Assembly urges Security Council to impose mandatory oil embargo against South Africa

UN Chronicle, Feb, 1987

Despite militarization, many black townships were now virtually outside Pretoria's control. Pretoria's so-called reforms had been rejected by the oppressed people. South Africa's destiny must be decided by all the people exercising their right to self-determination on the basis of complete equality. Apartheid must be totally dismantled and destroyed. The Committee condemned any attempt to interpret the present conflict in southern Africa as "an |East-West' conflict".

Namibia report: The Assembly also reviewed the report of the United Nations Council for Namibia (A/41/24), covering its activities from 1 September 1985 to 31 August 1986. Council President Peter Zuze (Zambia) reported that the Council had intensified its activities during the year to mobilize concerted international action to speedily terminate South Africa's illegal occupation of Namibia. Certain Western countries that continued to collaborate with the racist regime were responsible for that occupation. South Africa had stepped up its acts of aggression against its neighbours. It again had resorted to inhuman and repressive measures aimed at forcibly suppressing the legitimate aspirations of Namibians. Only strengthened international pressure would compel South Africa to accede to Namibia's speedy independence.

The Assembly in its discussion also considered the results of three major world meetings held in 1986 on issues related to apartheid and Namibia - a conference on sanctions (Paris, July); a conference on Namibian independence (Vienna, July) and a special session of the General Assembly on Namibia (New York, September).

Apartheid resolutions: By resolution 41/35 B, adopted by 126 votes to 16, with 13 abstentions, the Assembly called on the Security Council urgently to act under Chapter VII of the United Nations Charter with a view to applying comprehensive and mandatory sanctions against South Africa and urged the Governments of the United States, the United Kingdom and others opposed to such sanctions to reassess their position and facilitate their imposition by the Council. The policy of "constructive engagement" and "similar policies of appeasement", as well as the activities of transnational corporations and financial institutions that continued to collaborate with South Africa, were condemned.

The Security Council was urged to strengthen its 1977 mandatory arms embargo. Grave concern was expressed at the continued violation of that embargo as well as the nuclear collaboration by certain Western States and Israel with South Africa. States that had not done so were asked, pending action by the Security Council, urgently to adopt measures to ensure South Africa's total isolation. United Nations bodies were called upon to ensure the total isolation of South Africa and of transnational corporations, banks, financial and other institutions that were collaborating with South Africa.

The Secretary-General was asked to undertake a study on the relationship of United Nations bodies with banks and financial institutions that conducted business in, or with entities in, South Africa.