TNAG-0436-FCO40-501-Relations-between-Hong-Kong-and-international-organisations-1973 — Page 38

CONFIDENTIAL

UK governments have firmly maintained that the Administering

Power has the right to decide when a territory ceases to be

non-self-governing. This position is fully consistent with

General Assembly Resolution 222 (III) of 1948 which was the

original interpretation of the required procedure for action

by member governments under Article 73E of the Charter. Later

General Assembly and Committee of 24 resolutions have maintained

that only these organs have the right to make such a decision,

but we have never accepted this.

25. Since the Associated States achieved full self-government

in 1967 we have taken the position that they no longer fall

under Chapter XI of the Charter and that therefore the General

Assembly and Committee of 24 no longer have the right to treat

them as non-self-governing territories. We have stopped trans-

mitting information on the Associated States under Article 73E,

and have declined to participate in debates (other than to explain the constitutional position) or to be present during

voting on any resolutions.

In taking this stand, we have acted

our view of the merits of the

in accordance not only with

situation, but also with the strongly held wishes of the govern-

ments of these territories. The achievement of self-government

is not yet accepted by the Committee of 24, although most members realise the illogicality of their position and no longer

treat the matter as a contentious issue. The Chairman of

the Committee claims in private that he wishes to remove the

Associated States from its scope, but that isiting mission

would be a necessary first step. The governments of the

/Associated States

CONFIDENTIAL