51. Telegram From the Mission to the European Office of the United Nations to the Department of State1
Geneva, July 30, 1969,
1800Z.
2696. Subject: ECOSOC—Implementation Decolonialism Declaration—(Item 20).
- 1.
- Secretariat paper on this item circulated July 29 as report of
President of Council. Summary follows:
- A.
- President of Council held consultation with Chairman of Committee of 24 in Geneva July 17.
- B.
- Chairman of Committee of 24 observed that Committee members appreciated serious effects by number of SA’s and international institutions to find ways to implement declaration. Members also welcomed positive results flowing from offers of increased support to Southern African refugees by most members of UN system. Noted also that arrangements agreed at January 1969 inter-agency meeting convened by UNHCR were promising and that arrangements for working out increased assistance to refugees through UNHCR and OAU were progressing.
- C.
- On other hand only few SA’s and other international institutions have submitted concrete suggestions for best way to achieve speedy implementation of relevant resolutions in accordance GA Res. 2426 (XXIII).2
- D.
- President and Chairman agreed that Council might invite SA’s to participate fully in discussion at 47th session on further and coordinated implementation.
- E.
- Chairman of Committee of 24 suggested SA’s work out arrangements with OAU in order to facilitate formulation programmes of assistance as envisaged in operative para 3 of GA res. 2426 (XXIII) (Assistance to Liberation Movements).
- F.
- UNHCR thinks arrangements for inter-agency cooperation should be strengthened and that SA’s assume greater procedual flexibility in assisting refugees. ILO arrangements with UNHCR cited as example.
- G.
- Chairman of Committee of 24 suggested (and President had no objection) that Council should consider inviting executive heads of SA’s to bring to attention of SA’s specific problems being encountered in giving effect to GA resolutions. Thus states members could take action under para 6 of GA res. 2426 (XXIII) to initiate changes required for speedy and full implementation. President added that executive heads might be asked to report results to SYG.
- H.
- President and Chairman agreed that Council give continuing attention to question.
- 2.
- No talk as yet of any formal proposals or resolutions under this item. Expect debate, which begins in plenary July 31, to follow same pattern as last year, i.e., reports by SA’s and recriminations by Africans and EE’s. Del plans remain silent during debate unless it becomes necessary to respond specific attacks.
- 3.
- Del aware that US vote against GA res. 2426 (XXIII) principally because it sought to have IBRD and IMF perform functions prohibited by their statutes.
Tubby
- Source: National Archives, RG 59, Central Files 1967–69, POL 19 UN. Limited Official Use. Repeated to USUN.↩
- Resolution 2426 (XXIII), approved by the UN General Assembly on December 18, 1968, by a vote of 82 to 7 (U.S.), with 25 abstentions, called on specialized agencies and international institutions associated with the UN to cooperate in implementing the Declaration on the Granting of Independence to Colonial Countries and Peoples; and particularly to provide assistance, with the cooperation of the OAU, to liberation movements in Southern Rhodesia, Namibia, and the Portuguese African territories. It also called for the termination of IBRD loans and grants to Portugal and South Africa.↩