was certain. It was clear that the responsibility under Chapter XI of the Charter for the administration of Non-Self-Governing Territories could only be temporary. But it was not enough, he said, merely to liquidate the old: it was also necessary to "plan soundly for what will replace it."
In that regard, he went on, the wishes of the indigenous people had to be paramount. Experience had shown that a separate independence was usually, but by no means always, the people's choice. Contrary, he said, to the impression left by some speakers in the debate, the people of Puerto Rico did not now desire independence; they had freely chosen to be associated with the United States as a self-governing commonwealth. The vital test for an administering authority was that of free consultation with the people through free elections or some other equally valid means of self-determination.
The United States representative also spoke of "a new colonial system" that had been imposed by force on many peoples of many races, many of whom had been free for centuries. The entire system was disguised by censorship, by ruthless thought control, and by an elaborate misuse of words like "democratic" and "autonomous." However, its tragic reality had been attested to by the millions who had escaped it and by the tens of thousands who had died trying to shake it off. The United States representative referred to the USSR at the "arch-practitioner" of this "new and lethal colonialism." He said that the 43-nation draft declaration quite rightly spoke out against colonialism "in all its manifestations."
During the course of the debate, the representatives of Argentina, Belgium, France, Israel, Portugal, Spain and the Union of South Africa spoke in reply to charges made against their Governments by the representative of the USSR and other speakers.
On 13 December, the USSR representative introduced two amendments to the 43—power draft declaration, explaining that, although it had something in common with the Soviet declaration, it was incomplete in certain respects. By the first USSR amendment—which would add a new paragraph to the 43-power draft—the Assembly would call upon the powers concerned to ensure the transfer of full and sovereign power to the peoples of all dependent territories, in accordance with the principles stated in the declaration, and for that purpose to enter into negotiations with the representatives of the colonial peoples so that all colonial countries and peoples should attain independence not later than the end of 1961 and take their rightful place among the community of nations.
By the second USSR amendment, the Assembly would decide to consider the question of the implementation of the declaration at its sixteenth session (to open in September 1961).
Guatemala also proposed an addition to the 43-power draft to provide that "the principle of the self-determination of peoples may in no case impair the right of territorial integrity of any state or its right to the recovery of territory." This amendment was withdrawn on 14 December at the request of the Indonesian representative, who felt that it was already covered by operative paragraph (6) of the 43-power draft, dealing with attempts to disrupt the national unity and territorial integrity of countries.
On 14 December, the Assembly voted first on the USSR draft declaration, in two parts. The part by which Member states would proclaim certain "demands" was rejected by a roll-call vote of 32 in favour to 35 against, with 30 abstentions. The rest of the draft was rejected, also by roll-call, by 25 in favour to 35 against, with 22 abstentions.
The first USSR amendment to the 43-power draft was then rejected by a roll-call vote of 29 in favour to 47 against, with 22 abstentions. The second USSR amendment was also not adopted as it failed to obtain the necessary twothirds vote: the roll-call vote was 41 in favour to 35 against, with 22 abstentions.
The draft resolution sponsored by 43 Asian and African countries was then adopted, on 14 December 1960, as resolution 1514(XV), by a roll-call vote of 89 to O, with 9 abstentions. Honduras did not press its draft resolution to the vote.
DOCUMENTARY REFERENCES
GENERAL ASSEMBLY——15TH SESSION
General Committee, meeting 130.
Plenary meetings 902, 903, 925-939, 944-947.
