CO537-4800 — Page 28

A/AC.28/SR 2 Page 5

The United Nations could not shirk its responsibilities to any Non-Self-Governing Territory simply because the Metropolitan Power had ceased to submit information regarding it. Cessation of transmission of information could be permitted only if the Territory concerned had attained self-government. Mr. Farrag was therefore unable to share the views expressed by the French Government in its letter of 29 April 1949. He felt, however, that the issue was not within the competence of the Special Committee, and felt that a recommendation might be made to the General Assembly to refer the matter to the Fourth Committee.

Mr. FLETCHER-COOKE (United Kingdom) emphasized that nothing in

its terms of reference entitled the Committee to discuss the substance of

questions included under item 4 of the agenda; still less was the

Committee empowered to make recommendations on any of those items.

The Egyptian representative had implied that the United Kingdom

representative at the first session of the General Assembly had accepted

the principle of international accountability with regard to colonies. But it was sufficient to review the work of the Committee in 1948 to

realize that the United Kingdom Government did not recognize such a

principle as applying to Non-Self-Governing. Territories.

It therefore

The United Kingdom Government had assumed certain limited obligations

under Article 73 e of the Charter; it had honoured those obligations in

the past, was still doing so, and would continue to do so.

It did not,

however, recognize the right of any organ of the United Nations to call Metropolitan Powers to account for their policies or actions in

Non-Self-Governing Territories under their administration.

entirely shared the view of the French Government that it was for the

Administering Power alone to decide which of the territories under its

administration were non-self-governing and which had reached such a degree of self-government that it was no longer necessary to transmit information in their respect.

Mr. SHIVA RAO remarked that the question had been discussed at length the previous year. Nevertheless, he wished to make a few remarks in connexion with the communication from the French Government and the

statement by Mr. Crooch-Jonos quoted in document A/915. The latter said, in particular: "There were British territories which, while not yet in full control of their external affairs, were nevertheless fully responsible for the conduct of their internal affairs", and indicated that Malta was one of them. Mr. Shiva Rao questioned that such a territory could be said to enjoy full self-government under the terms of

/Article 73 e