Fourth Committee

The Fourth Committee (Special Political and Decolonization) approved four draft resolutions and a draft decision today, concluding its general debate on international cooperation in the peaceful uses of outer space.

Member States must avoid allowing political differences to distract them from their responsibilities, the President of the General Assembly told the Fourth Committee (Special Political and Decolonization) today, as it continued its general debate on international cooperation in the peaceful uses of outer space.

While the Outer Space Treaty was a landmark instrument, some of its undeveloped aspects remained within the legal regime in order to preserve security in space, a joint ad hoc meeting of the First (Disarmament and International Security) and Fourth Committees (Special Political and Decolonization) heard today.

Speakers highlighted two milestone anniversaries today — the launch of Sputnik I and the entry into force of the Outer Space Treaty — as the Fourth Committee (Special Political and Decolonization) began its general debate on international cooperation in the peaceful uses of outer space.

Concluding its consideration of decolonization questions today, the Fourth Committee (Special Political and Decolonization) approved 19 draft resolutions for adoption by the General Assembly, 5 of them by recorded vote.

While Argentina would always defend the right to self‑determination everywhere, that principle was not absolute and must not be used as a pretext for interfering with the territorial integrity of existing States, the country’s representative cautioned today, as the Fourth Committee (Special Political and Decolonization) continued its general debate on decolonization issues.

Delegates from several African countries called for greater regional cooperation in the peaceful resolution of the Western Sahara question today, as the Fourth Committee (Special Political and Decolonization) continued its general debate on decolonization.

A petitioner appealed today for the parties to the dispute over Western Sahara to approach the issue in a spirit of compromise, rather than resurrecting old settlement plans or repeating arguments, as the Fourth Committee (Special Political and Decolonization) continued its general debate on decolonization.

With New Caledonia looking forward to a historic self-determination referendum in 2018, many petitioners called today for United Nations oversight of that vote in light of problems with the electoral list, as the Fourth Committee (Special Political and Decolonization) continued its general debate on decolonization questions.

The Non-Self-Governing Territory of French Polynesia was led by an “accommodationist” government that provided its people with only the illusion of self-determination, many petitioners declared today, as the Fourth Committee (Special Political and Decolonization) entered its second day of debate on decolonization issues.