Question of Montserrat : resolution / adopted by the General Assembly

The General Assembly,

Having considered the question of Montserrat,

Having examined the relevant chapters of the report of the Special Committee on the Situation with regard to the Implementation of the Declaration on the Granting of Independence to Colonial Countries and Peoples,

Recalling its resolution 1514 (XV) of 14 December 1960, containing the Declaration on the Granting of Independence to Colonial Countries and Peoples, and all other resolutions and decisions of the United Nations relating to Montserrat, including in particular General Assembly resolution 41/21 of 31 October 1986,

Conscious of the need to ensure the full and speedy implementation of the Declaration in respect of the Territory,

Aware of the special circumstances of the geographical location and economic conditions of the Territory and bearing in mind the necessity of diversifying and strengthening further its economy as a matter of priority in order to promote economic stability,

Recalling the view of the Government of Montserrat that independence was both inevitable and desirable, provided that it was preceded by the attainment by Montserrat of a level of economic and financial viability sufficient to sustain it as an independent State, and recalling also the intention of the Government to seek from the Government of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and from other sources the levels of assistance necessary to achieve such viability and not to seek independence without the support of the majority of the people of the Territory,

Noting that the economy of the Territory continued to recover in 1985, while agricultural productivity continued to decline and that of fisheries remained at a low level,

Noting also the measures taken by the territorial Government to increase the efficiency of the civil service and the high priority it continued to accord to the training of cadres,

Emphasizing the importance of broadening the educational programme of the Territory, including the provision of improved classrooms, teaching facilities and well-trained teachers,

Emphasizing the importance of the continued participation of the Territory in the Caribbean Group for Co-operation in Economic Development, as well as in regional organizations such as the Caribbean Community and its associated institutions, including the Caribbean Development Bank,

Welcoming the contributions to the development of the Territory by the specialized agencies and organizations of the United Nations system operating in Montserrat, including the United Nations Development Programme and the United Nations Children's Fund,

Recalling the dispatch in 1975 and 1982 of United Nations visiting missions to the Territory,

Mindful that United Nations visiting missions provide an effective means of ascertaining the situation in the small Territories and considering that the possibility of sending a further visiting mission to Montserrat at an appropriate time should be kept under review,

1.         Approves the chapter of the report of the Special Committee on the Situation with regard to the Implementation of the Declaration on the Granting of Independence to Colonial Countries and Peoples relating to Montserrat;

2.         Reaffirms the inalienable right of the people of Montserrat to self-determination and independence in conformity with the Declaration on the Granting of Independence to Colonial Countries and Peoples;

3.         Reiterates the view that such factors as territorial size, geographical location, size of population and limited natural resources should in no way delay the speedy exercise by the people of the Territory of their inalienable right to self-determination and independence in conformity with the Declaration, which fully applies to Montserrat;

4.         Reiterates that it is the responsibility of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, as the administering Power, to create such conditions in the Territory as will enable the people of Montserrat to exercise freely and without interference their inalienable right to self-determination and independence in accordance with resolution 1514 (XV) and all other relevant resolutions of the General Assembly;

5.         Reaffirms that it is ultimately for the people of Montserrat themselves to determine their future political status in accordance with the relevant provisions of the Charter of the United Nations and the Declaration, and reiterates its call upon the administering Power to launch programmes, in co-operation with the territorial Government, to foster an awareness among the people of Montserrat of the possibilities available to them in the exercise of their right to self-determination and independence;

6.         Reaffirms the responsibility of the administering Power to promote the economic and social development of Montserrat;

7.         Calls upon the administering Power, in co-operation with the Government of Montserrat, to continue to strengthen the economy of the Territory and to increase its assistance to programmes of diversification in order to promote balanced growth and the economic and financial viability of the Territory;

8.         Urges the administering Power, in co-operation with the territorial Government, to take effective measures to safeguard, guarantee and ensure the rights of the people of Montserrat to own and dispose of the natural resources of the Territory, including its territorial waters, and to establish and maintain control over their future development;

9.         Reiterates its call upon the administering Power, in co-operation with the territorial Government, to continue the assistance necessary for the employment of the local population in the civil service, particularly at senior levels;

10.       Urges the administering Power, in co-operation with the territorial Government, to overcome shortages in human resources by providing appropriate incentives to assist nationals in finding better opportunities at home and to attract qualified nationals from abroad;

11.       Calls upon the specialized agencies and other organizations of the United Nations system to intensify their efforts to accelerate progress in the economic and social life of the Territory, and invites donor Governments and regional organizations to do the same;

12.       Reiterates its call upon the administering Power, in co-operation with the territorial Government, to take urgent steps to facilitate the readmission of Montserrat as an associate member of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization;

13.       Requests the Special Committee to continue the examination of this question at its next session, including the possible dispatch of a further visiting mission to Montserrat at an appropriate time and in consultation with the administering Power, and to report thereon to the General Assembly at its forty-third session.