TNAG-0597-FCO40-744-Future-of-Dependent-Territories-territorial-studies-1977 — Page 33

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FM UKM 18 NEW YORK 010027Z

CONFIDENTIAL

TO PRIORITY FCO TEL NO 2238 OF 30 NOVEMBER

MIPT: PLENARY DEBATE ON DECOLONISATION

THE FOLLOWING IS OUR DRAFT STATEMENT,

HD. UND

ADVANCE COPY

QUOTE1. MY GOVERNMENT HAS MADE ITS POLICIES ON THE QUESTION OF DECOLONISATION VERY CLEAR. WE ARE COMMITTED TO THE PRINCIPLES OF SELF-DETERMINATION IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE WISHES OF THE PEOPLES IN THE TERRITORIES UNDER MY GOVERNMENT'S ADMINISTRATION. WE HAVE GIVEN EVERY ENCOURAGEMENT AND SUPPORT TO THOSE TERRITORIES SEEKING INDEPENDENCE. OUR RECORD IN BRINGING COLONIAL TERRITORIES TO INDEPENDENCE SPEAKS FOR ITSELF. ON THE OTHER HAND WE HAVE NOT FORCED INDEPENDENCE ON THOSE WHO DO NOT SEEK IT,

AND WILL NOT DO SO IN THE FUTURE.

2. IN OUR STATEMENT IN THE SMALL-TERRITORIES DEBATE IN THE FOURTH COMMITTEE, WE SAID THAT IT WAS OUR INTENTION THAT OUR RESIDUAL COLONIAL RESPONSIBILITIES IN THE PACIFIC AREA WOULD BE CONCLUDED BY OR DURING 1988. TO THIS I SHOULD ADD THE COMMITMENT OF MY GOVERNMENT, AS REPEATED BY AMBASSADOR RICHARD IN THE FOURTH COMMITTEE ON 30 NOVEMBER, TO A PEACEFUL SETTLEMENT LEADING TO INDEPENDENCE AND MAJORITY RULE FOR SOUTHERN RHODESIA IN 1978. 3. MY GOVERNMENT ATTENDED THE INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCES AT MAPUTO AND LAGOS THIS YEAR, AND WAS PLEASED TO JOIN WITH THE REST OF THE WORLD COMMUNITY IN CONDEMNING THE APARTHEID POLICIES OF THE SOUTH AFRICAN GOVERNMENT, AND THE OCCUPATION OF NAMIBIA BY SOUTH AFRICA. HOWEVER MY GOVERNMENT MADE CERTAIN RESERVATIONS AT MAPUTO AND LAGOS BECAUSE OF OUR COMMITMENT TO PEACEFUL SOLUTIONS TO THE PROBLEMS OF SOUTHERN RHODESIA AND NAMIBIA, IN VOTING FOR REBOLUTION A.32/L.35, MY GOVERNMENT THEREFORE HAS TO RECALL THAT ITS SUPPORT OF THE DECLARATION OF MAPUTO AND LAGOS WAS NOT UNCONDITIONAL.

4. FOR REASONS WHICH HAVE BEEN FREQUENTLY EXPLAINED, MY GOVERNMENT WILL NOT BE ABLE TO SUPPORT RESOLUTION A/32/L36, ALTHOUGH IT CONTAINS MUCH WITH WHICH WE AGREE.

RICHARD