SPECIAL COMMITTEE ON DECOLONIZATION APPROVES GUIDELINES FOR PACIFIC REGIONAL SEMINAR

Press Release
GA/COL/3024

SPECIAL COMMITTEE ON DECOLONIZATION APPROVES GUIDELINES FOR PACIFIC REGIONAL SEMINAR

The Special Committee on the Situation with regard to the Implementation of the Declaration on the Granting of Independence to Colonial Countries and Peoples this afternoon approved the draft guidelines and rules of procedure for this year’s Pacific Regional Seminar (contained in provisional document A/AC.109/2000/1).

Following adoption of the meeting's agenda, the Special Committee approved the composition of its delegation to the seminar, scheduled be held in Majuro, Marshall Islands, from 16 to 18 May. The delegation would be made up of six Committee members, including its Chairman.

Bruno Rodriguez-Parrilla (Cuba), Acting Committee Chairman, said the Special Committee had established two working groups, one of which had been mandated to consult on issues relating to the preparation of the seminar. The working group had prepared a list of experts, non-governmental organizations and regional intergovernmental organizations that would participate. The United Nations would fund five experts from the region and six non-governmental organizations from the Non-Self-Governing Territories.

The Acting Chairman proposed that invitations be extended to: administering Powers; members of the Special Committee and other Member States; and elected and appointed officials of the Non-Self-Governing Territories. Only one representative from each Non-Self-Governing Territory would be funded by the United Nations. Invitations should also be sent to the Association of South-East Asian Nations (ASEAN), the Caribbean Community (CARICOM), Commonwealth Secretariat, Organization of American States (OAS), Secretariat of the South Pacific, South Pacific Forum and all organizations of the United Nations system.

Under other matters, the Acting Chairman proposed that during the week of the seminar, as in the past, the Special Committee should also observe the Week of Solidarity with the Peoples of Non-Self-Governing Territories.

The Special Committee’s next meeting will be held on a date to be announced.

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