The United Nations and Decolonization: The Case of the Cook Islands

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(1)-. •. -THE. Jjr,tITEP ~AJIQNS ArtO DEep_LO-.. •. N I ZATIPN: ~9PK. THE - {::I,lS.E Of THE. .. ISLAN,D.~. tHna-Vu'J1\ GI1~ng , '" .... ~',. ".. '. '.. .. '. .'. '~. 196Q~an be C()~s~-~~red th.ewa~er~1i~ci seplriu ing tlte Pnited Nations apprQich·estoward -de~n~ 1<Jent territories .."In the first 15 years of its his -" tory. the UlJ"iteci Nations setup :to~~~rv~se. the. '~~inistr~ti"on. d~fferen:t. organs.. of Trust territo:". ties and ~nl1er npn-se If -goverIl ing territor .e$~ AI .though the s~peryision. TI"Hs!e~shjp CounCi~ .. . was ela.pqr~~~ ~~ s-pednc. !h!!(iiscussjon- Qf the .. ". -. C01llllliHee on. -'. .pc" the . . .'. Jnfprm~H()n. .. ~. ,.. ..... froIIl.non .. sdf -governin,g. " ~e~rHP1"iesWaB limiteq. to generalities. While' the ·Tru~teeship (JouncH . received wri'H~ri.· "~onunun:ica.' -, . -. ~iQnB -apcl0r.a,l- p,etHions fr()rpt~e _PeQ~le. in-. tlte. Trust 'terfitOrjesllnd . . . sent . periodic yisitiP.g . . teams .~. to. .. ~uc4 terrH~rLes_.. •. .. Hle CQJJllllitteJ.':.on. Info~i.oJl.

(2) THE. 162. exercised neither of, these powen, Self.go~e'U.l.JI.Ll~.u or i~depend~nce was proclaimed, ihe ffnal object" of the trusteeship. dePt. The. jngnon-self -governing territories . or.iginally. Honary. ill. ". ~self-government . .. •. ~. po~hital. all. ~. ,r. rna. it~. tutions, ,actordingto the particula,rcircmllst. nQ I~.ef. of e,ach terri tory' and i ts ~eoples 'alld theiI: va. ~ppl'oa~h~'~ . . .,". i~g' sJagesofadva.n''C~ment: -. the e 1~mif.l. J. In the.'compositi. .. 'of the . . Trusteeship Council and the .Committee. witho~t fUl. Info~mation. ;the principle of' parity-~the . . . .. late:r~. ofmemQets administer ing, dependent. set. .equals the number. (later lllCl. .. up as. "call~d. -prevailed '" Hence, the -decisions of these. the. men,l the'p. " ,had to be acceptable tt> at least some. ing. thi! I. \. ,.. tee~hipC01. pow~rs ... :'.' ¥. 1960,becue of ,the. changing. of .th~ United' Nations and the.clianging.. ,the". Speci~J. . " the. Pl"~f.lciJl. ~. pow~n. oT the members ,toward "ColonlalisIll-, . th~.. ,Assembly ,t.ul8Ilimou~ly.,'. adoptetl"a Declaration on,. . . ' . .. .. ' .. .. Grant ing of lJ;ldependence to Colonial Countries. . •. !. ship~.i ~lJ:t;. and" to. assist them in the. gressive development of their free,. :. ·the i~den. themselves~o .. no further than 'to pledge. .. , governing.. .. ,. ". ".. '\ ,,>. r. .. ". ,.,'. renect t:he. seJllbly •. Ihl. •. Peoples' ( ,Resolution.1514) 1 'which was . appl i . .. anq. '". \Y t~e. Spe(:.

(3) THE. .. ,~ITED NATroNS AND,. DF:(:OLONltATIOr;,. 163. ,'. ". nl. ~U~b.~ .depcPden~ territ9r ~a;t~~st • non-self ' .. , _goverriing.. ,a.nd. a,ther, territpI:iC':s not yet indepen ". ~l. 'fh~ '~Qnt~ir~ nQD~ry. qf )he. th~ ~ense. il\. pechnaHo~ ~s. .' revolu ... tMt it ,no 19I1ger >perJ[litted'. the h~den~lte c'Q~Hn\1~tion of colotlial. to. shi~) ~1.,1.tJ. in8tead~,. ' relation!. sQUgf\t to P3n,c(}lQrliaHsII\. ill. ". . '.. '. aU it~ manifestations, Th~- .Gener~l:Asselllbly, wiVi .. " ,'.. ,. '. '. ,-. r~fo~ist. no lQilge:f lJa,t\sfied -Withpiecel,llt;a1Qr - ,. .". -. ". .. -.. -. -',. ~PPfo~,~ht"a ,ttl-the cQlqniaLp:roble~i 1:tqlf;lC!llande~. the eHminatiQll 'of' coton~ali~~ tlle~e ,"ndth~ ... .. withQ~t ~y conditions- an~ reservaHo:ps •. ~. later ~ the Assembly by .ii1nother uimnimous dedsion. -the. set up. irig. ,ye~r. aSpe~ial. Comll':'i'lee of&eventeen members. (laterincn~a~edtQ ,t~~nty'-fotir. I'r!~mJ). lllenitlera... hence. theCo.mmittee 'Qf1\venW..,Fo.ur,)8 lo im,plc;.. ment thepreviou~fltcllu~H~,Unl",e th~;' "trUIl , , :. composl . tee~ipC~uI\~il '~~9 ~~~. Commit.tee on Informatiqn, .. gn. the.,Speci~\Committee hal been ofganized not. the. principle, of pafi ty between the . administering. }lQw.e.uand. the non4~Qrninis.te,fing powers J but' to. ,. refh::ct the. -. ,. '. '. ~I"nce of for~e in ,the General. AS4.. seJllbly. The ctisc,-\ssions within ~nq fecqtml~ti~ -. bl. the. Spe~ht.l. eommiuee. an~. no.. l~ger. <. •. "general -,. ,. ..I.

(4) THE. '.. . 164. conce rn ing. all non - self - gQve rning. ( i. e.,. ries) but, particular( i. e.,. ,. 'tioners. •. concerning. •. <tllat1the. a. .mternal. 0;. from dependent teI'rit9ries. It has'. ;the,pe~. sen't visi ting missions to the dependent~ territ61'ies.. '. .. ·$~.eral. As the. /.. . :a,ubsidiary organs set up. by ~ependent.. ,General!\nel!lbly to deal with speCific. territories and th~ Committee on InformatiQn. them_ '&~"~. have'. otitsidej. ~en'di$Solved by the General Assembly, 4 the. ci~llC~ttee has become the ,only subsidiary orga:ri,'. .. ,. ,. of the United Nations t6 dealw-ith the dependent ,territories asa whole.SiI1c~. 1962, the. .,PrObable. 1Je"~. :tli~iDg :. 'minatioa1. Nations', mainly ...,.- th;oughiU . Special Committee,.haS , . ~. 'atte~pted to effect sYstematically political ".~'"UIII'''. in the dependent territories in accordance the.princip~e' of self -determination.. If. the sitWll1lOn~. ';". '::'. .. 'f.r:e'~. ;power 'u. pecihits, the United Nation~ will bitantS Of the dependent territory be given. that,,". .". po~iun'ity to dec!de thei(p6litical future a democrat ic process.· .It also dcnlands to be asso:', ... . . ". ciMed· closely with the acts. ~. ~. -'. -. In as,sessingthe 'role of the United N!ltio~s. -.. ....... \'~;Y '. ',~"Gma.

(5) ...·14$. ITHEtJNI'1'BD N'ATION~ 'AND'D'BCOLOHlZ'ATlON. ~he '~onizat,ion , ,,' i. 19 terr i to~ "'. a. ~YfMJthe8i1!e' /,. .. single.. ~ .~.. d.". \. \.. I. ". . '-. . ;.. ,','. :,.. ~. .D4 !~. ,m~_l.auationef attOnl;t~ry.• •. ',' I .:.'" ,'{. "mte~t. .... '.. .' ~.. <:. :. ;. '\t. '~'rj.ab.~. .,. '*ta , t'e'S," ,.arc -:-tkeiDoSt > .. dntpe.tttaat .,','" .q:,,:,'k"-. ,;"J:. ~of ',~her. ud. ". peti- ". ". . When ;.the admini-lkr-i-ngipOwe'l' ;decided. :. '.~. .. has, also. by. through. atiol!S i.. '.r::an:t. )~O. 't.:·'f~~.;t. t. ;")!"","". '. '. ; '! •. .. ". I,. '. ,. ;~-8 i gnificant ~. ". ~. ~ihe. ,te-u';"tor·y".t'hen. l'. '. ~1nat. ! '. '.. ,. ,. "it,~,1IlOri: ~. 'lhe-'Urii.,cd'Nations ,principles. would. be'~}~~~i'cd~ ,'('In. the .othe~ hanel. if the admi. l1is~,ring :p~r1'e&istcd. . .';.. ....,. ,. tke right' of,·,self- deter. mim.:tioa.. ':i'('~hercWere' ngni£.icallt political ". ".'. '.. ~:. -. !:.. or. 1:. t .'. - .'ethnK:diffe.1l1mC~41 :aint:mg i-die >inhabitants 'or ,when. ,de~:p mi8'1lru~' ~:O;t~~~ni6teri.. th,er;e ,was. ,. ;Pow«and:the. ". , '. ". :' j. ". I. '. •. .. '. • \:. '.. .-. ":' ~. :'. ~,tDe :te1".l'-l:t:OT,Y... . ". ~. .. ~. ",. ,. . ',,;". :',.. ,. '.. ".,' I. •. .,outs.ide. • . ' 1,. Ie.. :: . ~£*UI'e'. ,of. .~\~',j. {t- L,'. . . . . ,- ",J ,. ". _. r:-. ". ,wowld:~ •. . '. ,. ~u,c-' 1. '. .....',. ". ·fbe ·,temtories'CODSidorcd ::by l:flre <~~-. .. . ' , ~ciat ~.ttee ". •. , -'.'. ,in ;;the. ",. ." -'" ~ .,~tty.i~'dmentdL:., '< ...... ~<. ,. '.. ". that :ib'e :Unfted !Natij,ons:pr.iDCqriea ...... I"'. '). ::tbcmtt \wouldllecomevreryunli;kCly. """. .',Aim_,. ~. :aati~lIIiltiiS:t~", ~a;~:if ~.~c. r'. ~pow.en '·were, 7i~Jjn~. be asso:". rnination.. ' .. . ;.l . ,. 'with'. op-,. ... ,',. •. , "probable. hesituatim. an. 0,'.'". ,. outsideintc:Fmit .jin. cal change. the iIiha-. "'~. ..0. '. ,~," .. Uh-ited. -. .. miDiate.-;iJJg:power••.when <tberew;U. dependent. ce. ."~.\:. .. ! ..., ... ~. f"". :iiary organ. h3s. "". amt ,dcWe,lqped.a w• •iog '}Tctat:tonfihip with ,.tite ,ad. latiqnJiave. mi.ttee~. '. ". the. Spe. .. .. dependent. "the. '. .the ,peqple ,the <'tight \,to.eU....te1minat-ioq... ·when ,. ", ,\ ,. the irrhabiitaRta 's_T-ed ',a ~ommonpol~ tical attitu::le. terri tOl'ies. '. l. ,'proeeai,.. '-','~i ~,' ' '. ' " .. '. 'd_t~heipot.i~y co! 'Ci.'~~ing.;,~.the ;.. •. ~e. '. •. aJdl ',tile' {General . '. .}. I. ;.:.. Aseemb:ly.' 'the~ . . 1 . . , ' ... ~. ,. ~..

(6) 166. .. ,THE .tJ. ,Islands'areaspeci~l 'case. The ~ecia'" Co~mittee. stUdy' wilt. co~sidered it for le~s than tWQ years . (l964~ 1965), '~. . -. 1. ". sider the' ,. .. The cas~' 'ide I£. was 'r~lativelyn~n-controve'~iai. ~,. •. '. miriati'bn. The A~in.i#ering Power c.o-operated fully with the'. 'ihrougbo~tthepro«e~s of,cu.--~ter-:. Uniied Nahona mination. It. ,. participat~d i~. tht. of. 'WOt'k j. I. .. .'. the~.special. '. .',. C~mmittee' 'and its'S'ub-Committee B: . Ii fully / . ac ~ept.ed the principle . ~f self ~deter~inat ion a.m~ried ' out' some impOrtalJt suggestionS.. memb~rs. :J vise .. 'mB.de. ,. by 'the. minee' awreQ~ted Jhi; cQoperati~eatt i tude -. .,. •. '_"":_:',. .. .. .,. r.. •. I. ... • _.:. ~::,. ...,.". •. ' .. •. • •-. ?--. -. •. • -:. ,". -,. \. -. ,;. -. status. Therefor.e ~its. •. ,1:...:'-'. au~iq,.. ing the Cook ld..ldeu .to' j. f.. •. ",. '.. .' '.. ,i'ePorts'~n. ' \.' '. :cotttained ~ery' favorable cornmen(s on the p1>~i~y. ". ,C. .'.,. .... .: , . '. ,. two clot'hin,. .. '~. .i'·~~':'. ~'<',.',. .."". l,. :'-',"' •. .. ac CC)1.111 tea. 'f. 'j. By their free will, 'they dec.eeI tc;t',ait_ili self. ;overrune~:-t, ..L;*. .,. if: and' also ._ t<. ·ship, with .their. ~. ". •• i',." .... ;-;..!-.,..... ,. ,. ~ u.de. ,. f~l'tio~:":,' , ', .. "., -', ... tomaiatain:. close. fo~merAdm'inistednir. in A. ,Alice ~ ~.lts ",. Islanders dirlnot choose complete ' independepce. 'J. .. I. ~th~r,sp~cial aspect. of t~e case waa tbatthe Cook r 'l' ' . . ", ,. •. 'About, .9,73: 3,000. 'aDd··~dlievemlnto('the.~dIIii~is'te'r~g Po'~ • ..An ". s-quare mil(!. I'. .the . Territory. .. . 'The Cd<. p~ans.Th~'. •. <-.. Nations in. 1'961 ,censu~. ','. self-'governing. -,. -• .. '.'. .the /'Spec ial. ~square mii~. ". the Admii1istef'i.Powetand'its:llfor~8' in hel~ •. proc.ess of. nOrth of Ni. .. . not ' leg~lly obliged to do ~&. TfJe Specild : Com-. •. 10. 'Wlwill als. an act of· self-de~ermination althQugh it 'Was ,. .. !'lations. regarding. ~~e un~te~ Nations" to~~pe!:".. 'It invited. W:. ' , f ' oCi '. :". Powet.nu.. .. :.was .. ,;. ',.:", pnml t lve. ~. .. {. ". t. ,-~ j. free and co:.

(7) I'". .". ". ':. :l'¥tTNITED N.ATroNS A"NI}C.. bi:,cfiLONIUTION ' .167. sto.dyw'Hl "~x'ainine hilw tlie Sjkcial C«i1Initt'ee coo 'sider the Terri t~ry'before the';act of'seli ~deterJ'. ' .. •. ,". mhbitlo'n was exerds'ed,' th~ role. ~atiori$ ;;:. bti'he' .,' Uhi ted. /'. 'and the' poshiorl<i. ..'. ~. ••. •. •. •. •. the Special Committee and the General fully. '~C-. i. .. ~ ~. ,"",:. ear~. Wet'will. a.lsoas$~ss the' i~fluenc~"'of the. by the. Nit1~ns. iiI" ~he 'decOl'6nl'Zatloit' oCthe ;·TC:r.. i~orY: CoOk !alarids ar~'a;gro~p' of 'fift~en~ i~lahds. ion ani. lde. -',. Assembly. regarding the status. chosen by the' inhabitaIits. :. ..~.)j.'. : ~ .,'. I. ... , The. toaupef ...•. '.. Jgh it \Will. ,I. •. "j. i I'. in the s'uPervis'rort 'aild veHfi,cini6riof the. prof;ess of seIf';'deie~lIJ.i·,mition, "j. ' .. .. .. '.. .. \. , k. .~. United .. '. '.'. Ii. .. 1:1 .. ..'. .. 1. north of NewZealaild and scattered aro~d 850,000. .~~f-. ij ~\. ,l:. i J. sq~are miles oI'oce3D. The total' hind, area is 90 i tude,. Its. ,square miles" '",'". ,. ,. _,. 'f,. -:' ;. .'. population in the 25 ISept~ber j.". .. .. > ,-. .. I::. '. :'. • •. ". .'.. ~. .. i. :. Territory. the. pp~icy. .. ' - ?. .' . .. •. }. i,. .1'. ,. . '. , peamL The' .31 .Decenlbei' 1964 estimate was },9,944. . . " .. . _-/ . -, ,'~) ", ,'. ~ ,i'7·· ., . . ~:, '.,~ About' .9,733' pen'ons lived-in RarotoIiga,' nearly ,. ,. ". f961 census was 17','993' 'indigenous and 385 Euro '.. 'Jf. 3 ~ 000' ihAituft~jd~'. 2,ooo'ih'Milriga. I. and 1 ,~oo, . in. Iii!. I I. t. AIite~ .Its' ~cono1rlY wa~basicany 'agr,icultu'riI.The two clothj~g fact or accounted. (ol'. \. 60%,. ies 'and \a . ,,',. at. ftu,i t . ·cannin.J ractor~ ". ". \. the TerrItory's export.. ~ ride ",vas unbai~ncedand. fts. Its. ~o.rimuni~atiohsYstern. prhhiti~e. Ed~ca'tion' torihild~en ag~d 6~1~. was. free and compui~(H'Y. 'Se~onda:ry ~ducation'was. 'a!.. /'. .,. I. ,I. I.

(8) TH. 168. $ ,. This. vailable ~iil t.he Tei~~*or;y... hut most bigDere~~",", .tion ,'had' to 'be \Ob1:aincd .inNew .Zeal~nd.5. furt~er - -, ". lI"be. ) 'lecalgq.v~lIlDcm:t·bad tre:HcdbeavHy' on 'subsid1e",. t\?ns. ,from the 'New :Zealand ffov.el'.QJDCnt,.In a :ten-'year. governrn. ,.. ,pu.bli~. per.iod <:19:6!)-1965).,abouthalf ,of ,the . . . . w~sfrom sub&idi~and.,rant~,. naace. Z~1and. ". .. i. vectheles. NCW'i. began tJ ,';- -/ . ~,. ''~e{orm~~hadheeneffe4t.ed . ' ; , " ,. Political. c:J.ependeJ. .. ·from. . .. . . ,n..... 01. power, a. ~in ,the'~. ",. -. member~l. '~p,ePt84.i,!~v..cn;ed,:.a ~al -~.~fllpathy. During 1. and". 'laok of cC)-roperatioo' '8etwee~, 'the ,PCQpie",~ li'h~y. the administration.. recommended, . tha.t .. more 'responaibility' be. ~.~. ". t. by. ". ~ ,. rat1tert~n.a8. -;. ,'8. ,. '. ,. ",,'. ,. •. '". -. '. '.. ~.. -. :. '. >. ~. ~ •. '". ". ". ·the ,:New. ,ZeazlanQ. 'gover11lMnt, ( " ,. , J.ntr~~ ,:t'be '):~£fol'ms 'qp ".". ',:,. \ -' '. ire:Bult i~r.;Fc:;,.s8ureS ,lx,om ,the~.,' ,: ,. ~that'. di«enouspeaple. - ,.. .. ·~,;t;hes~ ·~.ecommendati~~, ". ;t'QPOILtC. ~. j.:. '". h!m'.. ,. bebl'oug.bt tin:to;..be;adm·inis.tratiGD '.. and 'not. ,. . ,Oook. loulizedi.the. '.. mittee w. ','. i19. ,. I". ._~. ,,'C_,. .:',. '.. '. • _. AssernQl:y,.a"m&1JOrttyof .·,wholCmctnber~p ; . '. , . " ;-' '" ' - ' , ~. ". vice. ,:Hel ~~.. t~ com;. not, favC). '. '.. chance 1. '(\. ',wer~,,'. , '. ~.. thel'D¥>cc. '.'. elected byllllivC'raal .adl.tt~, ;&Uf'rq.e....·was~ita;hli. ." . ; . , . ' .. ed ~in19.58aDd.~its 'powm ~ ,~~ :4u;b.teqw.enit ~. ). ~. ... ,~~, ~ ;~LetJi:stativc=. ",~ ,". tive. Ass. '-.'. ). ,. ,. YCilrs.• At .the .. q'f. ~. ,. ,. ;". ,.'. 'j. , .. ".. .. ~. ·saiOe ·,ti~. ,_~~(lu~iv~ClJf;IUDi~ .. I. . " : _. .a;n"'l44v.nJory ;Da. UfJC'WU , _A. ..! ' 'efitabLi,hed.'. 7. ," '.... .' L. _ t. was not ,. 1~2thc. ",. com,pose(.

(9) , TuE ·UNITED NATION:!' A.' J)E C()L ONlZ ATlON. . 149. • i.he:r~dJt~.a. , , , '. " ~~. ld. s. tl<?n~< ooColon.iali.sm. ~lthoup.it~,;*~(.;AZcal~.. llS:Uba id1eA. government . consjde.re~ the. a ten-year·. from. '.. . . This proce~s. of conld t,~t.~. ~~pme:qi_ furt.p~r ,.stimuJat~d byt~.el)DJ~~~~8 .·~l~~~·. .rxa~. : ,public. - .. ,..:.........~~~~-.. cQQCept.~f~tem... .fi... ,. ~epen.d.en.ce f~ tpe 9()C)klsl~~.~·ealistic,it "@~;-.. New!. vertheless supported' the De~laration. . It tbe*"efQ~e. . «. ~. 'i. .. ,. began to takeconstitution,l,: siep,s ~tobroadenthe. 1". ). •. '.-. .. .,. •. d .in ·theOo8k; . "," :'. power ~hd pariidpationof"the PCcGple~Firs;t. the. N:cw~l~. mc;~r8hip' 'of the~e~u tiveCo~ttCi~'was cbupL. lathy. During thepedodQf 1~:57 -1961:, the: ~.ecldiveOom- .. and. ~9Ple. , .~. ldeci . . th.a~ ... :he. Qf. mittee was composed and· not more •. the .Resjde~tCoJ::Qniissloner other i members appOinte 4. ~haneight. by.h~m'fr~~ th~, elected members of ·th·e Logisla-' , , . . . '\, ti~~ssembJy or 'from .theCOokIslan4s·,PlJblic Sc:r-.. 'Cook'. ~. ". ll'i,n.:is.t,rat ion \ '; .. .. ,. '.. ,. ' 4 - '. \. vice. ,Hence ~ th~ ibhapitJin..tshad Uttl-e,}1:0. unendation"',,;I. . ' ;~. - -. "',. t4~. r.om,.thei.q.~,. )'Ii-. gOverPJllc:nt, ,. .. *.' .. -. ,. " \ -,. l'. -. .-. •. a&yabout. ..'. cOII\PQsition. of, th,eC9q,unit.~~e "M~t.wIlp~. . . --. •. J,. ,~- _. ~. ,. ,n~t: fa.v~fed!Y.the ~sid~ .~~{h"., ~. I. \~is1ati<ve. . \. .. ,. ",. \. .. drip,wcll'e : '."" . ", (. ch~ce t{) be.apP9int~ ,~Q th<:(;.QmrniUeel""": .vue,·. thermore, the power of the· Executive 'Committ~. -,. tB. ~8·t.a:hl~:sh- .. >w:l»eqw:nit.. .. w~. .. .. pi.rely advisor'y,. Tbe, Resident ...COlJlplissionet. was- no,t bound to :heed the Committee'3. ~vi..ce,.In. 1962tlle Executive. Co~t~ee.waschapge(i. to. be. composed of . the Resident Commiss:i 9Def. the. .Se- '. ,. /.

(10) , THE. 110. cretary of the Qovernment,' the Trea'surer ,. and. ~t \:. more thanseven'diher~ members chosen.Oythe Le:. ' Jtis lative. AssenlblYfrdtri"aD:i~~gits. eclltive 41ep. meinbefs: Fort~e .. ,'When. . fitsttim~;,th~poPtdarly'elect~d elementsha~'. Hrst. )tb. del' 'the ·\fa. J.c:taq~, .~ft.e_. guarantf?'ed, membership of t~eirchoice ~ Also ,tor. the. ·self-.~. I,of. '. UJII. .... '. ,~lf~de.~nn:. time there was an elected majority. the:E,xecutive Colm:i1ittee.' Furthermore~ thepo~er,-'. ..ve;lqpme~~;,(j) . ' ,. of the ,Committee was no longer purely· adviSory in. nature ~-, It couldexe~'ute any powers artd' fwi~tions '. Assembly of .ter.}la't,i;ves f. " delegated by ,the Reisident'·~on1iUiSsiotJ.er, . and could report and maKe re~olll16.endattons onany'~~;~' ,. lsla;ad.s,::. '. 1~, .·:€e.d~rat. ter. teferred to it by the Legislative 'Assembly.ln: ,. .. ~.. o,r.~mefo'l. , November <'1'963. the Executive Coll1lliiitee was ' ' ". ,f. ~i:nd. ". constructed into a ."shadow cabinef~and a leacre~' . .', of gQvet:rlment business was 'elected by the Legi8~. ",r. Iative Ass~mbly fr:om amohg it$ members.the. qp-tcd. ·umw~. wi.th "ce.utimJ.. leadef. caBs.$itut~BI. 'in tum select~ four others, to. form 'the ~~ecuti'Ve;. 1 Cook ·ls landtl. CommHtee.M~bers of' the NewColllmiit'ee I. '. ,. '. .,. r-;esponsible' fora number of departmenu. 8 ,. ". ·tion~ .SO .~. . .. .•. ~. .. I. .~~",~.. " .. _. \. 'r~. Thus in. a rebi,tively shod period of time t~. . " '. '" » .cOmp~sitiOn.·:power.. 1aDd..•leg~. and. natUte of the. . '~i:uedto ,~. Committee.chahged.. SteadUy~. ihe,'roleof the.' in~_,t. habitanu increl[l:se<\. and ni<;re and more. ". e leme~fr~. •. '~)f•.laQd. .. -. ~~.. ,. ,I. ,. \..

(11) ,. , TUt .VNf'T£D NATfONti AJI'I> ;DECOLO'NfZAlfOJl'i~ d. "". ,. •. ';;111. \. IQl vBelf,:,,~~tl·ba4:_~a~,~. tW' ~ .~¥1;ive ~;.tm~t,. .,. >:.~,'}\;r:".,. ," ! I i i. \. ";. \. .':,. ". , ,:WluHutheSpe.c.h(io_~....:.n'tctedi:o ,cOnA-' .. ". ~ntshafl. del.' 'the Ter;rito.r,y :lia /l_t,·:t~ ;New. Zealand "';~. • AI80.i6~,. "-~. ,&jfter ~Efi~ ,3he:inbabit,ann' ,righ'f ,to '''-' . ,;~lf~~de~etm.atioln.. )r:e\\ie'WlCdthe' progrenivede ,. ljority .. .ve.lOpmCllt., 'fit. pOliti.c:& ;'imtiltliions"«:onomy t ,and,. 'e~cat.l~i~ ••~." 4t~tmdat~m lJ96.2 A3.~Jy,:(ff··t.he .ritot)f. ld fWi¢n~n8. ,. ·rot. :ter JU(tl¥e4l. and. t. \. ". ; ...- ". 'had ....ider:ed. If.Qlll"l. at. ·pulitticat~U't~ ·o£":.the~;G~. ',fBe. Is laJida.:.: ,jIldc;pcndenee.. inte,gJ',at ion witbNewZea"". any riI\t !sembly. ''In ,.' on. ". :tlIe:i:.egtslat ive. , J.a..aq,·fedqrat ion with other Sou,th,.Pacifil:u'tands ... e was. 0,1:. :-some form ''f'f:,fT;(rcLassociation. The .. '. . #. Assmnbl y ,. .. nd a leader'. qpted~¥aou.t,. J.ot· AtJ1:;:s~()!'(,ernmelfti'coupIed. the Legis. wi·th continuing. •.'. The 'lea&!i'. . consti tutional . t~am·la1er. . v:iailcdthe "captt-*.or the. .association,wi:iD.N¢w,&aland·~' 'A,. • Cook i.la'lamk .·andmadc'.consAJi'tutiooai , .r.e~ .. ~. 'tioJl~to. ttee ,were' 8.. '. ". 11'dloo,t,,,,,,h.e wi,s:hesof .,the .... \. tWe'". Executi\r~'r. of the,:. ,",. ASJembl,.~he. Assembly,.' .1ieir<tnak'ing sOm~ .changes~· ,adtptedthese. 8. t im~ t. .. '.~.. ... i'. '. ,. .. ,. 1963. l'he New Ze_-'. land ...,eg.ate:P..cwotted\hat :lti;,.. g:oiYern~ntwasCQDl. 'mi;ttedto·linwlea:nent ,toe. hi';",t. '. r~tio.DSin;Noyanbe:t. -e,~~;e.d. ,~iew$. ~of ,. .. :CG~ lI4;1and .. f.c;pres~ati veB.:10 .,. eleme~t'r •. ,. ~,. tile. ~.

(12) ,172. "• .r - $. , 5. THE UN. I.. ,. I. Committee e. The core o,f. the; proposJ),ls'flas. prog~css'. ·blanders complete legi S lat ive and executive autho. ma.. ,. ,. ·rJty.in dOIIlQ&tic~ff.a.b~ by'May'''1965. A>nlitliste"iaJ. minis.terin~. 'gpver~ent. chose~ by the Legislative <Asse1nbIY~·. lish delegate. would,;'i;b~- s~t ,up. H,'wQuld,b,ave, an . unquestjoned. had not imp:. I. \. '~ew. paramoJ.lntcy in, execUlti:ve ·matters. An'. constitl. theN'ew, Zealand representative (the Re~ide,ntCom.. , of' ,he .Cook . . I New 'Zeala·nd.. mis$~eJlJ wQuld'haveAhe ,powe:rto, referc~rtain. A:c:lnlinistcr it. ~ili~n'Jpackt() the ·€abirlet. b;u~n~t'to, 'amend ". : with great. council 'f' compo~ed of the 'ministers-, together. or. ~eto,them~. ~ompo'Sed. ~be;'. The Le.gislativ.e ·Assembly would. of aUp<>pularly elected representatives. '" and:wpul4 have .. re~~iuility. ~. legi8IativeautQnomy.There~iCl\lal ....... '. oLNewZealand would,belimited t6. land w",;.prepatedto '.continue;. i~s. fiQa.q.cial. assiJo.:'. ''\. tancC!.tQ the, Cook I~lands ,,11. a. was alrc;ady c~. I'. defense· andext,ernal relatioQ8. How.ever .NeWZea";. se If -governn. Leoae \Cnot¢c tent iOn. of. ; the people c vernment •• 13. \. , Theca" wa&~refer.red:t0J~ub-Commiftee, Il ~ .; whi(1h in; 1,964 waS 'composed,of Au.stra1iat..CambOd~: Chile. IndIa.;. ritory.j·.the. hact'., Polan.d.Si~ira Leo~tt. ~d. tru::'. ... :the·. impleme. hllilflJl, ~Y. t.he~. the 'Islal1. Un~ted· $taJe~"" The' New Zealand,' delegation> parti:";:,: .. p~ople begi. ,Cit~\ted, ru,H,V .in th,edi1~u,si~ Orth,e' SUb-c~mrni,t~,• •·.r' tee and.the full Committee. The majority of \the ~),. .gaI:d. "to 'ind~. .. This was ex;:.

(13) ~. . 'i. ~. .,. THE UNITED NATIONS AN']) bECOLONlzATION . '. . I. jo.,. 1'l,J. ". Committee. \Te. ex~ressed their~~thfact'~QQ with' 1~ ",. }'~.:'--,t'. i'_. ,_. ..". htini s te.r ia~. '!Ass embly'~'. .' ,. 'ministe~ing i',. ,. 'the Tfrritory'.~Wbile. Power: _. '!. .'. ,-. ' ..... " ., '. . ..,. '. bytheAd~. progr;css' made and the good. faitll'shawn. ,the· Po ... ;.. ,~'.. , J '.. . .• ' •.. " ltsh delegate a,sserte,d that the Adm:iI\'iJter ing Power. iPlPlem~ntel~esolution. had. not. 15:14. new consti,tutionwould not end the, -"!!., ,', - _', . ) ..•. . ~. 1. .~n(t th~;;. the. toloniaC~tatut .. '. ". _.. , of' ~he Cook Islands' a,nd economic expioitatiOn' 'by ' ,. 'I'. ,. ' " .. '.,.'..,. New 'ZealaJld. interests. 12 the majority :praised - tJat: :.. I'.:,". . lit. '.',. "I. .. •. ~. '-"''',.': '. ~inist~l' ing Power. The Iraq~ de_egate',', /Ilotcd', . ,t;. . "., , . - ;4._~ ~ .,f "'.~i:\ it", .. "'1-'". ~. '-". -with great intereat,·' die progre'ss made lnthe'll.tQtl ". •. •. •. •. . . '. _. .. '. •. '.. T. ~. .'. ritory.; the Chilean deleP,te' thought that ,the Territori* sentative.i',. was alrctady -well' on. the way to self-:detemlIDatiananci. I. /". ~.. se If -~overnment; -, ,add. t~e delegate. of. Sie rra. LeoRe,,-no't¢d wi'th g'rat~fica·tion the declared. '.NeW Z6a].[,. tent iOn of the New Zealand" ,. atassi~l.~,. .. .. ~. (. .'. ;,. .~::~~. Gov~~nnl,en~~o 1. ·-·it·_~", ':-'. ,J. '-,~. . •,. ;.". '. '.. . ';:',. '.. ,:,. ... ' ~. Cambod.;...·· '.-». ; and' .. J. tbe1. •n . , parit!i!;;~'. '--:. .. vernment.- u Although mo~tmembers still. t.. ',lead '. ",":,.":,". ; thepeQple of" the Cook Js.1~s .... to full '.elf ~go;. ,. ftee, II i ~.:,. in';'. favored. the,jmplementation of 'the De.claration on Colon iali.$I,Il, they appreciated the . special situatjon faced '. . .. .. ~Y tbeIslaQders and ,would only i~$~stthat. the. people be given an absqlutely free choice with re.. /. ,-Cqllllllit.':'~i. )~ ,the S~;,. .garq"to 'independence." ,integration, ora~sOC?hi.tim!J:. \ n. ". This was exactly what New.. Zealand was willing to· , "'.. c.. ..

(14) 114. TlIE .IT. do. ·Furthermore ,when <·the qu~sti.oD8 of .. .. ,. vernment· to. ,. '. ~.. mission a.nd.Un~edNat.ion881.&Pervi8;;ienoveT'. in the Sub... .ac.t of',self..det.ermiuationweFerai.«l, '"New. ,. :',_',. .". ,f. :. ,_.. _. ".. '. , , dinglY .. On. .. Ja.,..did· Botrai,elegalorpo.mcalobject.iolU. . .' -,. ~r:the'leJI,;;tWoimpo't-.tant.question.. '.r.ai8~d ~,ing. .. ,. ••• ,to. E. debat~~S~e;m~mhers.. shouldbe~deby. Zealand,. 1. '. thDught;' . deci'Siont9'remain .associated,with. t,hatth~. the. announced. the. 'SUb..Cc:Jb. th.eCoQ,k. flounce. ratlteT·t~by a legis lat i v.ebady.....;as. which. the Administering Power--Which, ,because "of. <. . '. -. ,. -. ,. I. ... •. t '. .. - :. would. only whe. I. wi,ththe~r of the'Resident ..commiBlioner.• S., . \ Veral'~embers expres.,edconcern~·~theae.Sidem. .. cally re. sub8equ~. .:', -. '" .. ' , . l'lnft'tl'l'\.i. • • h' . ' .. _..1.,.' , • fl ' :-.;._~-,sloner 'mJg te,x.ercue UI-ue,m' lle~e·over" ". -,'. _~~. . _'. '. .. .. tbe poHe, of ,'theOeok Is.ltmds. .. .. -.:..... ;gover_ent~·. !:constitu. '. J< ;. 'ne. dete1'IIfir. ,pcdi~dc1e~teprePosdan.amendinent,1o;the'~ I,. ". .;. \'.. ". ' .. ~. '_.. ~. ' , '. ,tOI'lll.. •. report of the SUb.:Committee 'tostatethal ,the,:pI'e-,. New ZeafaUd. .live ~il,';C.Ol1Jd ,severely ,hamper. request of". '-iii' ;Ie~~~t "R/;theCoek.lalanda.'15, '. '. '.,After ':chegen«il i~e,t he '.New. ~£eat,aftd· :tI~ . . . ~. • 1. -,-With reI. ,. .'seeCeof ,.di'£Jiea:ident ____C Otlmiuionel'. ". c. neral eh. ~.. 'that gove!'mne~ .• 14 Aaedwd:questiOO"CODcer:nd. '. \. t,. verni~ .~. ". ~o'~siti~~~·;~tatiCmshipwitht·heNe'wZeaJa. ' g~~~rnment ,.~';uldln~t'but reflect.. the 'thi'nki~ ,ef' . . •. p~lj. .;.'-,. Commiss ione ". of. Sta~. lant!.

(15) ". .,. 1'Jf~~!lN.ITED. N.A1'IONS ANI>,DECO....PNIZATION,,' 1'I&'. vcrnri'ieilt, took note of,; acme of ''theco_Ii's 'ljDade in the Sub.Committee 'and c~nged'i'ts poI~yaccot ... DVeT'. '.New. ·dinglY .. On 8. May 1964_. .. '. the New/Zeal.'nd deleg~~ .. anpounced in i he' Sub';'Commit tee . that ,. iDs. , •.• ~ .to avoid anymisundetstandingand:.to, 'meet. II. the poirttinade 'by, one or 't'M). rilember! ';of'", fhe ". with. 'Sub-Cormnittee,he was nOw au~ho'rfzed tban"!, 'nounCe a modification. TJl(~ Constitqtion, "under t~'·'COok. ,whJch. Islands,would becc:mea self~'8o ... verni~'state freely associatec;l with NewieaallDd,. wouid come into force only a~ter, the, next ge. nera! ele.ction'(to t>e held in April 1965)aoo. . . ,. only. when. the newly elected Assembly. ape"ctfi. c'ally r~qudfted!i~. The, ge~eral election. and. subsequent, decision by 'tbeASsembly 'WOUld tlila. l-ence. constitute a formal and ideintitiable act of ~eJf. eJlt.~·. ~etmifuiti()n. to ihediSt. sense. of the. With regard to the Resident Commis$ioner,~' th~. ,. I'he. ,term.. in" the' s tr icte~t. .1-6,\. .Execu. New Zealand delegaie "explained that it~s at the~. the Cook-Islanders that a New Zealand Comm1ss ioner was to !serve ailheir;' t i tu larHead . request of. '15,. of State 'lind a member oCthe Executive ,,'. .'. •. CWQcU:,.

(16) 1.76. THE UNI. ,. r-. The Leg'ftlative Assembly could remove, him at any-, 'time.. The Commissioner would. views.',. all. a ,member of the. be entitled to. Executiv~e. his~'. mands of the mittee • Leg'a. Council,. importanC1!. '. cQuld not block, legislat ion Qr override any. no~be comp~. cision' taken ;by 'the cabinet or the Assembly. 171be. tatives of. final draft re~ort of the S'ub-Coqunittee~ooknote. vided. of this statement' that:the Commis-sioneia-"'''hall. New Zealand,". t~. for~d)y. ,. have no. po~ers'of.eith;er. a legislative" executive. or judicial Qature within ,the 'Government lof ,. 'clear., He mi. binet decisi'oI. ,. CQok ,lslan9,s.-}8. theexecuth ". Subsequently.,. 1D. order. 10. meet the. ~ cd ticism. secure. '. of certain members, the 'consti tut iona! provisions. Since' .th_. and ~,'.. with,the pd. the duties he walJ ,to perform would be, carried out :. abide\,By: the. concerning the Head of S ta t.e, Were modi (jed. by ,a Co1IDcilof State' cOI)sisting ,0Ca Ne:w -~ealau:l' representative and, tW9 Qlok)slaJ;lds r~presentati~~. under' United r. of ,t~e Su,b"(. Cabinet decisions would be submittedJo 'the Q.?uncil":. It'noted'tha. of State' which could refertheIIiback' to the Ca. the Ter.ritor. binet.lf, alter a ~econdexaminati()~, the ~binet:'. ment of New. stood by its deci,sion. tbedecision :woul(i be. thougb"steps. 'an(i. New. aIa;nd, CAuldp.ot, override~,.19. Thus ,intwo imp0t:tant. respe~~.IJ,. the. istedng Power tt:Jade attempts. to satisfy the". tives/of the I. tainweakneu. powe:r.ttainii.

(17) -. ----. THE UNITED NATIONS' A~D DECOLONIZATION ". In. im,at an.y',.. mands of the. SUb-Committee and the Special 'Com. :dto: his:. mittee • Legally andpolit'icaUythey were. -". lIlCi I, bu fe.. any. rnbly.. importanc-e.The actor 'ScJf-derermination'-. nor be. ,d~.-.. 17. of . giea t. ". The,',. cOJ:J:JPlete until. '. would. the:'newly·e~ectedrepresen ... ,. tatives of the 'people adGpted the.new· status pro,. . '. ~kIlote. vided for byth'e :consti.tu.tion. The. power of , New Zealand, represe,ntative was made . . ,,'. eKecutive. the. 'absolutely .. clear. He might have anintluencetodeJay a Ca. It iof. binet decm:On~ &.itwouldlbe unable:"to,bloekit~nuJ, .'.' . "' . . ,. ," ,,~. ,. ,. -. ~. ,. . theexeeutiveci:)Owero:f.th~'CaDin~t .. .. becam~,. more. secure. '. "Since the Administering Power agreed "fully. /. :icd. witb·the principleof self-determination. arried oot. abideLBy"the;'dedsioDs. of· the inhabit~nts't.ak~n:. ~wrulq. under United Nations super-visUm. the' slitisfactiOA·. I. of the Sub-Committee W8.lf·.xpren.dd in .. i:t~ rCport~· ,. It·Doted."thatthe constitutiona·l a.dV'aDce made in . . . ~. the Ter::ritory with'the assistan€ e oflhe'gov.ern . ~.. ment. of New Zealand had been. 44. substantial " a l . though· steps were necessary; toa€hiev~ the objet. ~. tiv~.of. the Declatat iononColonia.lism. 'Notiqf ceii.. t~in we.aknesses in economic de.Jelopment~ the. powe~. and,man.:. trainilig. : the Sub-Committee fudhet'. .. ....

(18) "Notes with satisfaction the efforts made. this case. the New Ze~laM Gtwermnent in carrying. (. posed 'to. its ohUgaHon as a<ftninistering power- and <. '. .'. rilittee co. l. Twenty:~". co-operat,oQ with 'the,Comm it1ee' 'Of. a visit b.. ,foUr,. ,,.nd: the, relations thCLt exist betweenthc'. the. people of the Territo.rjes and the Administel'". fact. .'pervise"f. -. . Furthl As N~ Zeal8.J1d agreea·.to,ooth a \lisitin, milf-). siOl1ttL ibe, Cook hlands 1indlhiited Nations pe::rvis~o~:,f)f. the. ,. , .. , I ,. pr:p~e.A ,qf, self~detel'minati~Jt~. ~peCial a~ittee. proposeti". flU~;:' '.. chievemet. Asian sta.t. dc;cided that avisitingmiuiop. .. ,. ". ". came to. "ecQtJ:lIIlcllded by the Sub-Committee was no 'longe,I"' . nCGel.~ry. The r~ason,i8per.Qpsnot· difficult "tOI. and reqtit. ,. •. "",. , { '. - -. -. attl~ndm.en. ..!. ~ell8. l:pthe view of ,the Rori~colonialandantl~. c.c)!onilJ.l. pp~rs .tlieposaeasion. ,r.ilQff IJ,y ~y 8:~M~. Almost. -. .. ' .. .'. i 8 /tUspected if.nQt .. ref"J'~. -. ped of,t Sirice. .. ~. : . '. I. ... t'9 let the Ulit.edNftionscome ,in - ~. )elf-govc to admit·. 'fit tr.uth, be it' foi, h:gal, 'or ,Ptactic;:al, r~a.p~. ,the . "u.~ieiQn.beco~ell confinned.Thi. wall,. seeU'eft f!,n" ,. .. al. of 'a dependent t,er~. -cood~necl! ,therdore ... whe~ an adm'fuisteriqfpowct . ". I. ,process,. ~t,:,n~hily,tll~ ~tHWdeof' pt()st SpOcial,Committec'. much. ,mc.mqel',tqWt4rd.s lttl,,",si tuation' i .. SO,J1th Arabia;,'. cadi. which firh.. .. Southef~ aIH..~.i~, ~n4 ':QrHiIIh, Qui~lla. When,.". \. the. th~.

(19) ~THE tffffTEI> NATtON! Attb nt-coi!!rt.!f~'tlft~c,,..'."~•. s made. .. by:. \ .. and. . .. .. this'casc ... ·UleA.dmlniste;thl 'l'bw~rwasi1ot .. rying ~r. .. .t)p:". posed;~o~United Natiotll,; vi~[t'~!' t'be Spetfal Com.. its. ~ittee CQuid asaunie i h 'fnnocelice·:.rid~fheretore t /,. .Twenty.... ·. a visit became unnecess'ary 'e8p~eliU.iy:;Hi.i\rt~)bf. . j. .. 'the fact ~dministeJ'l-. .. Utat 'l:likUnl tea-Nations' waA 'gblt1l' t6'll!;':. ,'per\rise the act 'ot' self .,dei~rm.inatioh .shortly.' .Furtherfilote;. sitin~ mi~.:. wlieh' the. 'sovicH Union 8t1d Pbl~lId. proposed: c~rtain. ahithdJ:herits'fd d()w.n'ktadethe'.~. chievements of t-he Administe~ ing PbWet. thtiAlld.;.. tiona. 'su. Asian stat~i 'i(Sy~/ia1' EthIopia. irart,) -ihitrlettlttt6ty .. ~. miuion. came to tlit' defense' of the Adriiihist-edng. longe,!". ,no. and requested: fhe:'So\riet Unio11 not . to pre!s tHese. ifficult' ~to'. 'attlendmenh tQ a .ot~ih' the spirit of*totnprtiftt.r. andanti-' ~endetitt.er":';. Almost aU t-h~ fa<\rbrabie findings' abWt, thtf~t ... .. gbtl,. all". peet of' the Cook islind~' Cl~~i. :eri'Ilf~,. ,S1ii~e tlif£Admitlhter'irlf~Pdwef Wi. >prtimoting. in ,~. to admit a' United. :d.Thilwa.B. tb,~. TerrJtotyiiitttwai 'witling Nations tibsai'\ter \0 '~VeHry • the.. :.seIf ..govetimlent f'dt. r ,practical,. COIiunittee .. w~re ~'~t~Hned. Thi~ 'is mb\het' 1ibf~. ritory. .:\. 1U~r i. fdwa. "process. the Wbrk of the tJriHedNiiHorls''Was'huide , mucb eas,iet'. th~re •. . Arabia,.. wer.etwo iihpoftahtp'dlhhon which theUhitedNatioiiS' :Wished-tb b:e sa. Wdi @d :, fir$.t t t-hat .:If alternatives wbuldbe' iViHable t'o -. <. ,. ,. When... '. ... ~\. ~"~ ~. ~. I~. ". :~. ~. ~ ~. ~ ~. I. .~ \ ."... ~. ~.

(20) ...... THE 1. , the-inhabitants; and secqndly. that the .". inhabi . ' .. tants . , could exerCise their. : "i , ,~. righ~. of self-determi. ". .,J... . ,'.. .. nation in a. f.-eeand democratic way_ :l'he .. recom·. contro. mendations a<iopted by the Special Ccmmittee stated. change. .aucc"inctly: that- .'the, people of- these .. ' ., -, islands should .. Recognizill. . .. -';"'.'. ,-. -. '.. .. be enabled to. ~. :. "exp~e,ss. their,. .~is~e,s. in accordance. with the provisionj of r~solu~lon 1!H4(XV) ~hrough demo~ratic proc~s~es. well-established ... ••. "may :~vish , the choic.e. under .United .. land requ~s. ..21. Na:t Ions superVISion. ,. an. The genCful election 'was" to; be· held on .¥.OAptjl '1. ~. Cook IslaooJ. !. . 1965 and t~e new~egislative Assembly would . I '. be,.. convened toward'. the end of 1v.fay to debate and de':'. tion campa. ... for the del. c::ide whether the draft constitution shOUld : come. "l?y. . into f9rce. The ·permanentr~epr:esentative of New. resol}ltion. ». ". ,. •. . in'"'.a Jetter to t.h~ United Nation~ " Zealand ,-' " : . '. ~. appropri~. General As. ~. '. -. :2 February. 1965 aff;irmed, th~t:'. ". gen~.rA1s rl. "When ,the newly-elected Pa.rliament I!leetS I '. ';'. '1'/,. 1. ". _. ". -. <. Ambass~. -'_.. first business' will be to decide fate of thC . :. . , ,the ' . '. '. _. . .Consti -. tution:. it can .adopt' the ':. ". ,. 'ar dr~fted~)t. ~,. the ne",. ,. ,~. ";. ,.,. Const i-tutia .' , n .'. 'it. can reject it and woz:k. .. ~udan. . , United Nati. o~t·. sjll: off ic.i~ll ";.. s~me odler status. for. the t~rritory. If. dopt'S the prese.n* d.raf,t ,Consti tu*lonthe.,Cp~k 1~I~Jlder'8. r.~ht. 9f. cpJl.tiIluitlg.. was:. ;. t,. na~iop.s, ' a~. Cook Islan( , uatianed'. 01.

(21) TJlE UNITED NATIONS AND DEcOI,ONIZATION inhab~. .;.;,. determi-' q. tion~~wlU remaip ~impaired. 'After the. .:::181. ...stjiution will ,have·'.sole . " cQmes into force", tl)e,y .. . control of ~heir fu~l:lr~, with t4"e right, to .. . ~.. ~heir. change.. ". sta;tus as they wish.' .,. Recognizing. that .the: int erna t ional. cordance. "'may wish to. s~t,isfy,. f) ~ough. the choice ma~e by the Cook Islanders," New Zea. r United. land. requ~stecl. ,. the; ~. _.. t. • ~. be.. )uld. e and 'ded. come. ,e~.'V. HS1=lf. ~f ,th~. ~. or. ~,r8~ns. ..". communi tv , '. genuineness of. ~cre!ary-Genent.l \ _ .,. aI,'l ~ppr;iate ~rsOJl. n ,~OAp?l. to. nominate. to. be pI:'es-ent. in.. ••. the. Cook 1s1ardl on behalf ?(, tge United ~tions for the. elec tion campaign and the. ~lection. itself and,. f~rther.. III ~i. " for the debate and decision , UDon the Constitution by. the new1.y.:el~cted Legislative Assembly. 22 By resolJ.ltion 2005 '(XIX) of 18 february 1965,',. dated. .... Con. the. r. General Assqnbly quickly author~zed'~. l.b.~>SeC:l;~tarY:"'~"'1 ~ ~s- .-),(~ . Generals reques~ fo.~Jhe dbpat~ ~~f ~"c~ t.' ,·t~am.23 ,. teet!, it~. ' f. ~lissCJdor OmarA.abPel ~id "Adeel of ". .. j. was. -. 1:.. ]-,. .'. ',.. ~. .. . the. fate of the'. $udan. ~ti-tution , ,. Uni ted. )rk. 1J.j,x ,officials of the· Se~~etariat from six. dif£eren,t,. out. appom't;~d 9t}tbe Secreta!'y-General. N~tions. .R1=presentat ive.. ~is. as. team., iJ?,cluding .' .. If it' i. nations., arrived at Rarotonga (the capitalof.the , ." '""'.< ,,. ,. the COt?k. Cook Islam;ls) on 8 Aprtl 1965. The observers were. Ftermina-. Hatiooed on the four most populous islands COJltain. •. f ~. ..

(22) ... THE ill. . . • • i6' • . _. 182 ". importance --. ing 80 percent ~t the population and /'. .. of. the 22 Irtenibersof t~e·Legis.lative .. Assembly.. Ambassador Adeel envisagc:dhispurpose a~. .. .. .(. . points:., all ,. with the electoral regulations. thdthe otfl.. '.. tial, that the net:elIsary precautions Were. '. tak~. and that ,a. rect taUht of dlevotes alidart acc'utit.te of the results 'w~re nlade ... ' to assure that they, the pe{)ple of the C(jok ,. . were tully aware of'the significaI1c~. COIl- .. ~pott. ttiyse'ft r. .. i;larlds /.. of. ~. .thec:leqi<?~. daIs concerned with the elections were. ,. th~. a,s' the. tean. to. assure myself that they Were in accortia,tlie. to safegiJ.!;fd the \Totihg papets. whether. adopt. jrnet -, functioDWll:. ,. "'To supervise at} election' operatiohs :in .. ... , . '. the. e. .. laws 'and ref. str ict impal .the. vot~ S W4. w.ef~. ~~cura'. nitedN.at,i'HV. vo.rabletol'!. lections tin that.the new''tegiSlatUte .i·~would. ci.mcern~d w. be eriipowere~, ,'.~ to ad.opt the (jOiiSHtuHthl.~S. none in; ~he j. draft ed, ~e jept . it, .61' work out' some other' 'sti... hon.or! ,,~, lfJ. tus fo~ the Territoty; ,'and ilia t they·~ere abl~. ~sistaJlce t(. to exetCi,~ their rilhtsprioi to. and.. IXl~.thpd Q.faF. th~ polling in complete fteedom. if 2• .. ltlen.l s~qR~,e r. . Therefore J t,he functions of tht!'Uuied. t,ipq:. Yfcrc=-.· il. . team 'were esseiMiaity three :f1rlJt ,. to ensure ... 'tblt. !fle~eJ '*H~~I'~. the'eleetot;al prod:sswas free and fail-;. to tnake sure. that the "bters'were aware. l~gisl~ti~>q a. (jf .,. ;Qn. whi!l .1.

(23) -' ,~. to. THE UNITED NATlONS A.!m, --". .. ". whethir, the fl~wIY,.,.e lected ,legislature was free to. ~ AssemblY.. ,. adopt. e aj'. Ihll. 18". import~nce of their chQice; ancJ;' thirdly .t toob$erve'. 1:6. 'deCtipg. t)i:COLONIZAT~O~,. .. '. ~Qd;. or rej~t,,~ge, consti tutiO!l' The first. J. function was- relatively e~sy to perform, as .. .. 'in order. long. ~. ;~ the t ea~' coul,'.i'~ be ,~~i1Jfiedon tbe,fo'll ow irw ~sons were -'. points: all eligible. allowed to votej. ,. the elec tiq:q.s weteconductedacco-rding, to electoral laws and, regulations and in an Qrderly manner wi th strict~r;H&IHyaR4. in. :\. ". completefr.eedQm~. :1. I!. ,:,and. the vot~1! '1ere ,cquqte~ CQr,rcc,tly and.lbe,rell.fr~s weH~ a~curately. re. reported. In this respecl thp V. ,. : ',t;lariCh j. e bf t'he e :Ututhm. ~y-wete. ,.'8. able. hddlifl~'*. ,. v()rableto'~ewZeal....nd.. none in ;tbeirability;. /'. ,. ~as very}a. He praised t4e officials. experie,nc~ ~d. to. sense. of. honor~ ,,25 Inhi8qpinion~, except with reg~rd. to. asaista.q.ce. tQblj~d. and. i'lliteratev~ters. methQd of', 'app~i.p~ing .. enumerators. the t'. .. .'. incQnfo~i~y. and. the. arrange~. -. coJl~,erning thea~tual. tipns were_. ted. s n:port. concer~ed w~th' th~ ele,;tiQns as "men, second. ments. i. ". nitedNati ~ns Representa t i ve '. conduct of the ,eIec. with the existing electotal ..I. ensUre. ,that. sci::andiy" e hr!. legidijJi9ll and the electorl!-l,e'8 familiariJY. w~ th. t.peseaH~ql'~Il)ents· w~;r.!~o'llably",d~quate. 2,' . ~" On. whitt. b~ses. did tpe pni*ed .N,.tiop~. r~I.ne~. 1. •.

(24) .. 184r,. THE. sentat ive make ihde' obset'vati()ys ?First , the United. 'cent of t. Nadons was assured not only freedom of mey.eIllent"· ,. elettion.o. and observation in the electW.,a1 proc,ess ~j6ut aho. edat ,safl. to. ".". :.. -\. irre. and "f.ooI1. gularities discov'ered by 'United Nations personnel.. Accor(. Betore the elections I the chief electoral 'Officiai,. the electi. Ob~,. the electi. the power. expect r~ctification of any. r. issued instructions' that the United Nations. ". 'dependent. servers "have been giVen~ the right booths ,and"'be present. to 'go into. at I,. its compO.. and. tiality. of. at, :the ,preliIIli,na'ry. at the Qfficial Count of :votes ... If a'. Uilited'~. sured but. NaHons observer drawlJ" your attention to. ... ,. thi~. ". l. \. '. irregulal', It i~to be': rectified,. mediately~and. However,. conducted;. t4e Returning' Offie~r must. so ,cer.t.ific:. informed when he visits' 'your booth ... 27,. T. , convict i on. Secondiy,' despite the widelypi.tb~icized statemen'(.S,'. senceaf-, "t. made by the United Nations Representative'ltgfrig~. a cQntribU'. the people to cOIne forward to the United 'Nati~~':. , free, electit. opsetvers t:Q. voice any cOjDplaints they,might havc'/. Party,wliit. there were no serious complaints. Thirdly, votes.,. islative. as.. .,.. ". 'wete counted, in the presence' of both the' obs'c":" ,. tions'reprc: ,. ". '. ve:u and the representatives of the candidates ". .. ",but fc. ,. at, least 'six constituencies 'corisisting 6f86. party m.

(25) -/. .. THE UNITED-NATIONS ANI> DECC?LP:NIZATlO~. 185. cent of the regist,tred voters and relating 'to' the. 19'J.cment'. elettion"o,£ 16' of the 22 members. Precautions aim. !Jut also. ed -at safeguarding voting papers were. ". n·rc sonnel. ~. official. Ob. s. and "f~o Iproof-. ,,28. adequate (. According to the United.Nations Representative, the election ,..4'8 not beyond criticism. In his view, r. an. the election should have been,conducted by ,. dependent. commission~. all. ,. i~. .. preferably international in ~. o. its ,.compO.sitiQIl.-He did not 'question the. iIrtpar.·. uiry and. tiality.·ofthe New Zealand ,officials;: It was 'his. United. convict ion that impartiality "must not only be en. to any":. sured but must alsQ ~ppear to have been ensur~!,29. im. However, in ,g,eneral the.New Zealand autliorities. i. nust. be. conduct.cd a free and honest election, which. was. 7. so, certified by. the United, Nations team. The pre. tatements. sence of the United Nations team might have been. urging. 'NatiOn~ ~ht. ". have, v'otes. obsct' . a contributory factor .in mak.ing it a. genuinely. free el~ction. The. le;aderll "Of the Cook"h~ ands Party, which won 13 of the '22 seats of the. leg. i~lative assembly; repeatedly told .the,United Na tionlJ r.ep:r:!!sentative ·tha,t. dates in. "bu t, for the United Nations supervision, their. 86. party might have had a difficult tiID£ wimii~. per. :a. ./. ~.

(26) 'THE tJ1I. the elections. The presence' of ,the United Na"",. . economic ,ra. tions '.. ; dispelled whatever fears the PfI'tv , its s1,lppor~ers mIght nave nact regarding. wagedby;tn. possibility of 'denymgto a canQldate the. pubticmeeti I. , to campaign, ,and of depdving, electors of'their, freedom. .,. to', vote for the. cht> ice ... 30. candidate of their'. ,', caflce of,tll, '. t anga \. am:t:A: ,I. .. laods,wh<J,$etl. ,. t~an60;'Per,. The second function of the Qnited Nations. ritory. The. presentative waa to find out whether the' inlBl)j.:.f. -. tantswere aware of the meaning 'and of their choice.. .' th~t 'the Ne'. bettern.job. an- accurate asSessment •. According 'to the" United. Another. , Nations Representative, such an assessm.ent handicapped by two. ,f~tors:. the late arrival '. ,the United Nations team (onl y eleven days'. lative,Asso:ll. "co:qui1:utiODli. the elections) and the primitive aystemof ' '. ,the: ;(fonsti ttl ov:er 850.000 SCJ.I8I'e miles ofoccean. 'fhe task:. v~fed. further ,complic;atctd by the' fact that "the poli. t:~gra~', 'Vi. party system, virtually. ~n. se:If ..~. 'the. strict sen,e of the. unknown~nd. the people's, cxperiehce. pu,rposeful public debate was . limited to. of~er:'3rll4I. patlroniz,ing.

(27) ..../. THE "A_Q UNITED NATJONS AND ,J)ECOLONIZATIOR au .h·. lited Na... irtV and ng. the-_. 181. .. 31 , economic (rittber ·,than· peHt i tal' issues ... :'l, .. Irl hi~;.~Qpinion'J despite- a vigorous. waged by; tire :Cook. Isl~s. .s. campaign. Party and· the. . lively.. the right. public meet.ings J popular awa'i-enes8 of: the si~fi-. of- their. caace of the elee:tioft'S was strong only in Raton. I. 'S. th~ir. of. ,. tonga tnd Atitptaki: •. the two most populout· \. is.;.. J.aads whose tj.nhabitants constitute a little. more. t!;lan 60:pe,r.. eent,'of·,the population. of,the.. Ter. ions'Re-. ritory. Tm= degree of awareness in other,l"'itahinds. inmbi -. was·'! low., :I'hc-UDn.o;NatiOl).s Rep,relentliltiV'e 'tliQJght. Lficance to make United was. t. .. thp.t 'the New Zealand government could have done a' better job. in the enlighte'llpllent of the people.32. of. Another purpose wat to-. aee. to,. the United Nations. team. ·it ·that:lMthe~ members' of the L4:gis. ral . of. lativeAslemblyco~tld<·adopt • .amend",or 'reject the. I. before. 'eonstitutio.nal q.ravt.\jne.on'lplete. freedmn. The As. f. com-. saably did.makci certain, lirnPortant .amendments to .. :catter«i. the. GonstitUlion_;ll the j'deleg~tes~ exc~pt 'two fa-. task was. vored self -government. The' other two favored in. politi~. tegratJ;gn.with Ne~ Zealant~3- Tile United Nations. ;erm.was·. Repres.en~ative·bad. :nce. of. cial. ~. Bome criticism of the. offJj.cer'a lhandUng (of. :th~. DlQtions and his. presjd~. rat·her. p.atlroniz~ng attf-tude. (He-.was a New Zealander 0'. !. /.. ).

(28) . THE p. . 181. .. c,erttratcd ,. ,. (lcrningthc new, :~on'8;ti-~utiCJUt!the mmnbcl'sof;. men'tiOMG. Legislative As&emblydid mot"acfundez'the. ness oL tl. ..',',. ". taites from, any 'qUal-terextraneous , andi,dKpeOPle of the. 'C~. 0. eDl_. lative Ass. ,1:0,tft".J"is'S,. 'Islancb.. 3·~his. "was borne Gut bythc quality, of.,·tlte 'dehaie. the,\~iDbabi. thc tenac,ity with. whic:::b bDththe c:tnajority'and. ceu,'bem. .... norit!y parttJi es had. s~t. ta, cnsure' that th,ejr jj.."'\ . 'abo condU. '-j. :Power ,did. " . "..TI'hw J tAct ,Unit.cdiNatiOlWJhpreltmtativc ",''''- ,I. able. tOI~ita;.li8h. 'tJtn:epo.intt·:.;". I. Thc.campaign _d ,the. alterna t,ilYl. ,.1.1.. on the. eleetoral.pI'~. ,·iJDJ. , the.' nNci.c. . essentially ,free' and fair;' ,. '. \. ,2. The·mwjority ,of,;t1te 1peOpleof:the'Co.k. '0. .onlY'lto. St. JamlJcrwe,re ',eware' o£"the· aigninc::ane~' """u'-I1IioI1II!J .. ". work of tl. ',electi_:.-,tbough*_ degte~,9f':.II'19ar&I':'ll.~. by:itl1e';Acb. ,. ". Uinoni '·totdd. a' 'sabuant'ial miiuwitY,;-Was'.'lo;:; ,. \. ,"Zeal~tId;, govermnetltaluld' 'i've'''''''-'. DCt,,,. in the enligliteIlllM'Atof fhe peoplel;~" I. .. ,. The:UUI. .". a.The eilected';~p~d~tlltMive~ ';freely II"_DJ4I. .. .' ~,decis'6n in;;aoc'epHng "~eULlBtJvtrnIHlIt:j.:)' After 'receiving-die. '"e~t.<t7f ~\tbeUn.i~~d;·. ,. Nat.iomvlle. -. pie 'had".. , I. o. ,mi ttc~ 'l\lB8. , gO'Yermnen. tions 'Repre-seatat'i ve.' ';'th8)tSpeCiai!lCtmm,it~~. \. tions'Repr.

(29) .. . '1;,. 'UtE ,WITEli NATJ€lJifS ; ~Q; '~~Q J.JHn~ AtUUL,p;lJli ceilt rated ita invest igatiolt. on'th~three. iss;ue<$. men'tioaed.. above: the electoraL process, the aws,re:.;: DeSS'. oL the people. andt,fte ''Choice 'of ,the Logis~. lative Asseroply.The· Soviet Union made fbe strO'l:lfr' ,elrt.c.itiamtsthro~gkout' dlemeetings.In'its'view" thel~inhabi!tants. "had- Httle to say in die wholepr(). cess.' bec~useLthe'con.tittlti~ and the electoral law. were di1.ft,~d.iby ,th~ Administering ,PoWer ,whO' had \ . allO-.~. :tbe ~,election. The. "Adminls'1~riRg'. Power ~did)Uot.,e~lider,itldepcrDderice ,a~a ielistic .. .. alternatiNe and ,had Iailed t~',.!udight.D the people . ,. OIl. the importance of the ir ! deci'8ion.lnits view, ,. ,. ./. '. ,. ... the. me,oot .ihe, United. Nations Representati-w- was -. \ '. ;. ,. ,. onJyjJto! Sopenvise ~the;eleetions within the ·.frame _iinRl'~ented. work of the,legisla,tion drafted and! ,. ~,. . '. ,. byit.heAdministcriDgPower. "Flit:refore. th,c·Soviet .. . I '. UniOD '.b)UId 'not,'a:Pi>r6ve:,t~ereport ,'ofth~llited Nl... tions 'Repn's~tive. Jt6. ,. ,. The'majO'rity sentiment within t.b:e Special Ca:n. •. mitte~ wast'o accept the findings' of ,the .Unit,ed. Nat,iom ;)lepresentative: tbat thc'st>atus. of self .. . aM. $.incethe;peo~: . government was afree.;choice . -.' , . 'plehadltlade this '~hoice.\ i'tlVasnot teb.':qUt1t.." ,. ... '. \ I.

(30) ;. 190. THE. ..' w. tiQned by any delegations • Oil, the other hand~ t~. pIe to de:. door should be' open for' the people and their legal' .. fe~se?. I'epreseritatives ,to 'become independent at a· later,. not ,.be· sai. date .•. defense ar.. 37. If. .f:to~ver .:,there was no general agreement as'to;l'. eJercised c. implicat,ion of these findif'gs.;Had the·Cook ..... .a·, co I o.ni al. landers.achieved a full measure of self.. gover~. One schoo·. ~ a result of the electi~n and the deti~ion of tile,... p~eSBedwi. th~. . l,egislative.,Asse~bly.:. ,. other com. and ,therefore would. . ZealJl..qd. nolongerbc .1lbligated' t otI;anamit ,infO!',J.;'. . mation to .. .. ,". the.Se.cretary-General. jn. accordancewi1k .. the Charter? ASlJuming ,the' answer to .the prev.ioUll: questionwaa,posi'tive. rhad the politi-car); 4eveiop::~<'i ments 'in the~ dooklslandsfulfiUed the of. th~ ~cl~ration .!,I.'-. did not in. 1514,shoul. _de I egatiort \. pointprov . time. to: cl:. ,On the. on Colonialism'l. ,. With, the exception' of the Soviet I. . ed.·thevi~. '. lother members' of the Committee were' sa1 i'Bfjcd~~. ercised th. after hearing the ex:pla~tions' of .the. while the. the Cook Is l'ands.t~tthe. Te~ritor'yhad. attained. •. ' . .. t. . '(. a full mea4?ure of sc;lf-government.. Howe\(erj:pa!'a,i.q~. graph .5 of theb'edaration usC!d the:. ;'aU pow;ers J~ which mjght, creil,te SOIne confu& iorr ' .. ". , 'dcnee,Iio'J. an, ·educati4 , hence that dealt with. ,. Did, that expression include the power pc'-the.. opi~ioJrj ~>tJ.

(31) THE UN~TED NATIC)'NSAND DECOLONfzATION, ~~. 191. pIe t,o determine theitforeignrelat·ions and ," de.;. ,. i. fense? If 'it did. t·he Cook blands constitution could Qot ,be·saicl .to ,,conform to the Declaration 'beCause defense and foreign .relations' were powers to e~erci.s ed. by.the ,New. ~alantl. be. government. Could. ,a. colonial people voluntarily limit its sovereignty? One schoo1 o~ thought would accept the fr.eely ex... , p~essed will 'Of, the people as paramount;.but,a,D-: o.th~r,considcred. that if tliat freely,cxjRiesSed·will , I. did not invblVe ~cotnplete indepehdeucc{re.olUtioh: 1514. should still apply to ,the TerritoTY_ The lraqi .dele:gation was prepared to aceept the first view ,. point' provided that the people could decide at any _ time;~to'change, their status • .89, .Onthe other hand. the Iranian delegate reject 'ed 'the view ;had fully ex . that the';Cook.<&hi.ooers .. . ercised their right;:ofiseJ.1i':'determination ' because. while the peoprl~ihadbee:n. free to choose "indepen. :p.ier;,. .. /. . '<ienCe, no party or'politiCal 'leader had, conducted an. ,educational campaign . in favor of indepehdence; . . , hence that alternative had ,not been. adequately. dealt with during the: . electoral campaign. to . ,. 'hi~"\ .. opinioDi i-, the act of. aeH-de:f'crmil'lationln'.'COok.

(32) TJlE 1. Islands ease was to De. achiev~d. by a series olae'!. depentence. ..J. These facti. tiona: the free e~ctionof,the Ldgislative Assem~ blyand the lattet"•. decision in favor of self -govellIIDent and a. freeaasoclati~n. bers'to,ai(!. in.ternal'. Cook blanc. With. . Zealand were' the f,lrst'and:the second; the ,full. pro~i'rl. On· the,. cess· of self-determination would terminate when the>. reluctarttl t. peaplc of.the Territory.decided to become' an '. in'''!':'. 38ls tiJ.lli~tii. dependent s<wereignstate •• Nevertheless, he believ..... re 801utfonf. ed,thatdl,e Te'rritory ,had 18.chieveda full· measure,c. lJnited Nati. ", ~.govc;r>nm.ent. .' . of sclf. .perso·nn¢l· .f. '0. ". j. '.. '.. .. "~. ,. , -.. " SillC'e the'Gook Islanders djd not' choose, inde~;, JleridCmce,.many' membe'rs' of the Special. Comrrnttee1'" .. . .. .,'. ". J' ,'i:ri!~,. wereworri.c:d about ,the new :status. However J 'the firs t place .. the United Nations. Repre8entati~. .. ZeaJ~ :gOYoi. te.·. I,tbe::,:.Spe4 • .. took·.IlDitc; '(. prcseJltativ4. ·of~h.. had certified . that the elections were frce aId ,lto. mier. nest,.andthat the representatlves'of,the'people' 'hadi","". of. NtM:.Z!a. made a lree,Q,ecision with~regard:lo tbenew" sta.,.:o. of the .Cool. , tu>a;secondly~:.he newJ:y,eiectedpr~ierappea~:'~. . stated. the. .before. the Specia~ Committee and;:assuredthela~ ... , ."r t.O .\ aN". ter- that tlie people' o'the! C~k. Islands, were~' to have the ,OPPol'tuaityof, contl'otHng, theiro'wnf'. "adzninistrativ.f; ;affairs;' aJid·:thirdlY J the! :peopt1i" ,. ~. ~i)r. the. tbe.proi ritory. '.~. ,. 'of. theJ::ook IalaD.C!shad-tbco;,right,' to' obtain. port\Ulit.

(33) -. 'qIE UNITEDN~TIO. *ND~:;i>£.c()L9NIZATH)N a'c~. .J . depentence 'i~ .the fUture,i:mou14:!Rey These. factors ,made. eitlj;.. 191,. iehoOse •.. '1Q. i~'much ;ea~ier-.'forman'y. ,.mem. OeJ's ,.t"o'a'6Oept .the .new ,'relationmip',b'C"tWecll,tb:e~. na!' . ,_. '. ,. I. ,. ,_. ". ,. .. Cook blands· 'and New Zealand;;for'Jthec.time. bei~.. the. On,' the other hand.' SpeciaL Committee was . . . 'the . . re;luctant· to'inake anydefitlite judgment.' Ai·,.thcl , .. in{-l~ . 381st;me~ting!. )f()~ . . ,. Uni ~edNatiOIl •.>RQpresentativeJand"'the 5euret&lia$!l;. ... :". I. nee,.. 'in. Ethiopia. intliodw;ed a 13 .. power~i. resolutfonf1wbich) expr,e.u~d,i d satidaction tothCf:. lU'C'. Ide.;",. '. ". icv",:. (. -. .pers.o~hfor')f;h~:''wo:r:k:t.hey ;di4~-I8.ncldto: the ~,t~ew. .. Zeal~. t.rth~:Special. took,. ~xtended. .governtncnt for'tbe £.O-pperation. 'nDt~. 'Committee. The ?raft resolution also. 'Of l~he. report of tbe,lJnited: NatiAms Re thepre~. the ". prcBe.tati!Y'ean4'-thc .&tat..erncmts mad.eby. Ito-. mier .Qf~he Cook. l'sJ~~.bY:;Jthe. representative .. had,. of' New Zealand {wi th,.regar4'I~o the<'furure', atatus. .. ,. ,_. ".. ,',. _,. . '. '. k. /. ,. of. the Cook Islands. As the Ethiopian. delegate. stated._lthe::'~dr4f~f~esolutiori wa,s ',designed . ,", t.o a¥oid 'controversy; it satilficxl the wishes. Cjf the. peQj)lt of~. t'he -Cook Isla~. recognized". . the,progress.,t hat ·has been made' ,j-n the; Te~ ~ , . . I . rlt9i'Y and provided an,'conccllned, wi~·,~nop';' , . port\lnity tQ judge. what f\lture,;aet1od~$bOJ.d(bb~. ~. I.

(34) ·1". '.' -taken on the:;. que.t ion , in the GeneJ'al.Asseni:llJ!1~. thli~. The Italian! de legat ionpropos~ seyeral ,amend;';'.'. f. menu "oo3trcn.••hfm. the .c&8e)of New Zeahuld. ,. /.. .'. dtaft .was. amti.. 20. '.. to: cxpren ,thc:.llatiifact,iori. 'oftlleCo:m:mittee w:i::til) : the. ~repO!rfl:',of,. of. it .u, However;<. vote18-,. .bloc .cC:nni. the 'United,. Nations l,t.cpreserltative,.. instead 'of merely.takil1gl DOte. pro(. .the send! ./. in the.lli. nODe of :t~ese' amendments obtained m,jority s1.JfPdlt.. {' 'Bere-in. primarily bC.¢al,lSe~ot the: opposition ,()f the'So!Vi~y'". ,~e~~t<if,fe. llioQ. ,'l11e Italian. ,de.logate< ·.·Itwa,. ,the. la~cd!,·.:'. '. and tbe:.1. d-uty,rof- the Special :Coumittee ,to<\. and 6men(. 'tranamit~t~; :qpoJ.!l,to,. t heGCneml Asnrnbl¥.iwJ:t::. eooH:Ritte;. to;.Jilote tha..:.,itcontaiaed somethmgpoaitive,) .' ,WitJIout theW1iJ.,dJ. "~ith. .satisfaction '.tke drafCu. ~soltitioQwOuld ~s>ignifythatthc' .. ciaj;;'Cbhu. CalBIduecrWi. wbetli-er:1. ' .. ". :' merely_read' the. repol-t, and tr:anamhte$1:it theAs.&em.bly·}'withou~.. on:t~i:fi. .t()~. land. 1Je!. rp8uing :any judgme.B(;on') , ~". It isture, tJiat., on:.,the. meIit-:J(j:(' t. > '.. t t'O. slol~f;ace,.. .,'" ...... Itt- '. tl1. lhe·,:Spec.iall . ,. otr'gelotli:. .Committee filidnot· make any· spedf,icjt.t.dgmenton.. 'ne;~1W. the case. However'•. the whore discUJelon iD.dicatea. aceept~'. that'a ,ma:jori-ty.. (d'--mernbers .,were. quite', . 'satr-.,f.ied. htntlt 'l1nd. with tbeproceu"of"self.-determinati on int.he~Cook. a. draft. I. \. . lIiand.......hhough· many were not, certain. eij(,ji!c'. I' .. whetil:eJ::. . .'tlia '". ,. 'k I'. t --." thi!,- '. c ,.

(35) ,. ". ,',",. , Ok • '. '. .".. •. -.. tn1i-s. ,:amend:':). I. '. "t"-~tsJlli.att.tp..,.~.A:r.ml'f§':~A1ib:.Jiltf.01.0Jl{lZ.A.tnUL .._. ". ,. •. •. proee8l.'. J. ",. m. mm~. •. had beerltMa(tl1¥:~o6ipieted~'WIY::iJ)dI:i. draft Was ipttt. , t:o' ~hetinal vote'; :it'wu< 'a~c~1il!. 20 ',vot" ~tiO nOAewith -I abst,e~ioDl • .'WhCi ; '&iJyI~. . •.......1.1.).. CC' W'l.-,..., '.. !Jlocc~tries' atiataineG becausc they ~i~. , , .,'"\ .the sendingdf i.:t'ha-Un'ited' NatipllS 'Ibep:rO'l_ta1:'M.. tative{ ". oWJ;:ver; 'l. '". in the fba:t' iplaee~,. .... r st.JWdn. Bec·a.tlsett'the (United, Nations Repte1tmtative'",. ,So"lie,t-: .. '.. ,. ,,~~rtif,ied"z.fhiLt ''1;'bt :e.1ectioos .were 'fmanti b:I.toft. ./. andlJt~e:~ti'llat;ive AssclnblY 'Jlad. "i'1'It:elY,1:,adGpted. ttee. and'&n~TfhA4rw'constiIlUtion:, · <tlte',;' SF~',. mhlV·Baf7. CotniBitte~' ·~nd :tfic"Ple'niary Ane'tnlMycdnoen1,q'8~'. ,;itive\;l. on:t'he ·two remaining qhestions 'to whi:ch t:beSpe. I. tM·drBf.,i .. I '. '. 'fori. ". cial·.adnmit'\ee~ did not ,give -any ttefiBite,'ansWC'lt.:. wMttteprth~;:·c0nB.fituti-on<adbpted. t 'it. bY "the' c~. ll''':. landsiDti~i)lative:A:~~mb.fy ensure ,tun ~a-e·If.;osovem-. ..kd. .. meat'jof th~'COok:td~aers Jand-,ifitdid ~ ,. .',. t.l1eijjb~c'"v•• ~i(jf ~he' Cba·tter' Speciall,: , ,. .. '. ~t..e Declaration. on 'G.IGtii.U~ lrIif' betuifUlfiHed •.. nenton.. Thc·majbti't'Y of' the/United NatioD~' members.. oo.icates. actepted' ther'new relationship between tfte'(]adc·It-:. lathficd: '. la:bdf'sridNcW',Z,ea1anp. 'Togo ana,,:p~ddstan t~;. whetb'e~. ". ,. a. draft'r~solution. ~5w1;fich,·a~bDgot~rs.ifidll~. 'f. tliatthe '," .constitution of'. th~ ;COok 'lii~~' ,~ ". •. #/. ,".

(36) '.1..1 ,. ~,. H~. intO' fO'.r~e .on 4 August; '1965. "frO'm ,which' . da.,t:e. force ... tbeCoO'k Islanders. hflve had 'cO'ntroJ ,of".thc.w ,in. achieved. t.etnal.affa-irs •.~ HoWevel' Ii it wanted to' ,:cetaln" the. tbe powe. reaponsiDiHI!Y '0..£ the United.: .rsationsResO'l"~ion 1514. oove,rnQi'. , (XV)to·.a.ssin the peO'pleO'{>, the CO'O'.k ',Island . in. General}. the'c;v~Dtual. achievement O'f full indepe1ldc;m;e'.' if .. . .~.. achin-ed.. In their...,.vle'IIVji the. fut~re.":d~tc:~ ~. tbe'y8o wish. at a.. '''Whe1. to'ad:',to. decolonizatioJl. .sh~ldhave'.;..been; J.le~ible. arx:h&tatehO'od. sbould, 'DO't.have ~le,cot1rse. whether .,. beell·tb~:.9.q.ly,. ·havC·j. .ct~. made. fot . ~n:"j.slantlA' 8(.:au,-er.eq. lin :,tl. yUlt;;·~ea.n.,.TO' 'f'{)fce ItheJll:to... a~hievei~e. peet-ec. would have made .such' sta t~ s. ne~- c.qloni. doct•. 1. alism. As· lo.ng.a they freely. cbf;Jse ,~ir.. i':p:tUt:~.. y.rds1. the "(J~ted,Nati{)ns8hould respec:t such. a d~i$i<D.'~. dete-rr.. A ,number '.0£ states disagreed •. The' S9'¥ie~ l'Jt\i-o,n. ropea,ted th~ A~~ilck8\it had nu.,de iilt~L" Speoica.1.. res.P>I dusio. COJtlIllittee: .tbe inhabitaJ1.tB had little,.s;ay,in draft;-,. tha.. ing the. CO'~st itutlO'n.,enact.ing. tl.l,e ~l.ct9ral :-"~~s-:. d19 it.. • 'C 1. . lation., ,. ~. ·p,rey ·to'. 1. and conduct iug th~elt~tiQllij,F,\l;r~h:e.tItiore.. tUde. tP,e.;'~inis ter il\g.PO'wer,bad ;nO't c{)~Sridered~indc;)". fre~d. .~ as reaiistic~ 47 The Ghapai'an .. dCfleg~ti~. ShMtl«. a J'r,eq.,. ••e:re. ~mitted that theGook }slande~s had Iru¥le I. ". , . <:hQ~ceand .that the !lew const1.~utiO'n,hlld.c:ome into . q. >. •. ... >#. . . .,. '. '1.... ~.

(37) ". ". "-. -. -. -,. .. ',:;. .; 'r,jwr31,,;i'Jl,1Dil,Ar,'J'l,b.NS;:riiUzR& to,J.ONl','\'~Df1;,;J~, . 'datte: '. -'-. fotte .. tlt:nVevet. j. -. -. -. -. ". if deniftcftbit ,'·the- T~ttitoty .hlld··. " " .. •. .. 1. .. I. a tullmeasute' (if. .se.foi.~efnment i·ti HI!«. lJ; . in':'.. achieved. J.n" the'!. ,. tbti. tion 1514. OGVfUnot ':'Oene tal ol"'New' Z~land. .. ' in.' H,,· y'ieW, ,the. ld.in. OeneraIAs!embly~dthCiright 'to' proJ:it:Alhtc'. lee. if,. whether a full ~alijte' tif self.. goverrirtJe1lt. eWit thci. achieved .. The Qhatlaian deleg'ate .concluded:. G~issioller'. and .th~. ,. .. ~llt'he ptople. :e.~ib:l~ ". y.. powet of thc-,Itesldem. bad ~. any dependent' t er~ itory'. of. . bave·madc·;a· elroree, and that choice. af;1'!. Ott. ~ .. been,. ". . ttiId~'in lt~.~i:'o( emlr.;.~. it's~ld'be ft!S~. lin :;,~;. it. thiU ditJit-e.maae i~fteed<m. .. ,. ~eJ. pect,ed.;But .. ~o:~;tOIli. doe.s notsatisly the. Genetal'Asseinbl)t's:,' oWn. iJifUr,~.. yardstick' fJ the fuod.umtaJ principle' of aell-,. ". . dete,rmiaatiODj 1VeshouJd Dot. sbtinkJrom. the. UIliAJ'l.. r.u.JMHlsibiHty .Qf~a:Wmg the, n~c:ess-ary. 'eQJl..... .. '., ,;;. .,,81CB.. :~. ~. lh~)e l~f_ ~J'i.be~e(is. ;peG~~~l... dusions.. [ldraft~ .t.. 1M. afte:!: 'thQRj b .•etaS',.. ilt' 'lhe. l; ~·.l;1=Kr$~. t:reit•. ~·'~~._le,wba,t -;'irulddbe. " _. l~rmore,. .. :l . in~C;r, .. a 1:t;~c;.' •. into -"."j. ._. __. t,'_. ,_. "_. r iaht. _.. tNt. atti-. tude iI'a dtpettd.nt teff'it&ry shoUld 'CftOMe 1:1'1. fre.edmn a cCffoni*1 statu$·pure and simple' 'ShmtJd we sa, that because -jt was a fteechOk.,. :g~ti~. ~. ~. ;. aqggesti!'l. -,. ih••. e:16t~". ThC. New ~eal.aa represel1ta;five teiJliCcl':.. OUr. t'~sll 'i~ ~ f. Cedliintv. ~: ••.

(38) 198, ,. ,.. THE '. medi~telv, that the Cook Islanders had. that a.nd. 'a. reqtiest~<!_. , 34 abate. te. endment. New Zealander' be appointed' Head ofSta. High:Comnils~i6ri~r '-ot'Ne~. stelil'tion:. Zealand and; 'that. '\ 'the Cook Islanders could appoint one 'of their ~ " '. ,. -. '. adopted, , Assembly. '. -pIe to be the Head of State if they so ,desired. II,. •. ' .. ,. No New Zealander could be, appointed High. apstaine4. CQJll-". missioner if he was-not ~ acceptable to' the Cook Is- ,. . Ill<?sC. 'Exe~utiye 'Council were, ". 'sons. So. land.ers. Decis ions of the. by inajority and the High Commissioner had only ,one:. some Af]. vote. The New Zeala'lld. gDver:tn:nentandthe. Gov. blanq.ers ·ve~t,. ernor-General;, c~uld make' legi,s lat ions and. could,lie, XI of tli. lations, (or the took ISlands, only irthe' latter's. , representat-~ve organs asked lhert.to. 49. Kingdom;. A Gbanaian . amend.n)ent to delete the reference to, self- government was rejected by the Fourth Com:... South Af. mittee by 29 votes to, 28with,43'abstention~.50<.,,'. supscri,b!. .AU, the major ,caucus , inggroup~ \vere' divided ex~ept: . . . . .. .". freely ex. .. .. 11<'. 'the .Communist 'bloc which voted for the. 1. .. ment with unanimity .On tli~other _hand, : the. bedan amendment. relieving~NewZealand. of. obHgation t~ tran~mit' informatioJlon:the; C,ookl" ,lands. bCca:~se. er~ment'. the 'latter had, attaj,ned fullself';,gav. waaadopted by a vote of 49 to ,. :.,. status,. .....,mend.' ,. ,1. ~onCC;,f,ne4. afr~~cl,;of. tboii.zel dQme~~ic. . had. f~el.

(39) l~. THE UNITED NATIONS AND .DECOLONIZATION ,-:..-. -~.,. ·34 abstentions. In tbe pie~ry-::~~';cr~.h~y,.~h~~, .~~ endment w~s a~dopted by 66 ~ote~, t~ 19.wiJP~J ab . .s;teR1ions'. The d.ra£Lr~soluti,~()n a~;'~~~.le,.;;.r:~~ ". , J ' , -,. ,. ". adoptep,,:in the Fourth 90mIIl1ue.e~ al:\c:l;: t~~~pm+~~:Y .. ;.. .. ~. A8$'embly wi~hout o~pos~tion alt~()4g9.·~i';C~~tt~~' 1 vote. 51.' . d'In 'h b' astalne t e f'Ina, l'~ " .' • '1, .. Those who: ~bsta!neddid3() f<?r d~~ferent: ~r.~~. s~s. Some,,' such as th,e Communis,t cqti~uies ~ s0ID:e Abo,psia:t'l~ountries dou~te<;tthal: ,the, ' Cl?9k _. '.':.,-. 0. _. -. ,.. ~. hlanije:rs -had ~c~jc;y;~4a fuU!lJe~lR~ of',~e.~!r.g.O 'VCIIlJllellt ,and therefore, the Administering, , I" -, -... -~. ,. J>oWer .. \. could be:; reUeyedof its obligation under C~ap,t~r XI of the Charter. Other~, such as the, . pni ted -.,;:,.r. Kingdom ~tb-e. Uni\ed..,St~e s , '~\ls tralia,. ,France, 'and. South Africa abstained"bec~use'. th~y(lfW.ld., •. Il. 50 -,. ,. -". -. -. '-.. -. ". .,. -. ~ ~. ". >. n,ot. lubscri be to t~heidea that"(t.fter,the ,people had freely express~d theil:, wbh.es iI.Qd, chosen. their. statl.\",~,he Un41,ed 'Nations slJould eontinuetQbe. Ie. ~onccrned. with. th~. Ter;ritory. These' countries were. afraid, of esta.blishinga precedent which would au thorbe the United Nations t,o intervene in the~r dQme~tic aJf~i:rsafterth!,!ir;dependep~ ,t~ri~ories. ,. ,·had. '. f~ely. ,. ' r'. . '. made a decision to as.socia t~" with,' the ~. .,..

(40) THi. ,:administerIng PO'Wef.. for· the. Hete we cafise.e that the major'itY of the United ,Nations. members. retogni~c;d. took up. a middle. position.. self -de1. the free choice of th~ Cook Islanders. andtbe'self-goverttingstafuB acbievedbytneTer. " . .. ,. ,. 'ritory.They therefOl'edecided to. free l'!cwZea;". .. •. land from the obligati'()Il to tr.,ltnamit . information the 1'errltory.On the other hand~ they insist. 011. .. .. .. .~. ~. ed tlIat thet.1ni ted N'atJonilought to be the' pro... ... hl~t~r. of.thedependet1tpeopld.,Hence, tbeYwant ... '~.. to. prenrve tbe authorit,y; ot' theUnited'Nati~. II). help the Cook Is,landers to become indepertdCht. ... . it . the . . latter . .. ~. 80 'desired. .. ,. '. The .major Ity p6i it ion!"- recognising the. achie\le~. .. .. .. . . . 'lbettt ,of full self ..govetnment,reUevinr New Zea...' 'IatKlflobUgation unde' Artieie 73(e) of theCharter, .' but 'corithiuP1lthcuittted NatJonsconccrtt ·wi·tlt:. the future qf the C'ook .sl.nda.uadet .. .. ~.re. .' . /',. ,. dependelitpe~le.. .. 'b,;oader tb$:l .. ·prQYided. for· by J~ Charter. 'kre resolut'ihn. Ul';beeorne~ .n.~<JdUionaJ.QUfCe. Of authority,'. The .~. hlandJc:aae is "llinfetesHng . ." /'. the Uni'. the -nati. ed tbei. blander.. blander poLitan . '. posure. ,1. dependeI harmony. no:polit:. 'l;lut . inst. fits' in c. g.rating,. on. even. r'esolution. :.•SH,.... Jri.'efitel tilJ&t the United. Nations ba.paw.. .•fa relating In' the. \1. '(. The). by the AI. the inhal. tulJ . was t.. pressures.

(41) .. THE UNITED 'NATI9NS AND DECOLONIZATH>N f,?F'. the fotiowirig ,reasons:. .,. 201 J. ......!. ,I. Unlike many.o.ther ca~es, the pressur~ . for. self-c!etermination came mainly. from outside, Le., the U.pited Nations, ra therthan from inside,'i .e.. heTetJ.. the ·nationalists. T'he ,Special·Ct,mnii Uee badstreis ed the harmonious relationship between the. Conk. Islandet:s -aRd .th~ Adm~nistering Power~.Many Cook. .. e pro.". yWabt!'. I$landers. would prefer-closer' ties with the· metr()lo '.. .. '/. poLiJa~. country.. Here,. obvi~us ly,. the. lac~;of ex~·C'. posure to international in{luence:,.:the ',economic . . '. ~. dependence on the metropolitan' count;y; aJ:d racial. )f;ndent. achi~~. w Zea. harmony played an important role. Since there was no, political oppression or"r'acial discrimtnation, . . 'but· instead there were economic and' oth'er. bene , . ,,fits in conlinuingtbe asspciation. (S1.~ch. as. emf.. ·. g.rating, to Ne~Zealandh there had .bee.n no strq of),'evenorganized' movements amOng the . it~nt~ .to achie've ~separate -identity.. .'. inhab. The .process .of self..;determinationwas initiated by the Administering Power. The. decisio~. ..to ,let. the inhabitants choose 'their ,future poHtica-J sta';;'. ity, .. tu~ .was taken at lea st' in 'patt ,: in response ,fa' the. pressures ori,ginating from: the United .N'ationi..

(42) .THE. In OctQber 1964 the Coo" lsl;t.p~. C~thutiotl. Bill. 'was iftt,,~~'e~ in ~~~ N~w Ze.l~d ,. .. fOfm. paTHa ... th!:y. ". ment.The debate on the revealed the extent -.. . " ,BiU .. ~l'eU. ':'0 which the policiell of the gover,runettt ''W\=~ '.. ip~. quite. .ir~d"bY the Declaratioll on ,Cqlpnjalis,n:' M~.J.. neQU$. .". ,,'. ,. ,,'. ,. -.-. ,. ~bison, who'baq.. been a flliphter respon1Jib. e for '.. ei[pt.: verian!. the CQOk h13llds , ,referred, to Mr.' O()tz,thfi pii';' nist~rl'e&-p!l1lsible. for the Cook. Isl~(h. wilen. the. . ap()ptl. .' govetpm.cpt 's8elf~g~v.erntDent po.Hcy W~8 inHi,:t~. a desi. Ma*~h~p' .aidth..tllebad '~, fe~(~~g th~td1C" r~a'ohl~idn by ·the' Uniteqliation.' hi 196Q'llnq', .he. .,4.. . setiing~pf'. ~e~lla.. te,.int. \he-tt-U\aD c'OmmiU~e ~~q •.e4 ' 1IQll\~. , thi~g d{ .... papL<:lii "~n.Und of ,'tbe. HOli.. . This·, •. )4r~',. ,":. -. ':'. -',. ,. .'. '. .. Qi. -,. Wtten h~'wa'PLi~i'terj":rw-t 9~e ~, ~be., qwticHl. l,l, bis. , oeiD~on,'M:r ~Ootzwas ' r~spOIi~iblc . ~()r~CFde!'.iing. ' .... ,Wii~ten COll$t i tutio~ .~ c(ttnplele 8clf;"~ttI~tmleq. ",. ,. '. ",. !aUldse~ve_them~"u.. ,. \ -Tbc yit=w., was .•b~n:d py. M •• ,. ',". ". ~. ·'¢"d~r,. , ' ". ). .. .. . . ,. of'the oppQlhioJh,ti,:)a.id:. "~que.tionar:iae8,as. to. wh~t. J" R· HaJ. ~tt!=r$t. ,"e~ca4c. , lth~i!~. L~borP.. :A,. lJ~Norq~eye.; . -. 'c~hmi. 'ty.· Tb~ I. of 'compietes~lf~govetlQ1i~p:i m~~Ho~d~. tile, i(ic'a '~o:q8 tite CQO" 'J8, f.~~tll~t "~Qlhh~ ~. th!lt h " t~e. ' •• the. j. -·~d N~W. Qc)tz.~ &; t~vaaled·that. ~fweeP 19~t ~nd~· 19f)O, "-. . '" ". ' , ... '. t>e.~. fette. . DtclaraH.

(43) 4'. .. ,. . ....t:~~JJNIT~D NATION&L AND,.~~(:;~LJ2N'~,~n9N:_~JRJ. form of Government' fot'tfleCook blands. if. ~. th~¥ ·are tphave self -goverriment. Wh~,t ia .the pre$sute for self-government? Let it be Baitt han~ly. quitt:. J.. neoudy ftoll1. Ie for. mi~. .. '.. not~(:~spo~ta-. that itdQeSl. ,..,. .. tf1~. '. 'people themselves.. 'eKpteut"dno'butniQg desire ve~Iltpu~. tt). They~Vfl. 'llave ' s¢lf..go-·· '.'. I...rgely~~au·se of the. flHi tude. .aPQP,e~f ~y t~ct lJ'ni.tedNa~ions t fl\ere~s Ilc;en. tiat.,. , '.d~.lr~ ~OA. Jhepart of Govcrnroent' in. New. ~eal~fld tQSee that ,we 'were (reetl 'i1'om 'any' ~.. -.:.'int of. lhe. '~pt' ... .' ~r;.. 19()O.. coloni~li~m.,,~3. . Th,is ,ptenure from the hiternatio~l coIl'1ln\Ulit). ..d NJ:W ~eah\nd's. wish to be, freed ftomthcta~nt Qf c~lOlli.U'ni' wenr . r¢~olniz:e.dbythc .mUng par~ . .. ,. .. , .' ty ..The govetntl1enl .• pokettman !nthe· ~b;t:~t=, M.r~·. . J. R. aan'll~ the' "hen mipiuerre~Pdn,.ibl.. (or .. '. ·.tine .. ~t~et'f~latiD« , , , , , -t4 the C<¥Jk hhind,••. rccalleq. ~w. iqgb,¢ .. the lea4erof thcOPPQshion hadinth~' put .. by . his wi~~ilnd helpful st~nd.saved,h.' p1!l~ty ( tb_c L..,b.Qr Pa.rty ). from laying_ itself open "to the ctw:ge. leye..,. ,. •. -. th.t if 'Was 'Qpp«>leq. to. '. .. 01<. ,. '. New Zeal~d cOlllPlyiiWwHh. the letter ,and spirit of th¢ 1:960 United "'1at ,ons be.~. neclar~~io~ on colonia:! i sm. ,,5.. ".