IO Files
United States Delegation Plenary Position
Paper
restricted
US/A/3427
[Paris,] January 10, 1952.
Treatment of People of Indian Origin in the
Union of South Africa: Report of the Ad Hoc Political
Committee (A/2046)
1. united states position
The United States should vote in favor of the attached resolution
adopted by the Ad Hoc Political Committee. If
the resolution is voted upon paragraph-by-paragraph the United
States should (a) vote in favor of preambular
paragraphs 1, 4 and 5, and operative paragraphs 1, 2 and 3; (b) abstain on preambular paragraphs 2 and 3
and operative paragraph 4: (c) vote against
operative paragraph 5.
[Page 864]
The United States should vote under Rule 67 against plenary
discussion of the report of the Ad Hoc
Political Committee.
2. history in committee
The Ad Hoc Political Committee devoted 6
meetings to the consideration of this agenda item. After adoption of
the resolution para-graph-by-paragraph, the resolution as a whole
was adopted by 41 votes to 2, with 13 abstentions.
3. possible developments in plenary
Since South Africa has indicated that it does not desire plenary
debate, and it is unlikely that India will desire debate, there will
probably not be a debate. It is likely, however, that there will be
a number of explanations of vote. It will not be necessary for the
United States to explain its vote.
[Annex]
Resolution Adopted by the Ad Hoc Political
Committee 1/5/52 Treatment of
People of Indian Origin in the Union of South Africa
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The General Assembly,
Recalling its resolutions 44(1), 265
(III) and 395 (V), relating to the treatment of people of Indian
origin in the Union of South Africa,
Having considered that the Government of
the Union of South Africa has been unable up to the present time
to accept General Assembly resolution 395 (V) as a basis for a
round table conference,
Noting that the promulgation on 30 March
1951 of five proclamations under the Group Areas Act renders
operative thereby the provisions of that Act in direct
contravention of paragraph 3 of resolution 395 (V),
Having in mind its resolution 103(1) of
19 November 1946 against racial persecution and discrimination,
and its resolution 217(111) of 10 December 1948 relating to the
Universal Declaration of Human Rights,
Considering that a policy of “racial
segregation” (Apartheid) is necessarily based on doctrines of
racial discrimination,
- 1.
-
Recommends that a commission of three
members be established for the purpose of assisting the
parties, namely the Governments of India, Pakistan and the
Union of South Africa, in carrying through appropriate
negotiations, the said commission to be composed of one
member to be nominated by the Government of the Union of
South Africa, another to be nominated by the Governments of
India and [Page 865] Pakistan
and the third to be nominated by the other two members, or
in default of agreement between these two within a
reasonable time, by the Secretary-General of the United
Nations;
- 2.
-
Calls upon the Governments of the
Union of South Africa, India and Pakistan to nominate
members within sixty days from the date of adoption of the
present resolution;
- 3.
-
Requests the Secretary-General of the
United Nations, in the event that the members of the
Commission are not nominated in accordance with paragraphs 1
and 2 above, to lend his assistance to the Governments of
India, Pakistan and the Union of South Africa, provided such
assistance is deemed necessary and helpful by him, with a
view to facilitating appropriate negotiations between them;
and further, in his discretion and after consulting the
Governments concerned, to appoint an individual who would
render such additional assistance for the purpose of
facilitating the conduct of the said negotiations;
- 4.
-
Calls upon the Government of the
Union of South Africa to suspend the implementation or
enforcement of the provisions of the Group Areas Act pending
the conclusion of the negotiations;
- 5.
-
Decides to include this item in the
agenda of the next regular session of the General
Assembly.
