Question of Territories under Portuguese domination

XXIX. RESOLUTIONS ADOPTED ON THE REPORTS OF THE FOURTH COMMITTEE
3294. Question of Territories under Portuguese domination

The General Assembly, Having considered the question of Territories under Portuguese domination, 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,[1] Having heard the statements made by the administering Power,[2] in particular the important statement made by the Head of State of Portugal on 17 October 1974,[3] Having heard the statements of the representatives of the Movimento de Libertação de São Tomé e Príncipe, the Frente Nacional para a Libertação de Angola, the Frente de Libertação de Moçambique, the Movimento Popular de Libertação de Angola and the Partido Africano da Independência de Guiné e Cabo Verde,[4] who participated in an observer capacity in the Fourth Committee's consideration of the item, Taking into account the important statement made by the current Chairman of the Assembly of Heads of State and Government of the Organization of African Unity before the General Assembly on 9 October 1974, in which he referred to the present item,[5] Recalling its resolution 1514 (XV) of 14 December 1960, containing the Declaration on the Granting of Independence to Colonial Countries and Peoples, and its resolution 2621 (XXV) of 12 October 1970, containing the programme of action for the full implementation of the Declaration, as well as all other resolutions relating to the item adopted by the General Assembly, the Security Council and the Special Committee, Welcoming the declaration of the Government of Portugal accepting to fulfil its obligations under the relevant provisions of the Charter of the United Nations and recognizing the right of the peoples to self-determination and independence, as well as Portugal's express readiness to co-operate in the work of the competent United Nations bodies, as stated by the Government of Portugal in its declarations before the General Assembly on 23 September and 17 October 1974,[6] Cognizant that the changes in the policy of Portugal towards its colonial Territories were brought about mainly as a consequence of the heroic struggle and persistent resistance of the peoples of the Territories concerned, led by their national liberation movements, for the achievement of their independence and the restoration of their human rights, Cognizant also that the action carried out in Portugal by the movement of 25 April 1974 represents a fundamental step in the process of decolonization occurring in the Territories, Reiterating that only total decolonization will restore peace in the Territories, Deeply concerned at the activities of the fascist and reactionary groups still in existence in Angola, Cape Verde and Mozambique, which are trying to obstruct the realization by the peoples of these Territories of their aspirations for freedom and independence and which are provoking racial confrontations that have resulted on several occasions in deplorable incidents causing death and injuries among the inhabitants, Mindful of the responsibility of the United Nations to continue to render all moral and material aid to the peoples of the Territories under Portuguese domination and their national liberation movements recognized by the Organization of African Unity in their efforts to consolidate national unity and to reconstruct their countries,

1. Reaffirms the inalienable right of the peoples of the Territories under Portuguese domination to self-determination and independence in accordance with the Declaration on the Granting of Independence to Colonial Countries and Peoples, contained in its resolution 1514 (XV);

2. Welcomes with satisfaction the acceptance by the new Government of Portugal of the sacred principle of self-determination and independence and its unqualified applicability to all the peoples under Portuguese colonial domination;

3. Notes with particular satisfaction that, as a result of the consultations held between the Government of Portugal and the national liberation movements of the Territories concerned:

(a) Mozambique will accede to independence on 25 June 1975;[7]

(b) São Tomé and Principe will accede to independence on 12 July 1975;[8]

(c) Provisional governments will be established in Angola and Cape Verde with a view to the attainment by these Territories during 1975 of the goals set forth in the Charter of the United Nations and in the Declaration;

4. Strongly deplores the subversive and criminal activities of the fascist and reactionary groups in Angola, Cape Verde, Mozambique and São Tomé and Principe, which are attempting to obstruct the realization by the peoples of the Territories of their aspirations for freedom and independence, and requests the Government of Portugal to continue and strengthen its efforts to put an end to all such activities;

5. Reiterates its affirmation that the national unity and territorial integrity of these Territories must be preserved, taking note in this connexion of the statement delivered by the administering Power;[9]

6. Reaffirms its total support of, and constant solidarity with, the peoples of the Territories under Portuguese domination in their legitimate struggle to achieve without further delay freedom and independence under the leadership of their national liberation movements the Frente Nacional para a Libertação de Angola, the Movimento Popular de Libertação de Angola, the Partido Africano da Independência da Guiné e Cabo Verde, the Frente de Libertação de Moçambique and the Movimento de Libertação de São Tomé e Principe-which are authentic representatives of the peoples concerned;

7. Calls upon the Government of Portugal to pursue the necessary steps to ensure the full implementation of the Declaration contained in resolution 1514 (XV) and all other resolutions of the United Nations relating to the Territories concerned, as well as other recent measures geared towards total decolonization, namely, the agreements concluded in Algiers and in Lusaka and the continuation of the negotiations with the above-mentioned national liberation movements, in their capacity of qualified counterparts, for the total transfer of powers to representatives of the peoples concerned, by adopting forthwith all necessary measures to remove any obstacle to the full and free exercise of their inalienable right to self-determination and independence;

8. Requests the Government of Portugal to keep the United Nations informed of the action taken or envisaged in the implementation of paragraphs 4 and 7 above and of the related developments in these Territories;

9. Invites all Governments to increase their efforts with a view to contributing to the acceleration of the process of decolonization in the Territories concerned;

10. Appeals to all Governments and the specialized agencies and other institutions associated with the United Nations to render to the peoples of the Territories concerned all moral and material assistance towards the achievement of their national independence and the reconstruction of their countries;

11. Requests the Special Committee on the Situation with regard to the Implementation of the Declaration on the Granting of Independence to Colonial Countries and Peoples to keep the situation in these Territories under continuous review, in particular through the dispatch of visiting missions as appropriate, and to report thereon to the General Assembly at its thirtieth session.

2318th plenary meeting
13 December 1974

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[1] Official Records of the General Assembly, Twenty-ninth Session, Supplement No. 23 (A/9623/Rev.1), chaps. IV-VII. [2] Ibid., Twenty-ninth Session, Plenary Meetings, 2233rd, 2239th, 2269th and 2309th meetings and ibid., Fourth Committee, 2080th and 2092nd meetings. [3] Ibid., Plenary Meetings, 2269th meeting. [4] Ibid., Fourth Committee, 2080th, 2081st, 2084th and 2088th meetings. [5] Ibid., Plenary Meetings, 2262nd meeting. [6] Ibid., 2239th and 2269th meetings. [7] A/9769, annex I. [8] A/9885. [9] See Official Records of the General Assembly Twenty-ninth Session, Fourth Committee, 2080th meeting.