SPECIAL COMMITTEE ON DECOLONIZATION DECIDES TO ACCEPT INVITATIONS TO MEETINGS ON DECOLONIZATION, AS IT ADOPTS REPORT OF ITS OPEN-ENDED BUREAU

18 June 1997

Press Release
GA/COL/2969

SPECIAL COMMITTEE ON DECOLONIZATION DECIDES TO ACCEPT INVITATIONS TO MEETINGS ON DECOLONIZATION, AS IT ADOPTS REPORT OF ITS OPEN-ENDED BUREAU

19970618 Also Defers Consideration of Drafts on Foreign Economic Interests and Military Activities in Non-Self-Governing Territories

The Special Committee on decolonization this morning decided to accept invitations to participate in seminars and meetings relating to decolonization matters held away from Headquarters and asked the Secretary-General to seek the necessary budgetary provisions to cover such activities.

The Special Committee took that action as it adopted the report of its open-ended bureau (document A/AC.109/L.1868), which also recommended that it consider accepting such invitations as might be received in 1998. In addition, the Committee decided to organize a seminar next year in the Pacific region to be attended by representatives of all Non-Self-Governing Territories.

The open-ended bureau also proposed that the Special Committee recommend to the General Assembly that it continue to be represented at seminars, meetings and conferences organized by the United Nations, intergovernmental and non-governmental organizations active in the field of decolonization.

In its report, the open-ended bureau recalls that Assembly resolution 1654 (XVI) of 27 November 1961 authorized the Special Committee to meet outside Headquarters, whenever and wherever required, to effectively discharge its functions.

The bureau also recommended that the United Nations continue to facilitate participation by representatives of Non-Self-Governing Territories in the Special Committee's work, by reimbursing their expenses, under the terms and guidelines approved by the General Assembly at its forty-eighth session.

Decolonization Committee - 2 - Press Release GA/COL/2969 1478th Meeting (AM) 18 June 1997

In other action this morning, the Special Committee decided to defer until August consideration of a draft resolution on foreign economic and other interests in the Non-Self-Governing Territories and a draft decision on military activities and arrangements by administering Powers in Territories under their administration.

The Chairman, Utula U. Samana (Papua New Guinea), said the deferral would give him time to hold consultations on amendments to the draft texts proposed by the European Union. He planned to begin those consultations on Friday, 20 June.

The representatives of India, Cote d'Ivoire and Antigua and Barbuda endorsed the decision to defer consideration of the drafts.

The Special Committee will meet again at 10 a.m., tomorrow, Thursday, 19 June, to consider the question of Puerto Rico.

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