Declaration of President Sir Muhammad Zafrulla Khan (as appended immediately after the advisory opinion)

Document Number
053-19710621-ADV-01-01-EN
Parent Document Number
053-19710621-ADV-01-00-EN
Document File
Bilingual Document File

President Sir Muhammad ZAFRULLA KHANmakes the following
declaration :

1 am in entire agreement with the Opinion of the Court but would
wish to add some observations on two or three aspects of the presenta-
tion made to the Court on behalf of South Africa.
It was contended that under the supervisory system as devised in the
Covenant of the League and the different mandate agreements, the
mandatory could, in the last resort, flout the wishes of the Council of
the League by casting its vote in opposition to the directions which
the Council might propose to give to the mandatory. The argument
runs that this system was deliberately so devised, with open eyes, as to
leave the Council powerless in face of the veto of the mandatory if the
latter chose to exercise it.Pn support of this contention reliance was
placed on paragraph 5 of Article 4 of the Covenant of the League by
virtue of which any Member of the League not represented on the

Council was to be invited to send a representative to sit as a member
at any meeting of the Council during the consideration of matters
specially affecting the interests that Member. This entitled the manda-
tory to sit as a member at any meeting of the Council in which a matter
affecting its interests as a mandatory came under consideration. Under
paragraph 1 of Article 5 of the Covenant decisions of the Council
required the agreement of al1 the Members of the League represented
at the meeting. This isknown as the unanimity rule and by virtue thereof
it was claimed that a mandatory possessed a right of veto when attend-
ing a meeting of the Council in pursuance of paragraph 5 of Article 4
and consequently the last word on the manner and method of the
administration of the mandate rested with the mandatory. This conten-
tion is untenable. Were it well founded it would reduce the whole system
of mandates to mockery. As the Court, in itsJudgment of 1966,observed:

"In practice, the unanimity rule was frequently not insisted upon,
or its impact was mitigated by a process of give-and-take, and by

various procedural devices to which both the Council and the
mandatories lent themselves. So far a.s the Court's information
goes, there never occurred any case in which a mandatory 'vetoed'
what would otherwise have been a Council decision. Equally, how-
ever, much trouble was taken to avoid situations in which the
mandatory would have been forced to acquiesce in the views of
the rest of the Council short of casting an adverse vote. The occa-
sional deliberate absence of the mandatory from a meeting, enabled
decisions to be taken that the mandatory might have felt obliged
to vote against if it had been present. This was part of the above-
mentioned process for arriving at generally acceptable conclusions."
(I.C.J. Reports 1966, pp. 44-45.) The representative of South Africa, in answer to a question by a
Member of the Court, confessed that there was not a single case on
record in which the representative of a mandatory Power ever cast a
negative vote in a meeting of the Council so as to block a decision of
the Council. It is thus established that in practice the last word always
rested with the Council of the League and not with the mandatory.
The Covenant of the League made ample provision to secure the
effectivenessof the Covenant and conformity to its provisions in respect
of the obligations entailed by membership of the League. A Member
of the League which had violated any covenant of the League could
be declared to be no longer a Member of the League by a vote of the
Council concurred in by the representatives of al1the other Members of
the League represented thereon (para. 4, Art. 16, of the Covenant).
The representative of South Africa conceded that:

". ..if a conflict between a mandatory and the Council occurred
and if al1the Members of the Council were of the opinion that the

mandatory had violated a covenant of the League, it would have
been legally possible for the Council to expel the mandatory from
the League and thereafter decisions of the Council could no longer
be thwarted by the particular mandatory-for instance, adecision
to revoke the mandate. The mandatory would then no longer be a
Member of the League and would then accordingly no longer be
entitled to attend and vote in Council meetings.
... we agree that by expelling a mandatory the Council could have
overcome the practical or mechanical difficulties created by the
unanimity requirement." (Hearing of 15 March 1971 .)

It was no doubt the consciousness of this position which prompted
the deliberate absence of a mandatory from a meeting of the Council
of the Le'aguewhich enabled the Council to take decisions that the
mandatory might have felt obliged to vote against if it had been present.

If a mandatory ceased to be a Member of the League and the Council
felt that the presence of its representative in a meeting of the Council
dealing with matters affecting the mandate would be helpful, it could
still be invited to attend as happened in the case of Japan after it ceased

to be a Member of the League. But it could not attend as of right under
paragraph 5 of Article 4 of the Covenant.
In addition, if need arose the Covenant could be amended under
Article 26 of the Covenant. In fact no such need arose but the authority
was provided in the Covenant. It would thus be idle to contend that the
mandates system was deliberately devised, withopen eyes, so as to leave
the Council of the League powerless against the veto of the mandatory
if the latter chose to exercise it.
Those responsible for the Covenant were anxious and worked hard61 NAMIBIA (s.w.AFRICA) (DECL. ZAFRULLA KHAN)

to institute a systern which would be effective in carrying out to the
full the sacred trust of civilization. Had they deliberately devised a
framework which rnight enable a mandatory so inclined to defy the
systern with irnpunity, they would have been guilty of defeating the
declared purpose of the mandates system and this is not to be thought of;
nor is it to be irnagined that these wise statesrnen, despite al1the care
that they took and the reasoning and persuasion that they brought into
play, were finally persuaded into accepting as reality that which could
so easily be turned into a fiction.

In my view the supervisory authority of the General Assembly of the
United Nations in respect of the rnandated territory, being derived frorn
the Covenant of the League and the Mandate Agreement, isnot restricted
by any provision of the Charter of the United Nations. The extent of
that authority must be deterrnined by reference to the relevant provisions
of the Covenant of the League and the Mandate Agreement. The General
Assembly was entitled to exercise the sarne authority in respect of the
administration of the Territory by the Mandatory as was possessed by
the Council of the League and its decisions and determinations in that
respect had the same force and effect as the decisions and determinations
of the Council of the League. This was well illustrated in the case of
General Assembly resolution 289 (IV), adopted on 21 Novernber 1949

recommending that Libya shall become indipendent as soon as possible
and in any case not later than 1 January 1952. A detailed procedure
for the achievernent of this objective was laid down, including the
appointment by the General Assembly of a United Nations Comrnis-
sioner in Libya and a Council to aid and advise hirn, etc. AI1the recom-
mendations contained in this resolution constituted binding decisions;
decisionc which had been adopted in accordance with the provisions of
the Charter but whose binding character was derived frorn Annex XI
to the Treaty of Peace with Italy.

The representative of South Africa, during the course of his oral sub-
mission, refrained from using the expression "apartheid" but urged:

". ..South Africa is in the position that its conduct would be
unlawful if the differentiation which it adrnittedly practisesshould
be directed at, and have the result- of subordinating the interests
of one or certain groups on a racial or ethnic basis to those of
others,.. .If that can be established in fact, then South Africa
would be guilty of violation of its obligations in that respect, other-
wise not.'' (Hearing of 17 March 1971 .) The policy of apartheid was initiated by Prime Minister Malan and
was then vigorously put into effect by his successors, Strijdom and
Verwoerd. It has been continuously proclaimed that the purpose and
object of the policy are the maintenance of White domination. Speaking
to the South African House of Assembly, as late as 1963,Dr. Verwoerd
said :

"Reduced to its simplest form the problem is nothing else than
this: Vdewant to keep South Africa White ... Keeping it White can
only mean one thing, namely, White domination, not leadership, not
guidance, but control, supremacy. If we are agreed that it is the
desire of the people that the White man should be able to continue
to protect himself by White domination . . .we say that it can be
achieved by separate development." (I.C.J. Pleadings, South West
Africa, Vol. IV, p. 264.)

South Africa's replyto this in its Rejoinder in the 1966cases was in effect
that these and other similar pronouncements were qualified by "the
promise to provide separate homelands for the Bantu groups" wherein the
Bantu would be free to develop his capacities to the same degree as the
White could do in the rest of the country. But this promise itself was
always subject to the qualification that the Bantu homelands would
develop under the guardianship of the White. In this coiinection it was
urged that in 1361 the "Prime Minister spoke of a greater degree of
ultimate independence for Bantu homelands than he had rnentioned a
decade earlier". This makes little differencein respect ofthe main purpose
of the policy which continued to be the domination of the White.
It needs to be remembered, however, that the Court is not concerned
in these proceedings with conditions in South Africa. The Court is

concerned with the administration of South West Africa as carried on
by the Mandatory in discharge of his obligations under the Mandate
which prescribed that the well-beingand development of people who were
not yet able to stand by themselves under the strenuous conditions of the
modern world constituted a sacred trust of civilization and that the best
method of giving effect to this principle was that the tutelage of such
peoples should be entrusted to advanced nations who, by reason of their
resources, their experience and their geographical position could best
undertake this responsibility (Art. 22,paras. 1and 2, of the Covenant of
the League of Nations).

The administration was to be carried on "in the interests of the indi-
genous population" (para. 6, Art. 22). For the discharge of this obligation
itis not enough that the administration should believein good faith that
the policy it proposes to follow isinthe best interests of al1sections of the
population. The supervisory authority must be satisfied that it is in thebest interests of the indigenous population of the Territory. This follows
from Article 6 of the Mandate Agreement for South West Africa, read
with paragraph 6 of Article 22 of the Covenant.

The representative of South Africa, while admitting the right of the
people of South West Africa to self-determination, urged in his oral
statement that the exercise of that right must take into full account the
limitations imposed, according to him, on such exercise by the tribal and
cultural divisions in the Territory. He concluded that in the case of South
West Africa self-determination "may well find itself practically restricted

to some kind of autonomy and local self-government within a larger
arrangement of CO-operation"(hearing of 17 March 1971).This in effect
means a denial of self-determination as envisaged in the Charter of the
United Nations.
Whatever may have been the conditions in South Africa calling for
special measures, those conditions did not exist in the case of South West
Africa at the time when South Africa assumed the obligation of a manda-
tory in respect of the Territory, nor have they come into existence since.
In South West Africa the small White element was not and is not indi-
genous to the Territory. There can be no excuse in the case of South West
Africa forthe application of the policy of apartheid so far as the interests
of the White population are concerned. It is claimed, however, that the
various indigenous groups of the population have reached different stages
of development and that there are serious ethnic considerations which cal1
for the application of the policy of separate development of each group.
The following observations of the Director of the Institute of Race
Relations, London, are apposite in this context:

". .. White South African arguments are based on the different
stages of development reached by various groups of people. It is
undisputed fact that groups have developed at different paces in
respect of the control of environment (although understanding of
other aspects of life has not always grown at the same pace). But
the aspect of South African thought which is widely questioned
elsewhereis the assumption that an individual is permanently limited
by thelimitations of hisgroup. His ties with it may be strong; indeed,
when considering politics and national survival, the assumption that
they will be stroi-igis altogether reasonable. Again, as a matter of
choice, people may prefer to mix socially with those of their own
group, but to Saythat by law people of one group must mix with no
others can really only proceed from a conviction not only that the
other groups are inferior but that every member of each of the other
groups is permanently and irremediably inferior. It is this that
rankles. 'Separate but equal' is possible so long as it is a matter of

choice by both parties; legally imposed by one, it must be regarded
by the other as a humiliation, and far more so if it applies not only64 NAMIBIA (s.w. AFRICA) (DECL. ZAFRULLA KHAN)
to the group as a whole but to individuals. In fact, of course, what
separate developrnent has meant has been anything but equal.

These are some reasons why it will be hard to find natives of
Africa who believethat to extend the policy of separate development
to South West Africa even more completely than at present is in the
interest of any but the Whiteinhabitants." (Quoted inI.C.J. Pleadings,
South West Africa, Vol. IV, p. 339.)

Towards the close of his oral presentation the representative of South

Africa madea plea to the Court in the following terms :
"In our submission, the general requirernent placed by the
Charter on al1 United Nations activities is that they must further

peace, friendly relations, and CO-operation between nations, and
especially between member States. South Africa, as a member
State, is under a duty to contribute towards those ends, and she
desires todo so, although she has no intention of abdicating what she
regards as her responsibilities on the sub-continent of southern
Africa.
If there are to be genuine efforts at achieving a peaceful solution,
they will have to satisfy certain criteria. They will have to respect
the will of the self-determining peoples of South West Africa. They
will have to take into account the facts of geography, of economics,
of budgetary requirements, of the ethnic conditions and of the state
of development.
If this Court, even in an opinion on legal questions, could indicate

the road towards a peaceful and constructive solution along these
lines, then the Court would have made a great contribution, in our
respectful submission, to the causeof international peace and security
and, more, to the cause of friendly relations amongst not only the
nations but amongst al1men." (Hearing of 5 March 197 1.)

The representative of the United States of America, in his oral presenta-
tion, observed that :

". ..the question of holding a free and proper plebiscite under
appropriate auspices and with conditions and arrangements which
would ensure a fair and informed expression of the will of the
people of Namibia deserves study. It is a matter which might be
properly submitted to the competent political organs of the United
Nations, which have consistently manifested their concern that the Namibians achieve self-determination. The Court rnay wish to so

indicate in its opinion to the Security Council." (Hearing of 9 March
1971.)

The Court having arrived at the conclusion that the Mandate has been
terminated and that the presence of South Africa in South West Africa is
illegal,1 would, in response to the plea made by the representative of
South Africa, suggest that South Africa should offer to withdraw its
administration from South West Africa in consultation with the United
Nations so that a process of withdrawal and substitution in its place of
United Nations' control rnay beagreed upon and carried into effectwith
the minimum disturbance of present administrative arrangements. It
should also be agreed upon that, after the expiry of a certain period but
not later than a reasonable time-limit thereafter, a plebiscite rnay be held
under the supervision of the United Nations, which should ensure the
freedom and impartiality of the plebiscite, to ascertain the wishes of the

inhabitants of the Territory with regard to their political future. If the
result of the plebiscite should reveal a clear preponderance of views in
support of a particular course and objective, that course should be adop-
ted so that the desired objective rnay be achieved as early as possible.
South Africa's insistenceupon giving effect to the will of the peoples
of South West Africa proceeds presumably from the conviction that an
overwhelming majority of the peoples of the Territory desire closer
political integration with the Republic of South Africa. Should that
prove in fact to be the case the United Nations, being wholly committed
to the principle of self-determination of peoples, would be expected to
readily give effect to the clearly expressed wishes of the peoples of the
Territory. Should the result of the plebiscite disclose their preference for
a different solution, South Africa should equally readily accept and
respect such manifestation of the willof the peoples concerned and should
CO-operatewith the United Nations in giving effectto it.
The Government of South Africa,beingconvinced that an overwhelming

majority of the peoples of South West Africa truly desire incorporation
with the Republic, would run little risk of a contrary decision through the
adoption of the procedure here suggested. If some such procedure is
adopted and the conclusion that rnay emerge therefrom, whatever it rnay
prove to be, is put into effect, South Africa would have vindicated itself
in the eyes of the world and in the estimation of the peoples of South
West Africa, whose freely expressed wishesmust be supreme. There would
still remain the possibility, and, if South Africa's estimation of the situa-
tion is close enough to reality, the strong probability, that once the
peoples of South West Africa have been put in a position to manage their
own affairs without any outside influence or control and they have had
greater experience of the difficultiesand problems with which they would
be confronted, they rnay freely decide, in the exercise of their sovereignty,
to establish acloser political relationship with South Africa. The adoption66 NAMlBIA (S.W.AFRICA()DECL .AFRULLA KHAN)

of the course here suggested would indeed make a great contribution "to
the cause of international peace and security and, more, to the cause of
friendly relations amongst not only the nations but amongst al1men".

Vice-President~~ou~and JudgesPADILLA NERVOP ,ETRÉN ,NYEAMA,
DILLARD and DE CASTRO append separate opinions to the Opinion of
the Court.

Judges Sir Gerald FITZMAURICaEd GROSappend dissentingopinions
to the Opinion of the Court.

(Initialled) Z.K.
(Initialled) S.A.

Bilingual Content

President Sir Muhammad ZAFRULLA KHANmakes the following
declaration :

1 am in entire agreement with the Opinion of the Court but would
wish to add some observations on two or three aspects of the presenta-
tion made to the Court on behalf of South Africa.
It was contended that under the supervisory system as devised in the
Covenant of the League and the different mandate agreements, the
mandatory could, in the last resort, flout the wishes of the Council of
the League by casting its vote in opposition to the directions which
the Council might propose to give to the mandatory. The argument
runs that this system was deliberately so devised, with open eyes, as to
leave the Council powerless in face of the veto of the mandatory if the
latter chose to exercise it.Pn support of this contention reliance was
placed on paragraph 5 of Article 4 of the Covenant of the League by
virtue of which any Member of the League not represented on the

Council was to be invited to send a representative to sit as a member
at any meeting of the Council during the consideration of matters
specially affecting the interests that Member. This entitled the manda-
tory to sit as a member at any meeting of the Council in which a matter
affecting its interests as a mandatory came under consideration. Under
paragraph 1 of Article 5 of the Covenant decisions of the Council
required the agreement of al1 the Members of the League represented
at the meeting. This isknown as the unanimity rule and by virtue thereof
it was claimed that a mandatory possessed a right of veto when attend-
ing a meeting of the Council in pursuance of paragraph 5 of Article 4
and consequently the last word on the manner and method of the
administration of the mandate rested with the mandatory. This conten-
tion is untenable. Were it well founded it would reduce the whole system
of mandates to mockery. As the Court, in itsJudgment of 1966,observed:

"In practice, the unanimity rule was frequently not insisted upon,
or its impact was mitigated by a process of give-and-take, and by

various procedural devices to which both the Council and the
mandatories lent themselves. So far a.s the Court's information
goes, there never occurred any case in which a mandatory 'vetoed'
what would otherwise have been a Council decision. Equally, how-
ever, much trouble was taken to avoid situations in which the
mandatory would have been forced to acquiesce in the views of
the rest of the Council short of casting an adverse vote. The occa-
sional deliberate absence of the mandatory from a meeting, enabled
decisions to be taken that the mandatory might have felt obliged
to vote against if it had been present. This was part of the above-
mentioned process for arriving at generally acceptable conclusions."
(I.C.J. Reports 1966, pp. 44-45.) Sir Muhammad ZAFRULLA KHAN, Président, fait la déclaration
suivante :

Je m'associe sans réserve à l'evis de la Cour mais je tiens à ajouter
quelques observations sur deux ou trois aspects des thèses développées
par l'Afrique du Sud devant la Cour.
L'Afrique du Sud a fait valoir que, dans le système de surveillance
prévu par le Pacte de la Société desNations et les divers accords de
mandat, un mandataire pouvait, en dernier ressort, déjouer la volonté

du Conseil de la Sociétéen votant contre les directives que le Conseil se
proposait de lui donner. Sa thèse estque le systèmeavait été conçu,de
propos délibérép ,our que le Conseil reste désarmé devantle veto du
mandataire si celui-ci décidait d'enuser. Afin d'étayer cette affirmation,
l'Afrique du Sud a invoqué l'article 4, paragraphe 5, du Pacte de la
Société desNations, en vertu duquel tout Membre de la Société qui
n'étaitpas représentéau Conseil devait êtreinvité à y envoyer siégerun
représentant lorsqu'une question qui l'intéressaitparticulièrement était
portéedevant cet organe. Le mandataire pouvait donc se fzire représenter
au Conseil quand celui-ci examinait une question touchant à ses intérêts

de mandataire. Or, d'aprèsl'article 5,paragraphe 1,du Pacte, lesdécisions
du Conseil étaientprises à l'unanimitédes Membres de la Sociétérepré-
sentés à la réunion. En raison de l'existence de cette règle,dite règlede
l'unanimité, l'Afriquedu Sud a soutenu qu'un mandataire aurait disposé
d'un droit de veto lorsqu'il assistaitune réuniondu Conseil en vertu de
l'article4, paragraphe 5, de sorte que le mandataire, et non le Conseil,
aurait eu le dernier mot sur la façon d'administrer le mandat. Cette thèse
est insoutenable. Si elle étaitfondée,le systèmedes mandats tout entier
n'eût étéqu'un simulacre. Ainsi que la Cour l'aditdans son arrêtde1966:

((En pratique, ilétait fréquent quel'on n'insiste pas sur la règlede
l'unanimitéou que l'on en atténueles effetsau moyen de compromis
et d'artifices de procédure auxquels le Conseil et le Mandataire se
prêtaient. A la connaissance de la Cour, aucun Mandataire n'a
jamais opposé son veto à une décision éventuelle du Conseii.On
par ailleurs pris grand soin d'éviter demettre les Mandataires dans
l'obligation d'avoirà choisir entre l'adoption du point de vue des
autres membres du Conseil et un vote contraire. En s'abstenant
volontairement de siéger à telle ou telle séance, le Mandataire
permettait au Conseil de prendre des décisionscontre lesquelles il

aurait cru devoir voter s'il avait étéprésent. Cela faisait partie des
moyens d'aboutir à des conclusions généralement acceptables, qui
viennent d'être mentionnées. »(C.Z.J.Recueil 1966, p. 44 et 45.) The representative of South Africa, in answer to a question by a
Member of the Court, confessed that there was not a single case on
record in which the representative of a mandatory Power ever cast a
negative vote in a meeting of the Council so as to block a decision of
the Council. It is thus established that in practice the last word always
rested with the Council of the League and not with the mandatory.
The Covenant of the League made ample provision to secure the
effectivenessof the Covenant and conformity to its provisions in respect
of the obligations entailed by membership of the League. A Member
of the League which had violated any covenant of the League could
be declared to be no longer a Member of the League by a vote of the
Council concurred in by the representatives of al1the other Members of
the League represented thereon (para. 4, Art. 16, of the Covenant).
The representative of South Africa conceded that:

". ..if a conflict between a mandatory and the Council occurred
and if al1the Members of the Council were of the opinion that the

mandatory had violated a covenant of the League, it would have
been legally possible for the Council to expel the mandatory from
the League and thereafter decisions of the Council could no longer
be thwarted by the particular mandatory-for instance, adecision
to revoke the mandate. The mandatory would then no longer be a
Member of the League and would then accordingly no longer be
entitled to attend and vote in Council meetings.
... we agree that by expelling a mandatory the Council could have
overcome the practical or mechanical difficulties created by the
unanimity requirement." (Hearing of 15 March 1971 .)

It was no doubt the consciousness of this position which prompted
the deliberate absence of a mandatory from a meeting of the Council
of the Le'aguewhich enabled the Council to take decisions that the
mandatory might have felt obliged to vote against if it had been present.

If a mandatory ceased to be a Member of the League and the Council
felt that the presence of its representative in a meeting of the Council
dealing with matters affecting the mandate would be helpful, it could
still be invited to attend as happened in the case of Japan after it ceased

to be a Member of the League. But it could not attend as of right under
paragraph 5 of Article 4 of the Covenant.
In addition, if need arose the Covenant could be amended under
Article 26 of the Covenant. In fact no such need arose but the authority
was provided in the Covenant. It would thus be idle to contend that the
mandates system was deliberately devised, withopen eyes, so as to leave
the Council of the League powerless against the veto of the mandatory
if the latter chose to exercise it.
Those responsible for the Covenant were anxious and worked hard Le représentant de l'Afrique du Sud, répondant à une question posée
par un membre de la Cour, a admis qu'on n'avait pas connaissance d'un
seul cas où le représentantd'une puissance mandataire eût émis unvote
négatifà une réunion du Conseil, de manière à paralyser une décision.
Il est donc établiqu'en pratique c'est toujours le Conseil de la Societé
non le mandataire qui a eu le dernier mot.
D'amples précautions étaientprises dans le Pacte de la Sociétédes
Nations pour garantir son application effective ainsi que le respect des
clauses concernant l'exécution desobligations qui incombaient aux

Membres. Un Membre de la Sociétéqui se rendait coupable de la viola-
tion d'un des engagements résultant du Pacte pouvait êtreexclu de la
Société, l'exclusintantprononcéepar levote detous lesautres Membres
de la Sociétéreprésentésau Conseil (art. 16,par.4, du Pacte).
Le représentant de l'Afriquedu Sud a reconnu que:

((siun confiit s'étaitéleentre un mandataire et le Conseil et si tous
les Membres du Conseil avaient étéd'avis que le mandataire avait
violé l'un des engagements résultant du Pacte, il aurait été juridi-
quement possible que le Conseil excluede la Sociétéle mandataire,
qui n'aurait plus alors étéà pour faire opposition aux décisionsdu
Conseil, par exemple à une décision de révoquer le mandat. Le
mandataire n'aurait DIUS été Membrede la Sociétédes Nations et
n'aurait donc plus eu le droit de siégeret de voter aux séancesdu

Conseil.
...nous admettons qu'en prononçant l'expulsion d'unmandataire le
Conseil aurait pu surmonter les difficultéspratiques ou mécaniques
crééespar la règle de l'unanimité. » (Audience du 15 mars 1971.)

C'està coup sûr parce qu'on avait conscience de cette situation qu'il
est arrivéqu'un mandataire s'abstienne volontairement d'assister à une
réuniondu Conseil de la Société des Nations, lui permettant ainsi d'adop-
ter des décisionscontre lesquelles ce mandataire aurait pu se sentir obligé
de voter s'il avait étéprésent.
Si, un mandataire ayant cesséd'êtreMembre de la Société des Nations,
le Conseil estimait néanmoins utile que ce mandataire fût représenté à
une réunion où des questions intéressantle mandat devaient êtrediscu-
tées,il pouvait encore l'inviteà y assister; il le fit dans le cas du Japon,

après que cet Etat eut quitté la Société.Mais un mandataire se trouvant
dans cette situationn'aurait pu seprévaloir del'article4,paragraphe,du
Pacte pour siégerde plein droit.
Au surplus, si le besoin s'en était fait sentir, le Pacte aurait pu être
amendé conformément à son article 26. 11n'en a pas étéainsi, mais la
possibilité existait. Il serait donc vain d'àffirmer que le système des
mandats a été conçu, depropos délibéré p,our que leConseil de la Société
soit désarmési un mandataire décidaitd'exercer son droit de veto.
Les auteurs du Pacte ont voulu instituer un systèmequi permette de61 NAMIBIA (s.w.AFRICA) (DECL. ZAFRULLA KHAN)

to institute a systern which would be effective in carrying out to the
full the sacred trust of civilization. Had they deliberately devised a
framework which rnight enable a mandatory so inclined to defy the
systern with irnpunity, they would have been guilty of defeating the
declared purpose of the mandates system and this is not to be thought of;
nor is it to be irnagined that these wise statesrnen, despite al1the care
that they took and the reasoning and persuasion that they brought into
play, were finally persuaded into accepting as reality that which could
so easily be turned into a fiction.

In my view the supervisory authority of the General Assembly of the
United Nations in respect of the rnandated territory, being derived frorn
the Covenant of the League and the Mandate Agreement, isnot restricted
by any provision of the Charter of the United Nations. The extent of
that authority must be deterrnined by reference to the relevant provisions
of the Covenant of the League and the Mandate Agreement. The General
Assembly was entitled to exercise the sarne authority in respect of the
administration of the Territory by the Mandatory as was possessed by
the Council of the League and its decisions and determinations in that
respect had the same force and effect as the decisions and determinations
of the Council of the League. This was well illustrated in the case of
General Assembly resolution 289 (IV), adopted on 21 Novernber 1949

recommending that Libya shall become indipendent as soon as possible
and in any case not later than 1 January 1952. A detailed procedure
for the achievernent of this objective was laid down, including the
appointment by the General Assembly of a United Nations Comrnis-
sioner in Libya and a Council to aid and advise hirn, etc. AI1the recom-
mendations contained in this resolution constituted binding decisions;
decisionc which had been adopted in accordance with the provisions of
the Charter but whose binding character was derived frorn Annex XI
to the Treaty of Peace with Italy.

The representative of South Africa, during the course of his oral sub-
mission, refrained from using the expression "apartheid" but urged:

". ..South Africa is in the position that its conduct would be
unlawful if the differentiation which it adrnittedly practisesshould
be directed at, and have the result- of subordinating the interests
of one or certain groups on a racial or ethnic basis to those of
others,.. .If that can be established in fact, then South Africa
would be guilty of violation of its obligations in that respect, other-
wise not.'' (Hearing of 17 March 1971 .)remplir efficacement la mission sacrée de civilisation et ils n'ont pas
mesuré leurs peines pour y parvenir. S'ils avaient sciemment crééun
cadre dans lequel le mandataire qui y aurait étédisposéaurait pu braver
impunément le système, ils auraient étécoupables d'aller à l'encontre
de l'objet déclarédu système des mandats, hypothèse qui n'est pas à

envisager; on ne saurait imaginer non plus que, malgréle mal qu'ils se
sont donné, et malgré leur effort de réflexion et de persuasion, ces
politiques avisésont étéen fin de compte convaincus d'accepter comme
réelce qu'on pouvait si facilement transformer en simple fiction.

Du fait qu'ilsdécoulentdu Pacte de la Sociétédes Nationset del'accord
de mandat, les pouvoirs de surveillance de l'Assembléegénéraledes
Nations Unies sur leterritoire sous mandat ne sont limités, selonmoi, par
aucune disposition de la Charte des Nations Unies. Pour déterminer

l'étenduede ces pouvoirs, il faut se reporter aux dispositions pertinentes
du Pacte et de l'accord de mandat. L'Assembléegénéralepeut, pour ce
qui est de l'administration du territoire par le mandataire, exercer les
pouvoirs que leConseil de la Société deN s ations possédait,et sesdécisions
et résolutions en ce domaine ont la mêmeforce et le même effetque les
décisionset résolutions dudit Conseil. Je n'en veux pour preuve que la
résolution289 (IV),endate du 21novembre 1949,par laquelle l'Assemblée
généralerecommandait que la Libye accède à l'indépendancele plus tôt
possible et en tout casau plustard leIerjanvier 1952.Toute une procédure
était prévue pour parvenir à ce résultat, y compris la désignation par
l'Assembléegénéraled'un commissaire des Nations Unies pour la Libye

et la constitution d'un conseilchargé delui apporter son concours et ses
avis. Toutes les recommandations figurant dans cette résolution consti-
tuaient autant de décisions impératives, adoptées conformément aux
dispositions de la Charte, mais qui tiraient leur force obligatoire de
l'annexe XI du traitéde paix avec l'Italie.

Dans son exposéoral, le représentant de l'Afrique su Sud s'est gardé

d'employer le mot d'apartheid. mais, selon ses déclarations,

[l'Afrique du Sud considère que son comportement serait illégal sila
différenciation qu'ellepratique - elle ne s'en cache pas - visait et
conduisait à subordonner pour des raisons raciales ou ethniques les
intérêtsd'un ou de certains groupes à ceux des autres ...Si cela
pouvait être établien fait, alors l'Afrique du Sud serait coupable
d'avoir faillises obligations à cet égard,autrement pas. » (Audience
du 17mars 1971 .) The policy of apartheid was initiated by Prime Minister Malan and
was then vigorously put into effect by his successors, Strijdom and
Verwoerd. It has been continuously proclaimed that the purpose and
object of the policy are the maintenance of White domination. Speaking
to the South African House of Assembly, as late as 1963,Dr. Verwoerd
said :

"Reduced to its simplest form the problem is nothing else than
this: Vdewant to keep South Africa White ... Keeping it White can
only mean one thing, namely, White domination, not leadership, not
guidance, but control, supremacy. If we are agreed that it is the
desire of the people that the White man should be able to continue
to protect himself by White domination . . .we say that it can be
achieved by separate development." (I.C.J. Pleadings, South West
Africa, Vol. IV, p. 264.)

South Africa's replyto this in its Rejoinder in the 1966cases was in effect
that these and other similar pronouncements were qualified by "the
promise to provide separate homelands for the Bantu groups" wherein the
Bantu would be free to develop his capacities to the same degree as the
White could do in the rest of the country. But this promise itself was
always subject to the qualification that the Bantu homelands would
develop under the guardianship of the White. In this coiinection it was
urged that in 1361 the "Prime Minister spoke of a greater degree of
ultimate independence for Bantu homelands than he had rnentioned a
decade earlier". This makes little differencein respect ofthe main purpose
of the policy which continued to be the domination of the White.
It needs to be remembered, however, that the Court is not concerned
in these proceedings with conditions in South Africa. The Court is

concerned with the administration of South West Africa as carried on
by the Mandatory in discharge of his obligations under the Mandate
which prescribed that the well-beingand development of people who were
not yet able to stand by themselves under the strenuous conditions of the
modern world constituted a sacred trust of civilization and that the best
method of giving effect to this principle was that the tutelage of such
peoples should be entrusted to advanced nations who, by reason of their
resources, their experience and their geographical position could best
undertake this responsibility (Art. 22,paras. 1and 2, of the Covenant of
the League of Nations).

The administration was to be carried on "in the interests of the indi-
genous population" (para. 6, Art. 22). For the discharge of this obligation
itis not enough that the administration should believein good faith that
the policy it proposes to follow isinthe best interests of al1sections of the
population. The supervisory authority must be satisfied that it is in the La politique d'apartheid a été inauguréepar M. Malan, alors premier

ministre, et vigoureusement poursuivie par sessuccesseurs, MM. Strijdom
et Verwoerd. Il a été constamment proclamé quele but et l'objet de cette
politique étaient le maintien de la domination blanche. M. Verwoerd
déclarait encore en 1963devant l'Assembléede l'Afrique du Sud :

IRéduit à sa forme la plus simple, le problème n'est autre que le
suivant: nous voulons que l'Afrique du Sud reste blanche ...La
garder blanche ne peut vouloir dire qu'une seule chose, à savoir
assurer la domination des blancs, leur assurer non la (direction )),
non I'((orientation ))mais le (contrôle », la ((suprématie )).Si nous

sommes d'accord pour dire que c'est le désir du peuple que les
blancs soient en mesure de continuer à se protégeren maintenant la
domination blanche ...nous disons que le moyen d'y parvenir est
le développement séparé. » (C.I.J. Mémoires, Sud-Ouest africain,
vol. IV, p. 264.)

Dans les affaires de 1966,l'Afrique du Sud a expliquéen substance, dans
sa duplique, que cette déclaration et d'autres propos analogues étaient
tempéréspar la «promesse de créer des foyers (homelands) distincts
pour les groupes bantous 1)où les Bantous seraient libres de tirer parti de

leurs aptitudes de la même façonque les blancs dans le reste du pays.
Mais cette promesse elle-mêmeétait toujours sujette à cette restriction
que les foyers bantous devraient se développersous la tutelle des blancs.
On a dit à ce propos qu'en 1961, (le premier ministre a parlé d'accorder
en définitiveaux foyers bantous une plus grande indépendance qu'il ne
l'avait fait dix ans auparavant ))Mais cela ne changeguèrele but essentiel
de la politique suivie, qui reste l'hégémonie des blancs.

Il convient toutefois de rappeler que, dans la présente procédure,la
Cour n'a pas à se préoccuper dela situation en Afrique du Sud. Ce qui
l'intéresse, c'estl'administration du Sud-Ouest africain, telle qu'elle a
été assurép ear le mandataire en exécution desobligations que lui imposait
le mandat, lequel prévoyait que le bien-être etle développement des
peuples non encore capables de se diriger eux-mêmesdans les conditions

particulièrement difficiles du monde moderne formaient une mission
sacrée de civilisation et que la meilleure méthode de réaliserpratique-
ment ce principe était de confier la tutelle de ces peuples aux nations
développéesqui, en raison de leurs ressources, de leur expérience oude
leur position géographique, étaient le mieux à mêmed'assumer cette
responsabilité (art. 22, par. 1 et 2, du Pacte de la Société desNa-
tions).

L'administration devait êtreexercée cdans l'intérêt de la population
indigène ))(art. 22, par. 6). Pour qu'une obligation semblable soit respec-
tée,il ne suffitpas que l'administration croie de bonne foi quela politique
qu'elle se propose de suivre est conforme à l'intérêt bien entendu de
toutes les couches de la population: encore faut-il que l'autorité chargéebest interests of the indigenous population of the Territory. This follows
from Article 6 of the Mandate Agreement for South West Africa, read
with paragraph 6 of Article 22 of the Covenant.

The representative of South Africa, while admitting the right of the
people of South West Africa to self-determination, urged in his oral
statement that the exercise of that right must take into full account the
limitations imposed, according to him, on such exercise by the tribal and
cultural divisions in the Territory. He concluded that in the case of South
West Africa self-determination "may well find itself practically restricted

to some kind of autonomy and local self-government within a larger
arrangement of CO-operation"(hearing of 17 March 1971).This in effect
means a denial of self-determination as envisaged in the Charter of the
United Nations.
Whatever may have been the conditions in South Africa calling for
special measures, those conditions did not exist in the case of South West
Africa at the time when South Africa assumed the obligation of a manda-
tory in respect of the Territory, nor have they come into existence since.
In South West Africa the small White element was not and is not indi-
genous to the Territory. There can be no excuse in the case of South West
Africa forthe application of the policy of apartheid so far as the interests
of the White population are concerned. It is claimed, however, that the
various indigenous groups of the population have reached different stages
of development and that there are serious ethnic considerations which cal1
for the application of the policy of separate development of each group.
The following observations of the Director of the Institute of Race
Relations, London, are apposite in this context:

". .. White South African arguments are based on the different
stages of development reached by various groups of people. It is
undisputed fact that groups have developed at different paces in
respect of the control of environment (although understanding of
other aspects of life has not always grown at the same pace). But
the aspect of South African thought which is widely questioned
elsewhereis the assumption that an individual is permanently limited
by thelimitations of hisgroup. His ties with it may be strong; indeed,
when considering politics and national survival, the assumption that
they will be stroi-igis altogether reasonable. Again, as a matter of
choice, people may prefer to mix socially with those of their own
group, but to Saythat by law people of one group must mix with no
others can really only proceed from a conviction not only that the
other groups are inferior but that every member of each of the other
groups is permanently and irremediably inferior. It is this that
rankles. 'Separate but equal' is possible so long as it is a matter of

choice by both parties; legally imposed by one, it must be regarded
by the other as a humiliation, and far more so if it applies not onlyde la surveillance parvienne à la conviction que cette politique est con-
forme à l'intérêtde la population indigène du territoire. C'est ce qui
découle del'article6 du mandat pour le Sud-Ouest africain et de l'article
22, paragraphe 6, du Pacte.

Le représentant de l'Afrique du Sud a reconnu, certes, le droit du
peuple du Sud-Ouest africain à l'autodétermination, mais il a affirmé
dans son exposéoral que, pour l'exercicede ce droit, ilaIIait tenir pleine-
ment compte des limites qu'imposeraient, selon lui, les divisions tribales
et culturelles du territoire.l a conclu que dans le cas du Sud-Ouest
africain l'autodétermination (peut fort bien, dans la pratique, se trouver
réduite à une sorte d'autonomie locale dans le cadre d'un système de
coopération plus large »(audience du 17mars 1971).Cela revient en fait
à nier le droit à l'autodétermination, tel que l'envisage la Charte des
Nations Unies.

Quelles qu'aient pu êtreles circonstances qui, en Afrique du Sud, ont
amené à prendre des mesures spéciales,ces circonstances n'existaient
pas dans le Sud-Ouest africain au moment où l'Afrique du Sud y a assumé
les obligations de mandataire et elles n'ont pas non plus fait leur ap-
parition depuis. Dans le Sud-Ouest africain, la petite minorité blanche
n'a jamais constituéune population autochtone. Les intérêts de la popu-
lation blanche ne sauraient donc y excuser l'application de la politique
d'apartheid. On affirme cependant que les différentsgroupes de popula-
tion indigènes sont à des niveaux de développement différentset que
d'importantes considérations ethniques obligent àappliquer une politique
de développement séparé à chacun de ces groupes. Les observations

suivantes du directeur de l'Institut des relations interraciales de Londres
méritent à ce propos d'être citées:

Les Sud-Africains blancs tirent argument des différents niveaux
de développement qu'auraient atteint les divers groupes de popu-
lation.Il est de fait que ces groupes ont évolué plus oumoins vite
pour ce qui touche la maîtrise de l'environnement (le rythme de
l'évolutionpouvant cependant êtredifférentpour d'autres aspects
de la vie). Mais l'aspect du raisonnement sud-africain le plus généra-
lement critiquéest le postulat selon lequel les limitations du groupe
s'imposent à jamais à l'individu. Les attaches de l'individu avec le

groupe peuvent êtrefortes; surleplan de la politique et de l'existence
nationale, il est mêmeparfaitement raisonnable de supposer qu'elles
le sont. De même,s'ilsont lechoix, lesgenspeuvent préférerfréquen-
ter les membres de leur propre groupe, mais dire qu'en vertu de la
loi les gens appartenant à un certain groupe ne doivent fréquenter
personne d'autre procède forcément dela conviction, non seulement
que les autres groupes sont inférieurs, mais encore que chaque
membre de tout autre groupe l'est aussi, d'une façon permanente
et irrémédiable. C'est cetteidée qui révolte.((Séparés mais égaux )),
cela peut se concevoir s'il s'agit d'un libre choix des deux parties64 NAMIBIA (s.w. AFRICA) (DECL. ZAFRULLA KHAN)
to the group as a whole but to individuals. In fact, of course, what
separate developrnent has meant has been anything but equal.

These are some reasons why it will be hard to find natives of
Africa who believethat to extend the policy of separate development
to South West Africa even more completely than at present is in the
interest of any but the Whiteinhabitants." (Quoted inI.C.J. Pleadings,
South West Africa, Vol. IV, p. 339.)

Towards the close of his oral presentation the representative of South

Africa madea plea to the Court in the following terms :
"In our submission, the general requirernent placed by the
Charter on al1 United Nations activities is that they must further

peace, friendly relations, and CO-operation between nations, and
especially between member States. South Africa, as a member
State, is under a duty to contribute towards those ends, and she
desires todo so, although she has no intention of abdicating what she
regards as her responsibilities on the sub-continent of southern
Africa.
If there are to be genuine efforts at achieving a peaceful solution,
they will have to satisfy certain criteria. They will have to respect
the will of the self-determining peoples of South West Africa. They
will have to take into account the facts of geography, of economics,
of budgetary requirements, of the ethnic conditions and of the state
of development.
If this Court, even in an opinion on legal questions, could indicate

the road towards a peaceful and constructive solution along these
lines, then the Court would have made a great contribution, in our
respectful submission, to the causeof international peace and security
and, more, to the cause of friendly relations amongst not only the
nations but amongst al1men." (Hearing of 5 March 197 1.)

The representative of the United States of America, in his oral presenta-
tion, observed that :

". ..the question of holding a free and proper plebiscite under
appropriate auspices and with conditions and arrangements which
would ensure a fair and informed expression of the will of the
people of Namibia deserves study. It is a matter which might be
properly submitted to the competent political organs of the United
Nations, which have consistently manifested their concern that the intéressées; maissi c'est une solution imposée légalementpar l'une
des parties, l'autre ne peut qu'y voir une brimade, surtout si elle ne
s'applique pas seulement au groupe en tant que tel, mais aussi aux

individus. 11est évident qu'en réalité rien n'esmtoins ((éga))que le
développement séparé.
Voilà donc quelques-unes des raisons qui font qu'il se trouvera
difficilement des Africains pour penser qu'une extension encore plus
grande de la politique de développement séparéau Sud-Ouest afri-
cain sert les intérêts d'autreshabitants que les blancs.))(Citédans
C.I.J. MémoiresS ,ud-Ouest africai vnol.IV, p. 339.)

Vers la fin de son exposéoral le représentant de l'Afrique du Sud a
adressé à la Cour le plaidoyer suivant:

1Selon nous, la condition générale à laquelle la Charte soumet
toutes les activités desNations Unies est qu'elles doivent favoriser
la paix, les relations amicales et la coopération entre les nations,
notamment entre les Etats Membres. En tant qu'Etat Membre,
l'Afrique du Sud a le devoir de contribuer à ces fins, et elle en a le
désir,bien qu'elle n'aitaucunement l'intention d'abdiquer ce qu'elle

considère comme ses responsabilités dans le sous-continent de
l'Afrique australe.
Les efforts visant à une solution pacifique devront, pour être
authentiques, répondre à certains critères. Ils devront respecter la
volonté des populations du Sud-Ouest africain disposant de leur
propre sort. Ils devront tenir compte des réalitésgéographiques,
économiques et budgétaires, desconditions ethniques et du degré
de développement.
Sila Cour, mêmedans un avis sur des questionsjuridiques, pouvait

montrer la voie vers une solution pacifique et constructive en ce
sens, nous estimons qu'elle contribuerait grandement - nous le lui
disons respectueusement - à la cause de la paix et de la sécurité
internationales et, mieux encore, à celle des relations amicales non
seulement entre les nations mais aussi entre tous les hommes. ))
(Audience du 5 mars 1971 .)

Le représentant des Etats-Unis d'Amérique a déclaré devantla Cour

((qu'il vaut la peine d'étudier la question de l'organisation d'un
plébiscite loyal et régulier,sous des auspices appropriés, dans des
conditions et selon des modalités quigarantiraient à la population
de la Namibie la possibilitéd'exprimer sa volonté librement et en
connaissance de cause. Cette question pourrait fort bien êtresoumise

aux organes politiques compétents des Nations Unies, qui ont cons- Namibians achieve self-determination. The Court rnay wish to so

indicate in its opinion to the Security Council." (Hearing of 9 March
1971.)

The Court having arrived at the conclusion that the Mandate has been
terminated and that the presence of South Africa in South West Africa is
illegal,1 would, in response to the plea made by the representative of
South Africa, suggest that South Africa should offer to withdraw its
administration from South West Africa in consultation with the United
Nations so that a process of withdrawal and substitution in its place of
United Nations' control rnay beagreed upon and carried into effectwith
the minimum disturbance of present administrative arrangements. It
should also be agreed upon that, after the expiry of a certain period but
not later than a reasonable time-limit thereafter, a plebiscite rnay be held
under the supervision of the United Nations, which should ensure the
freedom and impartiality of the plebiscite, to ascertain the wishes of the

inhabitants of the Territory with regard to their political future. If the
result of the plebiscite should reveal a clear preponderance of views in
support of a particular course and objective, that course should be adop-
ted so that the desired objective rnay be achieved as early as possible.
South Africa's insistenceupon giving effect to the will of the peoples
of South West Africa proceeds presumably from the conviction that an
overwhelming majority of the peoples of the Territory desire closer
political integration with the Republic of South Africa. Should that
prove in fact to be the case the United Nations, being wholly committed
to the principle of self-determination of peoples, would be expected to
readily give effect to the clearly expressed wishes of the peoples of the
Territory. Should the result of the plebiscite disclose their preference for
a different solution, South Africa should equally readily accept and
respect such manifestation of the willof the peoples concerned and should
CO-operatewith the United Nations in giving effectto it.
The Government of South Africa,beingconvinced that an overwhelming

majority of the peoples of South West Africa truly desire incorporation
with the Republic, would run little risk of a contrary decision through the
adoption of the procedure here suggested. If some such procedure is
adopted and the conclusion that rnay emerge therefrom, whatever it rnay
prove to be, is put into effect, South Africa would have vindicated itself
in the eyes of the world and in the estimation of the peoples of South
West Africa, whose freely expressed wishesmust be supreme. There would
still remain the possibility, and, if South Africa's estimation of the situa-
tion is close enough to reality, the strong probability, that once the
peoples of South West Africa have been put in a position to manage their
own affairs without any outside influence or control and they have had
greater experience of the difficultiesand problems with which they would
be confronted, they rnay freely decide, in the exercise of their sovereignty,
to establish acloser political relationship with South Africa. The adoption tamment manifestéleur souci de voir les Namibiens obtenir l'auto-
détermination et la Cour voudra peut-êtreindiquer cela dans l'avis
qu'elle adressera au Conseil de sécurité.)(Audience du 9mars 1971 .)

La Cour étant parvenue à la conclusicn qu'il a étémis fin au mandat
et que la présence de l'Afrique du Sud dans le Sud-Ouest africain est

illégale,je me permets de répondre à l'appel adressé à la Cour par le
représentant de l'Afrique du Sud et de suggérerque l'Afrique du Sud
offre de retirer son administration du Sud-Ouest africain en consultation
avec les Nations Unies, de façon qu'une opérationde retrait, suivie d'une
prise en charge par les Nations Unies, puisse êtreenvisagéed'un commun
accord et menée à bien avec le moins possible de bouleversement dans
l'organisation administrative existante.Il devrait égalementêtreconvenu
que, à l'expiration d'une certaine période mais sans dépasser un délai
raisonnable, un plébiscitedestiné à permettre aux habitants du territoire
de faire connaître leurs vŒuxsur leur avenir politique aurait lieu sous la

surveillance des Nations Unies, qui assureraient la libertéet l'impartialité
de la consultation. Si le plébiscite dégageaitune nette majorité en faveur
d'une solution et d'un objectif déterminé,c'est cette solution qui devrait
êtreadoptée en vue d'atteindre dèsque possible l'objectif en question.
L'Afrique du Sud insiste pour que la volontédes peuples du Sud-Ouest
africain soit respectée, sans doute parce qu'elle est convaincue qu'une
majorité écrasantedes populations du territoire se prononcerait en faveur
d'une intégration politique plus étroiteavec la République sud-africaine.
S'il enétaitainsi, l'Organisation des Nations Unies, qui est tout acquise
au principe de l'autodétermination, s'inclinerait devant le vŒuclairement
exprimépar les populations du territoire. Si, au contraire, le plébiscite

devait révélerque ces dernières préfèrentune autre solution, l'Afrique
du Sud devrait de mêmeaccepter et respecter leur volonté et coopérer
avec les Nations Unies pour qu'elle soit suivie d'effet.

Le Gouvernement sud-africain est certain qu'une majorité écrasante
de la population du Sud-Ouest africain désirevéritablement s'intégrer
à la République; dans ce cas, l'adoption de la méthode que je viens de
décrire ne l'exposerait guèreau risque d'une décision adverse.Si l'on a
recours à une méthodesemblable et si la conclusion qu'elle aura permis
de dégager, quelle qu'ellesoit, est effectivement appliquée, l'Afrique du

Sud se sera justifiée auxyeux du monde et dans l'estime des peuples du
Sud-Ouest africain, dont la volonté librement expriméedoit en tout cas
l'emporter. Il resteraita possibilitéet, si l'appréciationque l'Afrique du
Sud porte sur la situation est suffisamment proche de la réalité,la forte
probabilité que, quand les peuples du Sud-Ouest africain, une fois mis
à même dediriger leurs propres destinéessans pression ni contrôle ex-
térieurs,auront acquis une plus grande expérience des difficultés etdes
problèmes à surmonter, ils décident librement et souverainement de
nouer des relations politiques plus étroites avec l'Afrique du Sud. En66 NAMlBIA (S.W.AFRICA()DECL .AFRULLA KHAN)

of the course here suggested would indeed make a great contribution "to
the cause of international peace and security and, more, to the cause of
friendly relations amongst not only the nations but amongst al1men".

Vice-President~~ou~and JudgesPADILLA NERVOP ,ETRÉN ,NYEAMA,
DILLARD and DE CASTRO append separate opinions to the Opinion of
the Court.

Judges Sir Gerald FITZMAURICaEd GROSappend dissentingopinions
to the Opinion of the Court.

(Initialled) Z.K.
(Initialled) S.A. NAMIBIE(S.-O. AFRICAIN) (DÉCL. ZAFRULLA KHAN) 66
adoptant la ligne de conduite suggéici, l'Afrique du Sud contribuerait

grandement ((àla cause de la paix et de la sécuriti internationales et,
mieux encore, à celle des relations amicales non seulement entre les
nations mais aussi entre tous les hom».s

M. AMMOUN, Vice-président,etM. FADILL AEKLO i,i~~f",ONYEAMA,
DILLARe DtDE CASTRO, jugr:~,joipneiàI'avisconsultatif les exposésde

leur opinion individuelle.

SirGerald FITZMAURI etE. GRCSj,~ges,joignent àl'avisconsultatif
les exposésde leur opinion dissidente.

(Paruphé)Z.K.
(r"ùi-ûphéS.A.

Document file FR
Document Long Title

Declaration of President Sir Muhammad Zafrulla Khan (as appended immediately after the advisory opinion)

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