ODA files, lot 60 D 257, “Colonial Policy”
Memorandum Prepared in the Office of Dependent Area Affairs
restricted
[Washington, February 17, 1953.]
Underlying Issues in United Nations Consideration of Colonial Questions
- 1.
- What are the respective basic assumptions of the principal administering and non-administering powers as they emerge in United Nations consideration of colonial questions?
- 2.
- To what extent have the colonial powers become accountable to the
United Nations for their colonial administrations?
- a.
- Has Chapter XI modified the constitutional relationship of administering authorities to their colonies?
- b.
- “Political information” question (transmission of, discussion of, recommendations concerning).
- c.
- Force and effect of “recommendations” of UN bodies.
- 3.
- To what extent do the powers which have not reported under Chapter
XI nevertheless have responsibilities to the United Nations for
population groups under their control who do not participate in
their political processes (i.e., who are not fully self-governing)?
- a.
- What constitutes a non-self-governing people under Chapter XI?
- b.
- What attitude should the U.S. adopt toward the Belgian thesis?
- 4.
- To what extent is it proper for the United Nations to involve
itself in the decision of the administering (colonial) power to
shift one of its territories from non-self-governing (colonial)
status to self-governing status and consequently to cease
transmitting information on it to the United Nations?
- a.
- “Factors” and “cessation” question
- b.
- “Puerto Rico” question
- c.
- Hawaii and Alaska
- 5.
- What is the proper role of the UN
in promoting international respect for the concept that all peoples
have the right to determine their own destinies?
- a.
- Self-determination question.
- 6.
- How can the U.S. reconcile its security interest under NATO with its traditional policy of
sympathy for the aspirations of non-self-governing peoples for
self-government, and our need to retain the friendship and support
in the East–West struggle of the anti-colonial states and peoples of
the world?
- a.
- Tunisia
- b.
- Morocco
- c.
- Cyprus
- 7.
- To what extent should the U.S. exercise pressure on the European states administering Caribbean territories to improve conditions in nearby areas in order to avert dangerous subversive movements there?
- 8.
- What is the U.S. interest in the present condition and future
development of the Melanesian and Polynesian peoples of the South
Pacific, e.g.
- a.
- Question of Netherlands New Guinea
- b.
- Use of South Pacific Commission
- 9.
- To what extent and in what manner shall the colonial population
play a part in UN consideration of
colonial questions?
- a.
- Participation in TC, NSGT Committee, etc.
- b.
- Oral hearings
- 10.
- What is the appropriate role of the General Assembly in relation
to the Trusteeship Council?
- a.
- Should the principle of balance in the Trusteeship Council be rendered nugatory by the General Assembly?
- b.
- What should be the respective roles of the Trusteeship Council and the General Assembly in matters of oral hearings?
- c.
- To what extent should the General Assembly make recommendations directly to the administering authorities of Trust Territories instead of through the Trusteeship Council?
- 11.
- To what extent shall UN machinery
not provided in the Charter be established to deal with colonial
questions?
- a.
- Renewal of NSGT Committee
- b.
- UN plebiscites in non-self-governing territories and trust territories re self-determination
- c.
- Visits to non-self-governing territories
- 12.
- What policy should the U.S. follow toward the integration of
colonial areas with special reference to:
- a.
- The Ewe question
- b.
- The Cameroons unification question
- c.
- Administrative unions affecting trust territories
- d.
- Integration of Guam and the Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands
- e.
- Unification of the Samoas
- f.
- Federation of British Caribbean areas
- g.
- South West Africa question
- h.
- Central African Federation
- i.
- Integration of the Somali Areas of East Africa
- j.
- Integration of French territories in West and Equatorial Africa
- 13.
- What position should the U.S. take regarding the development of
multi-racial societies in colonial areas?
- a.
- French North Africa (Arab, Berber, European)
- b.
- East and Central Africa (African, European, Asian)
- c.
- Malaya (Chinese, Indian, Malay)
- d.
- Fiji (Indian and Fijian)
- 14.
- To what extent is it feasible for the U.S. to go beyond the strict
requirements of the Charter re colonial questions in order
- a.
- to win the sympathies of the colonial peoples,
- b.
- to move the colonial powers to make more rapid progress in orderly development self-government,
- c.
- to have more influence in the UN majority, and
- d.
- to take the initiative away from the Soviets?