§ 5 United Nations and Regional Peacekeeping. : United Nations Peacekeeping Forces. U.N. Disengagement Force (UNDOF) On July 2 and September 10, 1974, the Embassy of Switzerland in Washington sent notes to the Department of State informing it of the application submitted by the United Nations Commission for Namibia on behalf of Namibia for admission to membership in the Universal Postal Union. In its reply note dated October 7, 1974, the Department of State said, in pertinent part: the Department of State notes that Article 11 of the Constitution of the Universal Postal Union provides that applicants for membership must fall into one of two categories; they must be either a member of the United Nations or "a sovereign country which is not a member of the United Nations." Since Namibia is not a member of the United Nations, its eligibility for membership in the Universal Postal Union depends upon whether Namibia can be considered a sovereign country. In this regard, it is noted that the United Nations General Assembly, in Resolution 2248, established the United Nations Commission for Namibia to administer Namibia "until independence" and that the General Assembly Resolution 2871 speaks of protecting and safeguarding the rights and interests of the people of Namibia "pending their exercise of self-determination and attainment of independence." Lacking independence Namibia cannot be considered a "sovereign country" as specified in the Universal Postal Union Constitution and thus does not meet the Universal Postal Union membership requirements. Accordingly, both the Government of the United States of America and the Territories of the United States of America, including the Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands, oppose the admission of Namibia as a member of the Universal Postal Union because it is not eligible for membership under criteria set forth in Article 11 of the Constitution of the Universal Postal Union. Dept. of State File No. P74 0107-1681. |