RUSSIAN ATTACK ON INDEPENDENCE ISSUE

Press, Volume CVII, Issue 31384, 1 June 1967, Page 7

RUSSIAN ATTACK ON INDEPENDENCE ISSUE

(N.Z.P.A.-Reuter—Copyright) NEW YORK, May 30. The Soviet Union has launched an attack on the failure of the administering powers to grant independence to United Nations trust territories. When the Trusteeship Council opened its annual meeting yesterday the Soviet delegate, Mr Pavel Shakhov, charged that Australia, Britain, New Zealand and the United States were not fulfilling decisions of the General Assembly requiring that the people of the territories be given the right to self determination and independence. Australia administers Nauru on its behalf and foi the other two Commonwealtt nations, and also administer!

New Guinea. The United States is responsible for the Pacific Islands Trust Territory. The Soviet delegate urged that the council consider as its first item the steps the administering authorities were taking to bring the territories to independence. Massive reports of the authorities on conditions in the territories were simply designed p to divert attention from the 1 true situation, he said. t The fact was that the ma- ', jority of members of the i- council were “in the hands of e the colonial powers.” I- Members of the council are Australia, Britain, China, it France, Liberia, New Zealand, s the Soviet Union and the f- United States: i- Mr Shakhov also -attacked the presence of military bases s in the territories, claiming >r they were being used for h aggressive purposes. rs In spite of his objections,

the council decided to begin its substantive work on Wednesday with an examination of Australia’s report on conditions in New Guinea.