war between Honduras and Nicara- peace and security of the countries of the region and gua provoked by the United States to justify inter- to international peace and security. Charging that a