Bandung hosts UN meeting on decolonization

Antara ,  Bandung   |  Wed, 05/14/2008 5:24 PM  |  World

The United Nations Special Committee of 24 on Decolonization holds the Pacific regional seminar on Decolonization in Bandung from Wednesday until Friday aiming to recommend accelerated decolonization of non-self-governing territories.

The seminar is held in cooperation with the Indonesian Foreign Ministry and was opened by Indonesian permanent representative the UN, Marty Natalegawa, who also chairs the committee.

Also present are committee secretary Friday Mc Key, Indonesian Multilateral Director General Imran Kotan and Subarna, as senior official from the West Java provincial administration.

"Currently there are 16 non-self-governing territories in the world under four administering powers of France, New Zealand, the United Kingdom and the United States," Marty said.

Some 50 participants attend the seminar representing the committee member states, committee staff, the non-self-governing territories and non-governmental organizations as well as representatives from the administering powers.

Marty said the seminar was expected to discuss communication and information links between administering powers and the committee; communication and coordination between non-self- governing territories and the committee; and increasing the committee's roles to facilitate decolonization process.

"Results from the Bandung seminar will be submitted to the UN General Assembly," he said.

Meanwhile, Mc Kay said the seminar was a strategic one as decolonization process would determine the status and sustainability of the non-self-governing territories in the future. (****)

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