S.W. Africa Report Ready

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31115, 19 July 1966, Page 17

S.W. Africa Report Ready

(N .Z .P. A.-Reuter—Copyright) THE HAGUE, July 18. The World Court will assemble in the Peace Palace of The Hague today to announce its judgment in the complex and politically explosive South - west Africa case.

The 14 judges will in effect say whether South Africa has violated what has been described as a sacred trust of civilisation by virtually annexing this vast territory, mandated to her by the League of Nations in 1920. The Court will be ruling, after nearly six years of deliberation, on complaints brought by Liberia and Ethio-

pia on behalf of all African States against South Africa's stewardship of the territory. Apart from the legal aspects and their political overtones, the Court will be judging the question of apartheid. Observers consider this could have far-reaching repercussions on race relations in Africa. It will be the first time the International Court of Justice has adjudicated on apartheid, and its pronouncement could launch a new offensive by African States against this form of racial inequality in South Africa. . While the Court has deliberated, African States have pursued their battle against apartheid in the United Nations. Observers believe that once the legal aspects of the case are decided a new, more determined political battle will start. When the Court decided in December, 1962, that it was

Judicially competent to hear the South-West Africa case, its decision ran to a 300-page volume. Sir Percy Spender, the Australian Court president, is expected to take several hours to read the operative parts of the long judgment today. The judgment, according to legal circles in The Hague, may not be the last word from the World Court on the case. Both teams of lawyers can and probably will ask for clarification of various points and the case could thus remain sub judice for some time to come. United Press International reported that it is the most expensive, longest and most complicated case on which the Court has ever been required to rule.

The proceedings are expected to cost more than 14-million U,S. dollars and include enough legal documents to fill a warehouse.