RESOLUTIONS ADOPTED AND DECISIONS TAKEN BY THE SECURITY COUNCIL IN 1968

Part I. Questions considered by the Security Council under its responsibility for the maintenance of international peace and security

THE QUESTION OF SOUTH WEST AFRICA

Decision
At its 1387th meeting, on 25 January 1968, the Council decided to invite the representative of Nigeria to participate, without vote, in the discussion of the item entitled:
"The question of South West Africa: "Letter dated 24 January 1968 addressed to the
President of the Security Council by the representatives of Afghanistan, Algeria, Burundi, Cambodia, Cameroon, The Central African Republic, Chad, Congo ( Brazzaville), Congo (Democratic Republic of), Dahomey, Ethiopia, Ghana, Guinea, India, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Ivory Coast, Jordan, Kenya, Liberia, Libya, Madagascar, Malaysia, Mali, Mauritania, Morocco, Nepal, Niger, Nigeria, Pakistan, The Philippines, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Singapore, Somalia, Sudan, Syria, Thailand, Togo, Turkey, Uganda, The United Arab Republic, The United Republic of Tanzania, Upper Volta, Yemen, Yugoslavia and Zambia (S/8355) ;1
"Letter dated 23 January 1968 addressed to the President of the Security Council by the President of the United Nations Council for South West Africa ( S/8353) ."1
Resolution 245 ( 1968)
of 25 January 1968
The Security Council, Taking note of General Assembly resolution 2145

(XXI) of 27 October 1966, by which the Assembly terminated South Africa's Mandate over South West Africa and decided, inter alia, that South Africa has no other right to administer the Territory and that henceforth South West Africa comes under the direct responsibility of the United Nations,
Taking note further of General Assembly resolution 2324 (XXII) of 16 December 1967, in which the Assembly condemned the illegal arrest, deportation and trial at Pretoria of thirty-seven South \Vest Africans as a flagrant violation by the Government of South Africa of their rights, of the international status of the Territory and of General Assembly resolution 2145 (XXI),
Gravely concerned that the Government of South Africa has ignored world public opinion so overwhelmingly expressed in General Assembly resolution 2324 (XXII) by refusing to discontinue this illegal trial and to release and repatriate the South West Africans concerued,
Taking into consideration the letter of 23 January 1968 from the President of the United Nations Council for South West Africa (S/8353),2
Noting with great concern that the trial is being held under arbitrary laws whose application has been illegally extended to the Territory of South West Africa in defiance of General Assembly resolutions,
Mindful of the grave consequences of the continued illegal application of these arbitrary laws by the Government of South Africa to the Territory of South West Africa,
Conscious of the special responsibilities of the United Nations towards the people and Territory of South West Africa,

1 See Official Records of the Security Cf'uncil, Twenty-third Year, Supplement for January, February and March 1968.

2 Ibid.

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1. Condemns the refusal of the Government of South Africa to comply with the provisions of General Assembly resolution 2324 (XXII);
2. Calls upon the Government of South Africa to discontinue forthwith this illegal trial and to release
and repatriate the South vVest Africans concerned ;
3. Invites all States to exert their influence in order to induce the Government of South Africa to comply with the provisions of the present resolution ;
4. Requests the Secretary-General to follow closely the implementation of the present resolution and to report thereon to the Security Council at the earliest possible date;
5. Decides to remain actively seized of the matter.
Adopted unammously at the 1387th meeting.
Decisions
At its 1391st meeting, on 16 February 1968, the Council decided to invite the representatives of Guyana, Turkey, Chile, Indonesia, Yugoslavia, Nigeria, the United Arab Republic and Zambia to participate, without vote, in the discussion of the item entitled:
"The question of South West Africa :
"Letter dated 12 February 1968 addressed to the President of the Security Council by the representatives of Chile, Colombia, Guyana, India, Indonesia, Nigeria, Pakistan, Turkey, the United Arab Republic, Yugoslavia and Zambia (S/8397) ;3
"Letter dated 12 February 1968 addressed to the President of the Security Council by the representatives of Afghanistan, Algeria, Cambodia, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Ceylon, Chad, Congo (Brazzaville), Congo (Democratic Republic of), Cyprus, Dahomey, Ethiopia, Ghana, Guinea, Iran, Iraq, Ivory Coast, Jamaica, Japan, Jordan, Kenya, Kuwait, Lebanon, Libya, Madagascar, Malaysia, Mali, Mauritania, Morocco, Nepal, Niger, Philippines, Rwanda, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Singapore, Somalia, Sudan, Syria, Thailand, Toga, Tunisia, Uganda, the United Republic of Tanzania, Upper Volta and Yemen (S/8398 and Add.l/Rev.l and Add.2)."3
At its 1392nd meeting, on 19 February 1968, the Council decided to invite the representative of Colombia to participate, without vote, in the discussion of the question.

Resolution 246 (1968)
of 14 March 1968
The Security Council,
Recalling its resolution 245 (1968) of 25 January 1968, by which it unanimously condemned the refusal of the Government of South Africa to comply with the provisions of General Assembly resolution 2324 (XXII) of 16 December 1%7 and further called upon the Government of South Africa to discontinue forthwith the illegal trial and to release and repatriate the South West Africans concerned,
Taking into account General Assembly resolution 2145 (XXI) of 27 October 1966 by which the General Assembly of the United Nations terminated the Mandate of South Africa over South West Africa and assumed direct responsibility for the Territory until its independence,
Reaffirming the inalienable right of the people and Territory of South West Africa to freedom and independence in accordance with the Charter of the United Nations and with the provisions of General Assembly resolution 1514 (XV) of 14 December 1960,
Mindful that Member States shall fulfil all their obligations as set forth in the Charter,
Distressed by the fact that the Government of South Africa has failed to comply with Security Council resolution 245 ( 1968),
Taking into account the memorandum of the United Nations Council for South West Africa of 25 January 19684 on the illegal detention and trial of the South West Africans concerned and the letter of 10 February 1968 from the President of the United Nations Council for South West Africa,~
Reaffirming that the continued detention and trial and subsequent sentencing of the South West Africans constitute an illegal act and a flagrant violation of the rights of the South West Africans concerned, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the international status of the Territory now under direct United Nations responsibility,
Cognizant of its special responsibility towards the people and Territory of South West Africa,
1. Censures the Government of South Africa for its flagrant defiance of Security Council resolution 245 ( 1968) as well as of the authority of the United Nations of which South Africa is a Member;
2. Detnands that the Government of South Africa release and repatriate forthwith the South West Africans concerned;
3. Calls upon States Members of the United Nations to co-operate with the Security Council, in pursuance of their obligations under the Charter, in order to obtain compliance by the Government of South Africa with the provisions of the present resolution;
4. Urges Member States who are in a position to contribute to the implementation cf the present resolution to assist the Security Council in order to obtain compliance by the Government of South Africa with the provisions of the present resolution;
5. Decides that in the event of failure on the part

'{bid.

4fbid., document S/8353/Add.l. 11 Ibid., document S/8394.
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