TRUSTEESHIP

Evening Star, Issue 25941, 5 November 1946, Page 7

TRUSTEESHIP

GENERAL ASSEMBLY HEARING

BRITAIN READY W YIELD AFRICAN MANDATES

SMUTS CLAIMS ANNEXATION OF SOUTH WEST AFRICA

(Rec. 11.55 a.m.) NEW YORK, Nov. 4, Field-Marshal Smuts opened South Africa’s claim for the annexation of South-west Africa - At the Trusteeship Committee meet? . ing to-day. Anticipating Russianopposition, Field-Marshal Smuts did not mention Russia by name, but referred to the “ annexation by one Power of three neighbouring States.’’ He also referred to President Truman’s statement on the retention of Pacific islands captured by the United States forces. Declaring South-west Africa was .an integral part of South Africa, FieldMarshal Smuts said that informal polls of various tribes showed that 298(850 natives favoured annexation;-’ 33,520 were opposed to It , and 56,790 were not consulted. He contended that the union of South Africa with South-west Africa was as inevitable as the union of Wales, Scotland, and England, Texas and Louisiana with the United States, or Eastern Siberia with Russia. It was as inevitable as the union of all India.

Mr Ivor Thomas (Britain), referring to M. Molotov’s allegation before the Assembly last week that the Powers holding mandates over former German territory had taken no step towards the creation of United . Nations trusteeships, said that his delegation Was astonished to learn from M. (Molotov’s speech that he was so ill-informed. Every step had been taken so far. as Britain was concerned. Britain had prepared trusteeship agreements for alt of its mandated African, territories, and she circulated copies to other Governments, including the Soviet. ■ “ No comments whatever have been addressed, to us by Russia on our texts, which have-lain unadknojvledged in pigedn-holes. at Moscow for almost 10 months. The main contribution the Soviet has so far made-towards the establishment of the trusteeship system ; has been .effectively to prevent any examination of these texts between the two parts of this session. ” he said.