Question of Aden

XXI. RESOLUTIONS ADOPTED ON THE REPORTS OF THE FOURTH COMMITTEE
2183. Question of Aden

The General Assembly, Having considered 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 the Territory of Aden [1] which includes, in addition to Aden, the Eastern and Western Aden Protectorates, and the Islands of Perim, Kuria Muria, Kamaran and other off-shore islands, Recalling its resolutions 1514 (XV) of 14 December 1960, 1949 (XVIII) of 11 December 1963 and 2023 (XX) of 5 November 1965, and the related resolutions adopted by the Special Committee on 22 March and 15 June 1966,[2] Having heard the statements of the petitioners, Having taken note of the declaration of the representative of the administering Power on his Government's readiness to co-operate with the United Nations in the full implementation of the relevant General Assembly resolutions at the earliest possible time, Having taken note of the assurances given by there presentative of the administering Power, on 10 November 1966,[3] concerning the territorial integrity and the unity of South Arabia as a whole, Having taken note also of the statement by the representative of the administering Power, on 17 November 1966,[4] that the United Nations mission will have free and unimpeded contact with the representatives of all shades of opinion in the Territory, Taking note of the statement by the administering Power that it will grant independence to the Territory of South Arabia not later than 1968, Having further taken note of the declaration by the administering Power on the question of the termination of all treaties and the removal of military bases by the time of independence, and in particular of its commitment not to enter into any defence arrangement with South Arabia, Considering that the United Nations mission should have full freedom of action and unrestricted access to all parts of the Territory and that the administering Power should guarantee to the people the free exercise of political rights and freedoms throughout the Territory, Deeply disturbed by the reports issued by various international humanitarian organizations on the maltreatment of political detainees and prisoners and by the continuation of the military operations against the people of the Territory, Deeply concerned at the critical and explosive situation which might threaten peace and security in the area owing to the failure of the administering Power to implement the relevant United Nations resolutions,

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 the Territory of Aden, and the conclusions contained therein, and endorses the resolutions adopted by the Special Committee on 22 March and 15 June 1966;

2. Reaffirms the inalienable right of the people of the Territory to self-determination and independence in accordance with General Assembly resolution 1514 (XV);

3. Reaffirms paragraph 8 of the resolution adopted by the Special Committee on 15 June 1966 and urges the administering Power to implement it;

4. Further reaffirms that the only authority responsible to the United Nations for the full implementation of the United Nations resolutions with regard to the Territory is the Government of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland;

5. Requests the Secretary-General, in consultation with the Special Committee and the administering Power, to appoint immediately a special mission to be sent to Aden for the purpose of recommending practical steps for the full implementation of the relevant resolutions of the General Assembly, and, in particular, for the purpose of determining the extent of the United Nations participation in the preparation and supervision of the elections and submitting a report to him as soon as possible for transmission to the Special Committee;

6. Requests the United Nations Special Mission on Aden to consider recommending, inter alia, practical steps for the establishment of a central caretaker government in the Territory to carry out the administration of the whole Territory and to assist in the organization of the elections;

7. Calls upon the administering Power to take the necessary measures, in accordance with paragraph 3 above, so that the United Nations Special Mission on Aden can discharge its responsibilities on the basis of the resolution adopted by the Special Committee on 15 June 1966;

8. Requests the Secretary-General to provide all the necessary assistance and facilities for the implementation of the present resolution;

9. Decides to maintain the question of Aden on its agenda.

1490th plenary meeting,
12 December 1966. The Secretary-General, in pursuance of paragraph 5 of the above resolution, appointed the members of the United Nations Special Mission on Aden.[5] The Mission will be composed as follows: Manuel PEREZ GUERRERO (Venezuela), Chairman, Mr. Abdul Satar SHALIZI (Afghanistan) and Mr. Moussa Léo KEITA (Mali).

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[1] Ibid., chapter VI. [2] Ibid., paras. 99 and 382. [3]3 Ibid., Twenty-first Session, Fourth Committee, 1633rd meeting, paras. 8-14. [4] Ibid., 1636th meeting, paras. 2-10. [5] See A/6636.