DECEMBER 15, 1992
Mr. President,
Distinguished Delegates,
As Chairman of the Special Committee, it is with real pleasure that I now introduce two of the resolutions which the Special Committee is directly sponsoring. These are: draft resolution A/47/L.32 entitled "International efforts towards the total eradication of apartheid and support for the establishment of a united, non-racial and democratic South Africa"; and draft resolution A/47/L.41 entitled "Programme of Work of the Special Committee against Apartheid".
The omnibus draft resolution A/47/L.32 before you represents a hard-earned consensus. It covers all practical aspects of developments in South Africa. By this draft, the Assembly would reaffirm the Declaration on Apartheid and its Destructive Consequences in Southern Africa and the need for the full implementation of its provisions. The Assembly would also recognize the responsibility of the United Nations and the international community, as envisaged in the Declaration, to help the South African people in their legitimate struggle for the total elimination of apartheid through peaceful means.
The draft before you addresses most of the concerns expressed in the course of the tortuous negotiations before consensus was reached. It is a text that accurately reflects the existing realities inside South Africa. The draft also calls on all the parties in South Africa to contribute to the achievement of the aims of the National Peace Accord.
The Special Committee wishes to once again appeal to the international community to maintain appropriate pressure on South Africa. Operative paragraph 12 of this draft is self-explanatory. May I also reiterate that it is essential that the people of South Africa be encouraged by the international community to resume broad-based negotiations on transitional arrangements with the objective of reaching early agreement on a new democratic non-racial constitution.
Reaching a consensus ordinarily has never been easy. And this is not an ordinary time. Developments inside South Africa in particular, and around the world in general, are so fluid, allowing for the possibility of different conclusions to be drawn on a particular subject matter. The question of apartheid South Africa has not been an exception. This draft has, however, attempted to demonstrate how the developments in South Africa should be viewed by the international community in a balanced and helpful manner.
In spite of the difficulties encountered in the process, we were able to obtain consensus for this draft resolution. And for this achievement, I wish to thank all our negotiating partners. By their forthright and constructive contributions, they have demonstrated once again their willingness to press that the process of change in South Africa, halted for months due largely to the persistence of violence, should be brought back on track. I am personally grateful for the support and cooperation received from all the participants in the negotiating forum throughout the difficult period. Therefore, on behalf of the Special Committee and indeed on behalf of all of you, I am very proud to present this omnibus draft resolution on the international efforts required to resolve the South African problems. It is with pleasure that I commend to this Assembly the draft resolution A/46/L.32 for adoption by consensus.
Mr. President,
Distinguished Delegates,
It is also my duty to place before this distinguished Assembly, the text of draft resolution A/47/L.41 on the Programme of Work of the Special Committee against Apartheid...
The draft before you has the potential of being adopted by consensus, hence its language has been revised to reflect comments offered by many interested delegations. As mandated by the Special Committee, I spoke with all the delegations that abstained on this resolution last year with the hope that they could vote in its favour this year. I wish to make a final appeal to all those delegations that a unanimous adoption of this resolution by this Assembly would engrave our collective efforts in the search for an early solution to the South African question.
I understand that a few delegations are concerned about the continued mandate of the Committee, especially as we approach the dying days of apartheid. May I remind such distinguished delegations that I am on record as having expressed the hope to be the last Chairman of this Committee. I believe passionately in this. I also want to state unequivocally that the Special Committee will not perpetuate itself in office after the discharge of its mandate. Indeed, the mandate of the Committee would be considered ended when a new non-racial and democratic constitution is in place in South Africa and free and fair elections conducted on that basis. That has been our common goal throughout these long years of struggle and that remains our goal today. Once this objective is attained, the Special Committee will recommend to the General Assembly its own dissolution...