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Mr. Chairman,
I have the honour to present, for action, to the Third Committee, the draft resolution “Universal Realization of the Right of Peoples to Self-determination”, contained in document A/C.3/70/L.60.
Since its introduction on 10 November, nine more countries have joined as additional co-sponsors, taking the total number of cosponsors to 74 at this stage.
The new cosponsors include Belize, Ghana, El Salvador, Jamaica, Kenya, Senegal, Seychelles, Swaziland and Tajikistan.
Mr. Chairman,
The right to self-determination is a central principle of the UN Charter and the common article one of the two core international human rights conventions. All major summits of the United Nations, and the declarations and resolutions of other important international bodies have reaffirmed the right to self determination as a basic and inalienable human right, which is an essential pre-requisite for the full realization of other fundamental human rights.
The extensive exercise of this right during the last century has effectively closed the dark chapter of colonization and enabled the emergence of several nations as sovereign members of the United Nations.
The draft resolution before the Committee reaffirms the universal significance of the right to self-determination and declares firm opposition to all acts of foreign occupation, military intervention and alien domination, which result in the suppression of this fundamental human right and create conditions of chaos and insecurity in the world.
Mr. Chairman,
The General Assembly’s consistent support for this important resolution reaffirms the continued relevance of the right to self-determination and sends a strong message of support to all the world’s occupied and subjugated people.
It is my earnest hope that this august body will once again adopt the resolution by consensus, and that many of you will be able to join as cosponsors to signal your firm and unwavering commitment to the right of self-determination for all occupied and oppressed people of the world.
I thank you.