Transmission of information under Article 73 e of the Charter

XV. RESOLUTIONS ADOPTED ON THE REPORTS OF THE FOURTH COMMITTEE
1542. Transmission of information under Article 73 e of the Charter

The General Assembly, Recalling that, by resolution 742 (VIII) of 27 November 1953, the General Assembly approved a list of factors to be used as a guide in determining whether a Territory is or is no longer within the scope of Chapter XI of the Charter of the United Nations, Recalling also that differences of views arose among Member States concerning the status of certain territories under the administrations of Portugal and Spain and described by these two States as "overseas provinces" of the metropolitan State concerned, and that with a view to resolving those differences the General Assembly, by resolution 1467 (XIV) of 12 December 1959, appointed the Special Committee of Six on the Transmission of Information under Article 73 e of the Charter to study the principles which should guide Members in determining whether or not an obligation exists to transmit the information called for in Article 73 e, Recognizing that the desire for independence is the rightful aspiration of peoples under colonial subjugation and that the denial of their right to self-determination constitutes a threat to the well-being of humanity and to international peace, Recalling with satisfaction the statement of the representative of Spain at the 1048th meeting of the Fourth Committee that his Government agrees to transmit information to the Secretary-General in accordance with the provisions of Chapter XI of the Charter, Mindful of its responsibilities under Article 14 of the Charter, Being aware that the Government of Portugal has not transmitted information on the territories under its administration which are enumerated in operative paragraph 1 below and has not expressed any intention of doing so, and because such information as is otherwise available in regard to the conditions in these territories gives cause for concern,

1. Considers that, in the light of the provisions of Chapter XI of the Charter, General Assembly resolution 742 (VIII) and the principles approved by the Assembly in resolution 1541 (XV) of 15 December 1960, the territories under the administration of Portugal listed hereunder are Non-Self-Governing Territories within the meaning of Chapter XI of the Charter:

(a) The Cape Verde Archipelago;

(b) Guinea, called Portuguese Guinea;

(c) São Tomé and Príncipe, and their dependencies;

(d) São João Batista de Ajudá;

(e) Angola, including the enclave of Cabinda;

(f) Mozambique;

(g) Goa and dependencies, called the State of India;

(h) Macau and dependencies;

(i) Timor and dependencies;

2. Declares that an obligation exists on the part of the Government of Portugal to transmit information under Chapter XI of the Charter concerning these territories and that it should be discharged without further delay;

3. Requests the Government of Portugal to transmit to the Secretary-General information in accordance with the provisions of Chapter XI of the Charter on the conditions prevailing in the territories under its administration enumerated in paragraph 1 above;

4. Requests the Secretary-General to take the necessary steps in pursuance of the declaration of the Government of Spain that it is ready to act in accordance with the provisions of Chapter XI of the Charter;

5. Invites the Governments of Portugal and Spain to participate in the work of the Committee on Information from Non-Self-Governing Territories in accordance with the terms of paragraph 2 of General Assembly resolution 1332 (XIII) of 12 December 1958.

948th plenary meeting,
15 December 1960.