United Nations FOURTH COMMITTEE, 1768th GENERAL MEETIN& ASSEMBLY Friday, 18 October 1968, at 10.55 a.m TWENTY-THIRD SESSION Official Records NEW YORK

CONTENTS tion 232 (1966). The United Kingdom Government was responsible for the situation and its inaction had given the Page Smith regime just what it needed: namely, time to Agenda item 23: consolidate itself. The United Kingdom Government should Implementation of the Declaration on the Granting of not hold talks with members of the minority racist regime Independence to Colonial Countries and Peoples: report of the Special Committee on the Situation with regard to but with the true representatives of the people of the Implementation of the Declaration on the Granting Zimbabwe. Moreover, the principles which that Govern­ of Independence to Colonial Countries and Peoples: ment professed to uphold were expressed in vague terms­ Southern Rhodesia (continued) an indication of its complicity. General debate (continued) ...... 4. It was the duty of the United Nations to condenm not only the Southern Rhodesian regime, South Africa and Chairman: Mr. P. V. J. SOLOMON Portugal, but all those who were assisting the forces of (Trinidad and Tobago j. racism and colonialism. All nations should implement the relevant resolutions of the United Nations and the United Kingdom, as the administering Power, should compel South Africa to withdraw its troops, who were fighting against the AGENDA ITEM 23 people of Zimbabwe. The delegation of the Ukrainian SSR supported the adoption of measures designed to put an end Implementation of the Declaration on the Granting to the situation. of Independence to Colonial Countries and Peoples: report of the Special Committee on the 5. Mr. PANDEY (Nepal) said that, ever since the illegal Situation with regard to the Implementation· of declaration of independence, the question of Southern the Declaration on ths Granting of Independence Rhodesia had been growing increasingly serious. The to Colonial Countries and Peoples: Southern professed policy of the United Kingdom Government had been to withhold independence until majority rule had Rhodesia (continued) (A/7200/Rev.1, chap. VI) been established in Southern Rhodesia. Between 1961 and 1965 it had resolutely resisted all United Nations efforts to GENERAL DEBATE (continued) establish majority rule. Even after the unilateral declaration of independence, it had waited a year before bringing the 1. Mr. KORNEENKO (Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Re­ question before the Security Council. Those twelve months public) said that mankind could not tolerate the situati~n had given the rebel regime time to consolidate its position. created by the colonial racist regime in Southern RhodeSia, which constituted a threat to the newly independent 6. Security Council resolutions 232 (1966) and 253 African States. The situation in the Territory reflected the (1968) had not produced the desired results. Moreover, the determination of the forces of colonialism and racism to Smith regime, in its policy of disregarding the legitimate make up for the defeat they had suffered in other parts of aspirations of 95 per cent of the population of Southern Africa. South Africa and Portugal were carrying out those Rhodesia and introducing separate racial development, was policies, obviously influenced by the United States, the receiving the co-operation and support of South Africa and United Kingdom and the Federal Republic of Germany and Portugal. By refusing to recognize the Security Council with the support of NATO. resolutions, those two countries had violated Articles 25 and 49 of the Charter. 2. Monopolies continued to extract the resources of the continent, and the United Kingdom, the United States and 7. The repressive measures adopted by the minority rebel the Federal Republic of Germany had capital invested in regime to safeguard its position in Southern Rhodesia had mining and farming. That explained why those countries left the African majority with no choice but revolt. Their were making every effort to prevent the application of struggle for freedom was meeting with an inhuman response sanctions against South Africa and Portugal, which were from the rebel regime, which had gone so far as to execute helping Southern Rhodesia. African nationalists, in open defiance of constitutional authority. His delegation understood the sentiments of the 3. The passive policy of the United Kingdom, the adminis­ African nationalists and recognized their legitimate aspira· tering Power, permitted the stationing in Southern Rh~ tions and their right to freedom and self-government on the desia of South African troops, which were fJghting against basis of the democratic principle of one man, one vote. the people of Zimbabwe. The Western Powers continued to maintain commercial relations with the Salisbury Govern­ 8. The only measure likely to be understood by the illegal ment, despite the provisions of Security Council resolu- regime was the use of force. It was to be hoped that the A/C.4/SR.1768 ------2 ------Gene--ral Assembly - Twenty-third Session - Fourth Committee United Kingdom Government would not shift the whole against the "pressure groups" of which the Reverend burden of responsibility to the United Nations. Since the Michael Scott had spoken a few days earUer (l763rd mandatory sanctions had proved ineffective, there remained meeting), since those groups were working against the no choice bu t to use forc.e. inalienable rights of the African majority in Southern Rhodesia. 9. The time had come to urge the Security Council to consider extending the sanctions to include tile srverance of 14. The Uni ted Kingdom had drawn up the six principles all communir.ations with Southern Rhodesia. The Council because it mistakenly believed that the problem of might also exhort, in stricter tenns, Member States and Sou them Rhodesia could be solved only by political means. •1on-Mer.1ber States, p:trticularly tho:;e having trade rela­ It seemed no· '• however, that emphasis was being placed on tions w'th Southern Rhodesia, to c~ rry out its decisions only two of those pl'i 1: ciples; shortly there would be faithfully. Lastly, since South Africa and Portugal had been emphasis on none of them. What was happening was that, providing the illegal rtp-holes whereby to by that means, tl1e Smith regime was being given an defeat the purpose of the decisions, the sanctions might be opportunity to consolidate itself; that was a sell-out. After extended to cover those two countries as welL each of the talks, Ian Smith took away a docume nt for 10. Mr. COLE (Sic'To Leone) said that, following the study and the reaction was always the same: disagreement recent di :cussions between the United Kingdom Prime with its proposals. A few months would then elapse and Minister and the Southern Rhodesiat rebel leader, their Southem Rhodesia would take a further dramatic step to respective positions were clear-cut. Mr Wilson continued to consolidate the illegal r~gime. maintain his six principles, while Jan Smith, the ma n whom the United Kingdom Government had called a rebel and I 5. His Government l.lOntinued to rega rd the racist regime whose acts had been officially desc1 ibed as treasonable, as a fra ud perpetrated by a white minority against the stated that he did not expect to see Africans controlling the entire African population; it once again urged the United Government during his lifetime. Kingdom to live up to the expectations of all the countries which looked to it to put an end to the regime, through the 11. The third anniversary of the uni ateral declaration of use of sanctions or otherwise. The way in which the United independence in Southern Rhodesia was not far off and the Kingdom Government had applied the sanctions showed racist minority regime would again be congratulating itself clearly how ineffectual such sanctions were ; the United on the security, stability and boomi ng economy of the Kingdom must revise and streng,then them if it wished to Territory. On 4 October 1967 ( Ho83rd meeting), the maintain its reputation as a just arbiter in Africa. United Kingdom representative, speaJ. ing on the question of Southern Rhodesia, had said that the sanctions would 16. The right to freedom and to self-determination were require some time before they had eff<:ct and had sought to basic hu.man rights and it was alarming that the legitimate show that trade with Southern Rhcdesia had decreased demands of the courageous fighters in southern Africa for considerably, particularly in respect c f imports. The reply recognition of those rights should be met by acts of of Jan Smith's regime to those staterrents appeared in the savagery, bestiality and murder such as were taking place in report of the Special Committee (A/7l00/Rev.l, chap. Vl, Southern Rhodesia at the present time, and that they para. I 0 I). The following paragraphs provided information should be condoned and abetted by the nations which about aircraft delivered by Italy, Japanese and French spoke so glibly about the "free world". automobiles reaching the territory without difficulty, and the negligible decrease in imports from the United Kingdom 17. Mr. TURKSON {Ghana), referring to the statement into Southern Rhodesia. The sanctions had been in force made by the Under-Secretary-General for Trusteeship and fo r two years and the onus of proof c.f their effect, if any, Non-Self-Governing Territories at the 1759th meeting rested fully wi th the United Kingdom. (A/CA/707), said that the priority which had been ac­ corded to the item demonstrated the groWing concern felt 12. In his statement at the l759th meeting, the United by all about the deteriorating situation in southern Africa Kingdom representative had subtly informed the United and especi~y in Southern Rhodesia. At the present session: Nations that it was the responsibi)jty of the Organization, the da s~ussJO n had been characterized by a feeling of too, to restore constitutional rule in Southern Rhodesia. frustration and apathy. The Committee would probably The United Nations must be careful, t'or soon it would be adopt a resolution reflecting the sincere concern of some told that it must bear the full reSj>Onsibility, that the members of the Committee and the apathy of others. That problem was insoluble and even tha·: 4 million Africans state of affairs was due to the fact that the well founded must be abandoned to the fate of apa.·theid and servitude. f~ars of the Africans had not been understood or appre­ Ciated. 13. The language used by the United Kingdom representa­ tive on that occasion revealed an attempt gradually to shift 18. The United Kingdom's original policy of transferring the responsibility for the problem. Suc h intentions must be power to the white minority had not changed and it resisted, for the United Nations had sometimes been used as constituted an indirect invitation to the regime to continue an international guinea-pig. The Unite•) Kingdom represen­ its rebellion and to seek political recognition. The African countries, including Ghana, had drawn the attention of the tative's appeal at the present session s. 1ould be directed to 1 his country's friends, compatriots and allies in Europe and Security Council to that point in August 1963 and had the Americas, not to Asia and Africa. The pressure tactics I See Official Records of the Security Council, Eigh teenth Year, that had been used to bring about the Treaty on the Supplement for July, August and September 1963, document Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons should be used S/5382. 1768th meeting - 18 October 1968 3 opposed the transfer of authority to a government not African delegations had, -from the outset, advocated the based upon majority rule. Their words, however, had gone extension of sa nctions to South Africa and Portugal and, in unheeded and the international community had accepted the event of those countries' continued defiance of United the United Kingdom's false claim that Southern Rhodesia Nations decisions, the use of force in accordance wi th was net a "colony" but a "self-governing" territory. Article 42 of the Charter. The United Kingdom Govern· ment shrank from the very idea of using force, thereby 19. It was paradoxical that the United Kingdom could demonstrating its weakness before South Africa and Por­ state, on the occasion of Swaziland's admission to the tugal. United Nations, that the latter was the last of seventeen African countries under British administration to attain 23. He drew attention to the contrast between the United independence; the implication was that Southern Rhodesia Kingdom's apparent determination to solve the problem of was not a colonial territory. It was even harder, however, to Southern Rhodesia and its failure to put an end to the understand how that could be said in the light of the rebellion. The United Kingdom Government had replied provisions of the seventh and eighth preambular paragraphs only with diplomatic notes of protest to the inflltration of and uperative paragraph 13 of Security Council resolu­ South African me rcenaries into the Territory and to the tiO•' 253 (1968). The grave import of that declaration increasing repressive military operations against Africans, sl•ould not be overlooked and the appropriate conclusions resulting in the illegal detention and execution of many of should be drawn, however distastefh ~ 7-t ey might be. the latter. The ineffectual nature of such protests could not be over-emphasized; there was no need to remind the 20. His delegation could not but express its disappoint­ United Kingdom that such an attitude was totally incon­ ment at United Kingdom policy in the Terri tory. The sistent with the policy which it had followed whenever it United Kingdom, having accused the rebels of treason, had had needed to settle a political problem. assured them of immunity from the use of fo rce and it had been responsible for the ineffectiveness of the oil embargo 24. Against that background, Africans had grown distrust­ impcsed by Securi t; Council resolution 2 17 (1965). The ful of United Kingdom Government policies in Southern same was true of the mandatory sanctions imposed by Rhodesia and their misgiving~ were perfectly logical. The resolution 232 ( 1966). Furthermore, resolution 253 (1968) attitude of the United Kingdom was equivocal, as a careful had not gone as far as might have been wished owing to the analysis of the six principles2 it had established to solve the United Kingdom's unwillingness to support the proposals of Rhodesian problem revealed. The first principle was a the Afro-Asian members of the Council. pretext for not immediately applying the principle of majority rule; the second was a clever formula to avoid 2 1. His delegation's misgivings could not but increase as drawing up a constitution more progressive than that of the illegal regime perpetuated itself in power. Ghana 196 1; the third and fourth were vague and imprecise and recognized that genuine sanctions constituted a cardinal could be interpreted in various ways, while the fifth was a concept of collective action within the framework of the classic example of astute drafting. According to the latter Charter. Almost two years had elapsed since the Security principle, all that was required of the rebels was "evidence" Council had determined that the situation in Southern that any proposal for independence was acceptable to the RhOdesia constituted a threat to international peace and people of Rhodesia as a whole. In the abse nce of the security. It had therefore been the imperative duty of the nationalist leaders of the African maj rnity, it was difficult United Nations to take collective actiofl in that respect and to see who would decide whether that precondition had it had accordingly resolved to impose sanctions against the been fulfilled. That fifth principle was a matter of great rebel regime. In imposing sanctions, however, the objective concern to the Africans. Lastly, the sixth principle guaran­ must be at all times to guarantee their strict enforcement. teed that, regardless of race, there would be no oppression 22. It was not hard to see that only an all-embracing and of majori ty by minority or of minority by majori ty, was unqualified progranune of sanctions could affect the less altruistic than it appeared and was remi niscent of the economy of Southern Rhodesia. Nevertheless, after nearly unhappy legacy left behind in territories once administered three years of vacillation, the United Kingdom was still by the United Kingdom : the problem of minorities so saying that some time must elapse before the present accentuated that it constituted a veritable canker in the limi ted sanctions could have an effect. What the advocates body politic of an independent State. of those dilatory tactics overlooked was that the effect of the sanctions, like justice, should be speedy. Consequently, 25. The world should not allow itself to be duped by the all qualifications should be removed, so that the sanctions astute semantics of the six principles. It was the duty of the could cover all products and all relationships, resulting in United Nations to urge the United Kingdom to shoulder its the isolation of the illegal regime from the community of responsibilities with respect to Rhodesia and to acc.e pt the nations. The present sanctions fell short of those require­ following proposals which had been reiterated in various ments, because the administering Power did not urge a General Assembly resolutions: frrst, the primary responsi· comprehensive and mandatory programme of sanctions. bility for quelling the rebellion by the speediest means The failure of the sanctions was due solely to the rested with the United Kingdom; second, sanctions should determination of South Africa and Portugal not to impose be total, unqualified and mandatory and backed by the use them; that was because the three racist Governments had a of force under Article 42 of the Charter; third, sanc tions common cause, which was to perpetuate minority regimes should be extended to include the complete intermption of in southern Africa. For that purpose they had formed an l. Sec Official Records of the General Assembly, Twenty-fvst alliance to prevent the majority of oppressed Africans from Session, Annexes, addendum to agenda item 23, document A/6300/ obtaining freedom and independence. For that reason, the Rev.!, chap. 3, para. 632. ----4 ------General J.ssembly - Twenty-third Session - Fourth Committee all means of communication; fourth, sanctions should be peace, freedom and justice for the weak and for the strong, extended to South Africa and Portuga ; fi fth, the United for the rich and for the poor. Kingdom should, in the meantime, C1:1 late conditions for establishing representative government in the Territory; 28. Mr. OULD HACHEME (Mauritania) said that, eight sixth, in that regard, the United King:Jom should imme­ years after the adoption of the Declaration on the Granting diately take steps to expel South African and other foreign of Independence to Colonial Countries and Peoples, which forces from the Territory and to . nevent all armed had raised such great hopes, there were still peoples subject assistance to the rebel regime; seventh, all African nation­ to foreign domination and exploitation. In various parts of alists in Southern Rhodesia should be inunediately released the world, particularly southern Africa, human dignity and to enable them to participate effectively with the majority the most elementary human rights continued to be violated. in the political evolution of their collntry; eighth, any negotiation on the future of the Territory should, at all 29. It was almost three years since the white minority in times, include representatives of the majority African Southern Rhodesia had unilaterally declared its indepen· population. In that connexion, his de l e. ~ati on viewed wi th dence. Since then, although the United Kingdom had horror the recent announcement by th l United Kingdom repeatedly promised to end that situation, it had responded representative that, after the Gibraltar talks, Mr. Wilson had to the arrogance of the racist adventurers only with empty given Mr. Smith a document setting ou·: a basis on which, words. The attitude of the United Kingdom led inevitably subject to the approval of the Cabinet, a Rhodesian to the conclusion that it was attempting to gain time and to independence settlement would be introduced in Parlia­ strengthen the Smith regime. Long before independence, it ment. His delegation would reject any anangement between had been careful to do nothing which would offend the the United Kingdom Government and the Ian Smith clique. regime and had subsequently declared that it would not use Ninth, while sanctions continued, the Secretary-General force to resolve the situation, because to do so would cause should be urged to intensify his efforts to give immediate great suffering to many innocent people of all races. He relief to the economy of Zambia irl accordance with appreciated the United Kingdom's humanitarianism but Article 50 of the Charter. history showed that it had never hesitated to use force when its interests we re threatened in any part of the world. 26. His de legation deemed it appropriate to restate its position because the United Kingdom was set on a course 30. Traditionally, United Kingdom colonialism had taken of action which might well spell dcom for Southern all the time it needed to prepare its succession. The United Rhodesia. The concern of the Ghanaian delegation was to Kingdom Government solemnly recognized the leaders of protect the oppressed African population and to uphold the the Salisbury regime when it invited them to negotiate on prestige and moral authority of the l nited Nations. In the future of Rhodesia, while the real leaders responsible connexion with the statement by the United Kingdom for the future of the majority languished in the prisons of Secretary of State for Foreign Affai·s to the 1693rd the racist regime. It was shocking to see how persistent the plenary meeting of the General AssemHy on 14 October United Kingdom Government was in negotiating with the 1968, he suggested that, not until the United Kingdom leader of the rebel minority. On the other hand, nobody Government heeded the call of the Uni·:ed Nations, could was deceived by the imposition of sanctions; the United the peril be averted of which the Foreign Secretary had Kingdom Government knew perfectly well that they were warned when he had said that every ~ ·ear the prize for ineffective and that was doubtless why it had proposed success in the work of the United Nation> was enlarged and them. The basic responsibility for the whole affair rested the penalty for failure to keep the pe1ce became more with the United Kingdom which had allowed the current terrible. The United Nations had had fai ures and successes situation- so similar to that of Palestine-to develop. It also in its dramatic history. The time had come to register bore heavy responsibility for the systematic campaign of another success and reduce its critics tc silence. It was a terror, genocide, political assassinations and barbarous moment of world crisis and the question of Southern executions which the rebel regime was waging. Rhodesia contributed to that crisis. 31. His delegation was convinced that the United King­ 27. He called upon the United Kingdom to act and urged dom Government, as the only legal authority in Southern its people not to permit the honour of til.eir country to be Rhodesia, could put an end to the rebellion. As a result of sullied by its behaviour on the Rhodesian question and to its long colonial experie nce, it was perfectly familiar with demonstrate once again that they could make an effective and knew how to use the only method capable of bringing contribution to world peace and stabilit y. He hoped that, Smith to reason: force. It was unacceptable that a band of even if it meant a resort to force, action would be taken to 200,000 mercenaries should continue to make a mockery correct injustice and to ensure that the rights of all men, of Security Council resolutions and violate wi th impunity not those of a single race, would cont10l the destiny of the legitimate rights of a whole people. Southern Rhodesia. When majority rulE at last prevailed there, there would be no oppression of tlte white minority. 32. Mr. TUREL (Turkey) said that, after Southern Rh~ The African always forgave. He sought r o vengeance. The desia's unilateral declaration of independence, which was fears of the white minority in Southern Rhodesia were illegal and had no international validity, his Governme nt groundless. He called upon the countrii!S of the Western had declared that it did not recognize and did not intend to world, and especially on the people and Covemment of the recognize the illegal administration in the Territory. That United Kingdom, to join forces with the United Nations in position had not changed, and Turkey had immediately restoring peace and stability in southern Africa and in closed its consulate at Salisbury. The sanctions approved by laying the foundations for a new wo rld order based on the Security Council on two occasions had been received 1768th meeting - 18 October 1968 5 with a cautious optimism which still persisted. In order to on the violation of the human rights and fundamental realize the hopes they had aroused, the sanctions sh ould be freedoms which characterized the life of civilized peoples. comprehensive and mandatory. 38. The situation with which the people of Zimbabwe had 33. The excellent report submitted by the Special Com­ had to contend for the past three years now constituted the mittee reflected the progressive deterioration of the politi­ most acute problem confronting the United Nations. The cal situation and the illegal Southern Rhodesian regime's worthy Zimbabwe people were governed by the brutal escalation of defiance of the United Kingdom and the force of arms, according to no other law than the arbitrary international community. He reviewed the measures taken and unilateral will of a man who headed a racist minority by his Government to implement the sanctions and said practising cruel and reprehensible methods of repression. In that the relevant information concernmg those measures that part of the continent, which had known and suffered had been transmitted to the Secretary-General. The Turkish adversity of every kind, the most elementary precepts of Government did not grant visas to holders of Southern justice and of sound and harmonious human relationships Rhodesian passports and refused them entry into Turkey; it were denied and there were no grounds for cherishing the intended to take broader measures in order to implement slightest hope that the situation would improve. the provisions of Security Council resolution 253 ( 1968). 39. The time had come for the United IGngdom, as the 34. The problem must be solved withm the context of the administering Power, to face those facts decisively and Declaration on the Granting of Independence to Colonial fmnly so that it could put an end to a policy which Countries and Peoples, and a solution must be found as undernined its prestige in the eyes of all peoples dedicated early as possible in order to prevent the recurrence of cases to justice and freedom. The time had come for the such as the inhuman execution of five Africans in the administermg Power to defend its reputation as such and to Territory and to prevent the continuance of the Smith proceed without further ado to ~. ring down the arrogant regime's policy of racial segregation and apartheid, similar Mr. Smith, who was unscrupulously and unconscionably to that in South Africa. Increased South African co-opera­ defying with impunity the very ideals of democracy which tion with the illegal regime and the use of South African were applied with such honesty and fairness in the United military and police forces against the Zimbabwe freedom Kingdom itself that its laws could serve as an example to fighters were endangering peace and security in the region. the rest of the world. The United Kingdom Government should blush at its toleration and even support of such 35. His delegation welcomed the United Kingdom's ad­ behaviour by the reprehensible weakness it showed in herence to the six principles already known to all members conducting negotiations with the bogus, inhuman and and its intention to persist in its efforts until the objectives brutal Salisbury regime and by the way in which it was enumerated in the six principles were realized. He regretted responding to the United Nations resolutions on the the failure of the talks held between the United Kingdom subject. Prime Minister and Ian Smith and affirmed his delegation's sincere conviction that an agreement on a just, honourable 40. His delegation had always opposed the use of force as and lasting settlement of the problems of Southern Rho­ a means of settling disputes between peoples. Disagree­ desia could be achieved only on the basis of the principles ments between Governments or between rational beings of the Charter of the United Nations and the Declaration should be settled through conciliatory discussion at the on the Granting of Independence t.o Colonial Countries and conference table, where good faith, the loftiest spirit of Peoples. human solidarity and the natural rules of international law prevailed. Yet, when a regime closed the door to the 36. Mr. ESMURDOC (Dominican Republic) said that, as dictates of conscience, to appeals for harmony and to the he was speaking for the first time in the Fourth Committee, prmciples of reason, when it insisted on remaining hermeti­ he wished to associate himself with the preceding speakers cally sealed against the possibility of constructive and in warmly congratulating the Chairman on the honour conciliatory dialogue, when there was no key with which to which the Committee had done him in electing him to set in motion the mechanism of its common sense, then it preside over its work. It would be superfluous to enumerate must be overthrown by the avenging sword of justice, and his qualifications, since they were well known to all those the guiding principles of self-determination must be ap­ present, but he wished to express his own deep satisfaction plied, the knowledge that ultimately, and in particular with and that of his delegation that the Chairman was a respect to the case which the Committee was discussing, the distinguished member of the Latin American Group. He end would more than justify the means. wished also to offer his hearty congratulations to the Vice-Chairman and the Rapporteur who had been elected 41. It was time for the United Nations to stop making to assist the Chairman in ensuring the successful progress of futile recommendations and to strengthen the mandate laid the Conunittee's work. down in the resolutions of the General Assembly and the Security Council, for the United Nations as a world body 37. Turning to the item under discussion, he said that his and all its Members, as sovereign States, had the moral Government viewed with growing concern and alarm the obligation to speak out unequivocally against the crimes explosive situation created by the illegal racist minority and outrages committed in the name of a doctrine of racial regime in Southern Rhodesia. For reasons of principle and superiority. in accordance with the precepts embodied in the Charter of the United Nations, his Government was opposed to any 42. His delegation strongly condemned the policy and the policy of discrimination and aggression, any policy based illegal racist minorit y regime of Southern Rhodesia and ------6 ------General As~embly - Twenty-third Session- Fourth Committee called on the administering Power to com >ly faithfully and 47. His country supported the application of sanctions of honourabl:' with the resolutions of the General Assembly that type bt: ' not the use of force, since fo rce, in and the Security Council. accordance with the logic of events, elicited an equal or greater response, which might endanger peace and thus Mr. Aggrey-Orleans (Ghana}, Rapporteur, took the Chair. bring about the very thing that the United Nations was seeking to avoid and must avoid. 43. Mr. ALVARA.DO-GARAICOA (Ecu ~tdo r) said that, in the general debate on the Declaration on the Granting of 48. International law advoc..ated the use of peaceful solutions, and that was why international bodies existed Independence to Colonial Countries a 1d Peoples, and and functioned. Furthermore, the United Nations Charter particularly with reference to Sou the 11 Rhodesia he wished to make it clear that the Republic of Ecuado; , by itself condemned the use of force as a means of solving tradition and feeling, sympathized with the yearning of any international problems. people constituting a nation to secure th~ enjoyment of its right to freedom and sovereignty and to b•: able to establish 49. His country had already, on a previous occasion, itself as an independent State. The legitimacy of that right expressed its views on that all-impottant subject when it was especially recognized in the present ce ntury, which was had been under consideration in the Fourth Committee just charac terized by a decided trend towards absolute recogni­ as it was now being considered again. His country's representative had said at that time. "Ecuador did not tion of the principle of self-determinatio 1, which was not only a symbol but also translated and embodied the true propose that the problem should be left unsolved. It must be approached as a whole and all its implications must be meaning of the democratic ideal. That wa~ why his country sympathized with the yearning for freedom proclaimed by borne in mind, including the interests of States adjacent to those peoples who until very recently had been subjected to Southern Rhodesia. The u ~e of enforcement measures and a regime of domination- to a system ar d an attitude at of force was governed by Chapter Vll of the Charter and variance with the currents of freedom characteristic of the the best procedure would be not to call on a single modern world. The illegal regime ill Southern Rhodesia powerful country to use force, but to invoke Articles 39 et therefore clearly constituted a threat t•> peace and, in seq. of the Charter" (I617th meeting, para. 22). addHion, a flagrant violation of the categorical provisions adopted by the General Assembly. 50. He wished now to make it clear once again that Ecuador had complied with the United Nations resolutions 44. He recalled Security Council resolutions 216 (1965) of on Southern Rhodesia which prohibited imports and 12 November 1965, 217 (1965) of 20 Nov:mber 1965 ,221 exports, the encouragement of any dealings, the transfer of (1966) of 9April1966 and 232 (1966) of 16December funds, the shipment of commodities, sales, supplies and so 1966, and observed that General Assembl) resolution 2262 forth, but it reiterated its opposition to the use of force as a (X.Xri) , adopted on 3 November 1967, d early expressed means of fmding a way of solving or settling conllicts, since the Assembly's great concern that the meamres taken so far force created nothing but, on the contrary, destroyed everything. had not put an end to the rebellion in So·Jthern Rhodesia.

45. It was therefore urgently necessar ( to apply the Mr. Solomon (Trinidad and Tobago) resumed the Chair. sanctions which had been provided for md which were referred to in the decisions taken by the Se :urity Council at 5 l . Mr. NDAHA YO (Rwanda) expressed his country's its 1428th meeting on 29 May 1968 (resolution 253 grave concern at the failu re to find a solution to the ( 1968)) condemning measures of politica repression that problem of Southern Rhodesia and at the deterioration of constituted clear violations of the fundantental rights and the situation. Since the so-called independence of Southern freedoms of the people of Southern Rho:lesia, who were Rhodesia had been proclaimed, the people of Zimbabwe struggling to secure the enjoyment of their rights in had been living under the ru le of a po)jce state which accordance with the provisions of the United Nations denied its right to freedom and its human dignity by a Charter and the purposes of General fl ssembly resolu· policy of racial discrimination and segregation. The Unjted tion 15 14 (XV). Nations had attempted to remedy the situation, and its organs had approved many resolutions on the subject; the 46. The Security Council had decided thai, in order to put Security Council had, in fact, declared in its resolution 232 an end to the rebellion in Rhodesia, all St ttes Members of (1966) that the situation constituted a threat to inter­ the United Nations should prevent: the import into their national peace and security. But the purpose of those territories of all commodities and products originating in resolutions had not been achieved, and as everyone knew, Southern Rhodesia; any activities by thei:· nationals or in there had been no change in the Smith r~gime 's policies their territories which would promo te or Wlre calculated to since its usurpation of power. More than 4 million Africans promote the export of any commodities or products from of Zimbabwe were the victims of violence, imprisonment Southern Rhodesia; the shipment in vessels or aircraft of without trial and every kind of inhuman and humiliating their registration or under charter to their nationals, or the treatment. carriage across their territories, of any :ommodities or products originating in Southern Rhodesu; or the sale or 52. The situation in Southern Rhodesia was in itself a supply by their nationals or from their te rritories of any threat to peace, and the Salisbury regime's alliance wi th commodities or products or to any per:.on or body in those of Pretoria and Lisbon posed a danger not only to Southern Rhodesia- in short, the applicatic•n of exhaustive Africa but to the whole world. The South African and sanctions of that type. Portuguese Governments' support of the Smith regime 1768th meeting - 18 October 1968 7 amounted to defiance of the United Nations, which had wished to enumerate certain important points which had condemned their policies. The United Nations must act emerged from the debate: that the Smith regime was illegal before the situation grew worse and must take effective and should be put down; that the sanctions imposed had measures to prevent any further strengthening of the failed; that South Africa and Portugal had refused to abide political, economic and military ties between Portugal, by the Security Council's resolutions regarding sanctions; South Africa and Southern Rhodesia. that force should be used to overthr:.w the illegal ;·egime; that the United Nations should contin ue to exert its 53. In his delegation's view, it was the responsibility of the influence with a view to establishing majority rule in United Kingdom to put an end to the rebel regime by Rhodesia; that the United Kingdom had the primary implementing the various United Nations resolutions. To responsibility for restoring order in the Territory and that that end, it should stop its political manoeuvring, which its attitude up to now had prevented United Nations action only confmned its complicity in the Rhodesian crisis. By from being effective. entering into negotiations with Ian Smith, the United Kingdom Government had strengthened the Smith regime, 57. Since ftnding a solution to the Rhodesian problem was since it could not expect to reach a settlement beneficial to the United Kingdom's task, his delegation wished to put the the i.nterests of the Zimbabwe people through such negotia· following questions to the United King~om representative: tions. Firstly, under the laws of the United Kingdom, what was 54. The present situation called for decisive measures to the citizenship status of the people who lived in its colony overthrow the illegal minority Government and transfer of Southern Rhodesia? Secondly, to what extent were power to the people of Zimbabwe by universal suffrage. United Kingdom laws applicable to Southern Rhodesia? The United Kingdom might already have achieved that Thirdly, under the laws of the United Kingdom, what objective if it had not entered into futile talks and had, offences had been committed by Smith and his colla· instead, taken account of United Nations resolutions and borators from the date of the unilateral declaration of world opinion. independence up to the present? Fourthly, what steps was the United Kingdom Government taking under its own laws 55. His delegation called upon all countries to defend the to brir · Smith to justice? principles of the equality and freedom for all and take effective measures for the establishment of a just regime in 58. Mr. LUARD (United Kingdom) said that, at the Rhodesia, and reaffirmed Rwanda's full support of the conclusion of the debate, he would answer the Liberian Zimbabwe people in its legitimate struggle for indepen­ representative's questions and de al with many other points dence. that had been raised. 56. Mr. CAINE (Liberia) said that before putting a few questions to the representative of the United Kingdom, he The meeting rose at 1.10 p.m.

Litho in U.N . 77401-June 1969 - 2~25