MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency
Ban Ki-moon emphasizes on the 'freely expressed will' for non-self-governing territories
The Secretary General said that the full measure of self-government can be achieved through independence, integration or free association with another State. 
The choice, according to the UN charter, “should be the result of the freely expressed will and desire of the peoples of the Non-Self-Governing Territories”. 
The meeting in Managua coincides with the Week of Solidarity with the Peoples of Non-Self-Governing Territories. According to the UN charter the full measure of self-government of the peoples of the Non-Self-Governing Territories must be the result of the freely expressed will and desire of those peoples, said UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon in his message to the opening of the Pacific Regional Seminar on Decolonization, currently taking place in Managua, Nicaragua.
The message was delivered by Ms. Rie Kadota, Senior Political Affairs Officer, Decolonization Unit, Department of Political Affairs.
“This Managua Seminar also marks the 25th Regional Seminar of the Special Committee since 1990. I welcome this year’s focus on the Pacific region under the theme of “Commitments and Actions for Decolonization in the Non-Self-Governing Territories”, within the framework of the Third Decade for the Eradication of Colonialism”, pointed out Ban Ki-moon.
The Secretary General added that according to “the Charter of the United Nations and relevant General Assembly resolutions, a full measure of self-government can be achieved through independence, integration or free association with another State. The choice should be the result of the freely expressed will and desire of the peoples of the Non-Self-Governing Territories”.
The Special Committee on Decolonization supports the decolonization process and administering Powers must continue to fulfill the obligation to promote the well-being of the peoples under their administration.
The meeting in Managua coincides with the Week of Solidarity with the Peoples of Non-Self-Governing Territories.
Ban Ki-moon underlined that the annual regional seminar provides a key opportunity for the Special Committee to hear directly from representatives of Non-Self-Governing Territories about their unique situations and problems. And also facilitates informal exchanges between administering Powers, other stakeholders, Non-Self-Governing Territories, the Special Committee, experts, civil society organizations, regional organizations and others.
“Let us seize this opportunity to identify concrete actions to advance the decolonization agenda”, concluded the UN Secretary General.
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Read all comments”The choice should be the result of the freely expressed will and desire of the peoples of the Non-Self-Governing Territories”.
Jun 01st, 2016 - 09:14 am 0Do we know the wishes of the Falkland Islanders ? I think so.
Of course we could always have a re-run of the vote under the auspices of the UN. Would that satisfy Argentina...probably not. The UN suits them when they think it agrees with their demands. Here is a chance to settle it.
1 Clyde
Jun 01st, 2016 - 09:18 am 0I vote for free association with the UK.
Now wait for the deadbeats to say the Falkland Islanders shouldn't be here in the first place so we can't vote.
Yawn.
2
Jun 01st, 2016 - 10:04 am 0It would be nice if they had free association with the UK...
Instead of partially ruled by the UK....
...status que is not one of the choices....
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