I.L.O. FAVOURS EXCLUDING S.A.

Press, Volume CIII, Issue 30367, 17 February 1964, Page 11

I.L.O. FAVOURS EXCLUDING S.A.

(N-Z.P. A.-Reuter—Copyright) GENEVA, February 15. The governing body of the International Labour Organisation today voted in favour of suspending South Atnca from participation in its annual general conferences. The vote, which was 32 in favour, 14 against and two abstentions, was on a recommendation that the International Labour Organisation’s constitution be amended so that any member-state found by the United Nations to be flagrantly and persistently pursuing by its legislation a declared policy of racial discrimination such as apartheid” be suspended from the International Labour Organisation’s conference.

The recommendation now goes to the 1.L.0. conference next June for final decision. The 14 votes against included eight Governments— United States, Britain, Canada, Australia, France, Italy, Norway and Japan. The other six votes were from employer delegates. The governing body also approved a second amend-

The 1.L.0. action recommending the suspension of South Africa was bitterly criticised by the Republic in a 1500-word letter to the governing body on Thursday. It said South Africa “registers the strongest protest against the action . . . seeking to deprive South Africa of its rights of membership.” The letter said adoption of the recommendations “would create a precedent harmful to the organisation” and were based on “the false premise that apartheid was an end and not a beginning, and that its basic object was the maintenance of discrimination in all spheres of life in the Republic.

ment, without opposition, whereby the 1.L.0. conference can expel or suspend any member-state that has been deprived of United Nations membership. This must also be approved by the 1.L.0. conference.